We left Bridgwater clad in our rain gear, having checked the forecast, and it was dry all day! The first part of our journey out of town was tedious along roads with busy traffic. We then turned onto paths through fields, and once again found that farmers had ploughed across the footpaths and gates had been moved. However, the second half of our walk was on clearly marked paths through the Somerset Levels and the going was easy. We certainly appreciated the lack of hills, for the first time since Lands End! We always enjoy our breaks, but found that the first pub we came to was closed, so we sat in the garden to eat a snack bar with our water. Later we found a pub which was serving food – we only just arrived in time for a meal! Our accommodation at New House Farm is lovely, and we were greeted with a cup of tea and chocolate cake!

A Backward Glance

Road noise and annoyance stayed with us for a long stretch out of town, so at soonest opportunity we parted company and headed into the maze of fields and lanes that is the Somerset Levels. Quickly we found ourselves going around three sides of a huge ploughed field with no exit. (It’s strange how random events of the past come together to form the basis for a major decision in the present. When a nipper I was flung off a bike and over a hedge and next to a ferocious lady on a sun bed, so hastily made my retreat through the same said hedge. Much later in life after falling backwards into a hedge and being abandoned by Carol, I was surprised at how it tried to eat me whenever attempting to push myself out). “We are walking through the hedge”, I told Carol, it might resist but if we persist it will surrender. “Yes, sure”, Carol replied – you first. Well we did, we walked through a hedge, it put up a fight, but it had met it’s match. In triumphant mood we resumed our walk along lanes for a while until well established paths tempted us off. These took us across Sedgemoor, an area steeped in history way back to prehistoric times and famous for the great battle of Sedgemoor in 1685, after which the poor Duke of Monmouth had his head removed in a very untidy manner! Some of the paths we were on were established before 1500 BC, so were excused for being a bit muddy in places.