The next day, Monday, was a free day as some people were leaving and others arriving. After breakfast I started writing some postcards and then had a break to follow the “Holnicote Estate Walk”, which was in fact a walk through the grounds of the house.
This started at the house and led past Gun Cottage, round the back of the swimming pool (not in use this year), past the managers house and the round the estate office to “Gladstone’s Tree” – a tree that Gladstone did in fact plant. It was then back round the side of the house and past Butlers Cottage to the front of the house again. Both Gun Cottage and Butlers Cottage now have guest accommodation. It was then back to the lounge with a cup of coffee and I finished writing the postcards I had bought, before going back to my room, picking up my rucksack and lunch and setting off again.
I started by following the first part of the first walk so I could see the views without the mist. I then turned back to follow the walk to Selworthy – and almost immediately missed a track and so headed in the wrong direction – without knowing it! Fortunately the tracks are all well signposted so after heading to Selworthy Beacon (hill too steep, distance too long) I tried Selworthy Combe and eventually found signs to Selworthy and ended up on the green there, where I had a late lunch. The houses are not as old as they look as they are a “model village” built in the 19th century, I think.
Having finished lunch I explored Selworthy a bit – trying to work out how I should have arrived in the village – which I failed to do! The hills are quite steep…. I did post the postcards and eventually find the church, which was quite nice and had good views through the porch door.
I then headed back to Holnicote House, and managed to follow the suggested route without getting lost – for once!
I got back in time to have the cream tea – for new arrivals but open to all of us. Then it was time for a bit of a rest before getting ready for dinner. No entertainments that evening, so an early to bed.
The next day I got my picnic lunch with no problems(!) and we got a minibus to the Quantock hills. We walked up a bit and then walked along the tops where we saw ponies (Quantock ponies because it was not Exmoor??)
We also had good views across the countryside and Bristol channel.
We had views of Hinkley Point nuclear power station as we moved along.
From the tops we went down a steep path in woods and to a stream. We met a group of naturist walkers there and they wanted to stop and chat… We crossed the stream and then climbed up and down a bit and eventually reached Nether Stowey, where Coleridge’s cottage is. We were supposed to look round that but no-one had checked and it is closed on Tuesday!
There were no teashops open so we sat and had drinks in a not very nice pub and tried to work out what Coleridge had written apart from “The Ancient Mariner”. We failed on that and I was the only one who had any clue what “The Ancient Mariner” is about – and that is only a vague idea! The minibus collected us eventually and it was back to the hotel where I had the cup of tea I hadn’t been able to have in Nether Stowey before getting ready for dinner.
In the evening we played skittles on the same principle as before.
So? Enjoyed the day off mostly, when I was sure I wasn’t seriously lost. Not very impressed by the Quantocks day, though and the cottage not being open was really not very good planning….