159pm Kewstoke to Clevedon

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

[Continued from the morning.]

I am walking along the southeast bank of the River Yeo, heading for Phipp’s Bridge, only a few hundred yards away. Technically speaking I am trespassing. But this shortcut saves me over two miles of needless walking along official footpaths to get to the same place. (And there is no guarantee the official paths would be passable anyhow.)

This is farmland, with fields of cattle. There are no stiles, but the fences I come across are easy to climb over.  I wave to some watching cows, who ignore me.
b01 fields of cows, Ruth walking in Somerset Continue reading →

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159am Kewstoke to Clevedon

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

I am anticipating a difficult day today. My first challenge is to find the bridleway from the Woodspring road to Wick St Lawrence. The start of this public right of way is cunningly disguised as a Private Road!
Bridleway disguised as a private road, Ruth trying to walk the coast, north Somerset Continue reading →

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158 Kewstoke, Sand Point and Middle Hope

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

The sun is shining. From the garden of my B&B in Kewstoke I can see right across Sand Bay to the peninsula of Sand Point. The air is a little hazy, but it’s still a beautiful view.

view over Sand Bay from Kewstoke, Ruth's coastal walking

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157pm Weston-super-Mare

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

[Continued from the morning.]

We leave the pub in Uphill in pouring rain. But soon, by the time we reach the beach, the rain stops and the clouds begin to clear. Out comes my camera. Ahead, across Weston bay, is the beautiful Brean Down peninsula. I can see where I sat and ate my snack yesterday. The island beyond is Steep Holm, the last English outpost before the Welsh coast.

Brean Down and Steep Holm, Ruth walking the coast, Weston Super Mare

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157am River Axe to Uphill

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

It is raining when my hubby drops me off at Diamond Farm Caravan Park. I hate walking in the rain. But the next section is mainly boring, inland, road-walking, and so maybe it doesn’t matter very much. I obey the highway code and set off facing the oncoming traffic.

road walking, Ruth walking the coast in Somerset Continue reading →

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156b Brean Down to River Axe

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

[Continued from this morning.]

steps up to Brean Down, Ruth walking the Somerset coastThere are a lot of steep steps to climb to get to the top of Brean Down – about 150 I think, although I don’t bother to count.

And this is a popular walking route, so there are plenty of people trudging up alongside me.

Normally I simply puff and pant my way to the top, but when surrounded by other people, petty pride makes me restrict my breathing. This means I end up feeling more tired and short of breath than I normally would. Silly really. Continue reading →

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156a Burnham-on-sea to Brean

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

There are plans for a continuous coastal path to link Minehead to Brean Down. Until then, coastal walkers must find their own route. But I don’t anticipate any problems as I walk from Burnham-on-Sea to Brean. My map shows a footpath/cycle track running along the beach. And its a lovely morning for a walk on the sands.

Ruth on sea front, Burnham on Sea, walking the north Somerset coast

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155 Pawlett to Burnham on Sea

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

Today I am walking up the east bank of the River Parrett, from Pawlett to the mouth of the estuary at Burnham-on-Sea. I anticipate a flat walk but am apprehensive about the state of the path. This is not a national trail, just an ordinary footpath.

I needn’t have worried. The grass on this side of the river bank is either cropped short or worn into a farmer’s track. Apart from occasional debris caused by winter flooding, the going is easy.

looking back, River Parrett, Ruth's coast walk Continue reading →

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154 Bridgewater to Pawlett, via Dunball Wharf

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

I’m not expecting much from today’s walk: just a slog through industrial estates and along a busy road, until I get to Dunball wharf and a river footpath. Bridgewater is not the prettiest of towns, but any marina looks nice if the sun is shining. Bridgewater Marina Continue reading →

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153 Stert Point to Bridgwater (River Parrett Trail)

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Ruth Livingstone

[Warning: For anybody following after me, the route of this walk is no longer passable. The river bank has been breached to create the Steart Marshes, and walkers would need to make an inland detour to get around the breach.]

Today I am heading down the west bank of the River Parrett to Bridgwater,  the first point at which I can cross the river and continue my coastal walk.

But, when my husband drops me off in the car park at Steart Village, and just beside the monument that marks the beginning/end of the West Somerset Coast Path, I see a footpath sign. And I discover I can walk even further along the coast, and maybe get to Stert Point itself.

unexpected coast path to Stert Point

So off I go. (This is another unexpected eccentricity displayed by the West Somerset Coast Path – it doesn’t actually end where it says it does!) Continue reading →

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