12 FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF COLERIDGE


January 2021 Travel News


Adventures on the Coleridge Way “I


Nigel Heath and his walking companion Peter follows in the footsteps of one of England’s most famous poets, Samuel Taylor Coleridge from his cottage in Nether Stowey all the way to Lynmouth in North Devon...


WONDER what adventures we shall have today,” I said to my walking companion Peter Gibbs as we set out from a picturesque Somerset village on a stormy Autumn morning.


It was the ritual question I always asked at the start of our latest long- distance trek. This time we were following in the footsteps of


one of England’s most famous poets, Samuel Taylor Coleridge from his cottage in Nether Stowey all the way to Lynmouth in North Devon.


Had I known the answer to my question I am not sure I would have quite believed it. For during the course of that first day on the 51- mile- long Coleridge Way, we met a dinosaur, stared up at white clouds of cotton wool, were entertained by a retired prison governor and came across a world- famous church gargoyle.


The huge wrought iron dinosaur put in an early appearance as he was guarding a villager’s garden just before we began our long climb up the wooded slopes of the Quantock Hills.


The heavens opened after we gained the ridge only


to discover that the way now led back down wooded Holford Combe almost to sea level before climbing back up again past Alfoxton House, once rented for a season by Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy. The as we regained our height, we were rewarded by magnificent views across the Bristol Channel to Wales. By lunchtime we’d crossed back over the Quantock ridge to descend to the pretty village of Bicnoller and then on to the quaintly named village of Monksilver where we were overnighting and it was here that the rest of the day’s memorable adventures began. We’d made good time and were hoping for a late afternoon pint in the Notley Arms but being a Monday, the hostelry was closed. “Never mind Pete, as it’s a bit too early to go to the B&B let’s just sit outside the pub and have a breather?” I said which turned out to be a most fortunate suggestion. For five minutes later, landlord and retired prison governor Simon Murphy appeared and to our surprise, invited us in.


We’d not been settled with our pints long before Peter looked up to see a cluster of white clouds suspended from the ceiling, so what on earth was all that about? we wondered. The ingenious explanation, Simon told us, was that because the bar and restaurant areas had stone floors, this produced a lot of additional noise when there were a lot of customers in.


Nigel and Peter set out from Somerset to follow in the footsteps of one of England’s most famous poets, Samuel Coleridge


So the clouds, made of cotton wool, were designed to absorb the sound and were a bit like the much larger mushroom shaped ones used in the roof of a packed Albert Hall.


Simon then gave us a mini local history lesson, including the fascinating fact that adorning the nearby parish church was a gargoyle believed to be the first of its kind in the world because it depicted a dentist with his patient.


So we had to go and check this out and sure enough there they were together with a pot of ale to anaesthetise the patient.


The following morning, we trudged uphill on a footpath through oak woodland for a mile and a quarter en route for our next stop in the hamlet of Luxborough. Shortly afterwards, we were chatting as we walked along a narrow lane when we heard a vehicle behind us and turned to meet Forestry England Wildlife Ranger Brian Turley, who has ranged across Exmoor and the neighbouring Quantock and Blackdown Hills for the past 30 years.


These days Brian, who lives near Wheddon Cross,


on Exmoor, spends much of his time protecting wild life habitats while liaising with contractors coming in to harvest the timber.


“They might need to be aware of particularly sensitive


areas where we may have anything from Dormice, protected birds and bats and other wildlife habitats to protect,” he said.


With four miles to walk we stopped for lunch at The Valiant Soldier in Roadwater where Michael Twine, the landlord for over thirty years, said his business had definitely benefited from having the Coleridge Way running past his front door.


He told how during the last war the local Home Guard came up with the cunning plan of disguising a pill box as a house which we had to go and check out. We stayed overnight in Luxborough’s comfortable


Royal Oak before setting out on the next thirteen-mile hike to the picturesque town of Porlock on the shores of the Bristol Channel.


Enroute, we crossed open moorland close to the


mighty Dunkery Beacon, the highest point on Exmoor, and then on to Webber’s Post above the wooded coombs of pretty Horner Water.


Now we descended through woodland to the hamlet of Horner where I was delighted to see that the tea garden, which I first visited over thirty years ago, is still going strong.


Refreshed by tea and cake, it was then only a short woodland stroll into Porlock for our overnight stop. The final day of the walk from Porlock to Lynmouth


is all about a very steep hill, a famous romantic story and what has to be one of the prettiest waterside woodland walks in Britain plus a finale surprise!


The hill is Porlock Hill, so long and steep that even the guide book advises Coleridge Way walkers to have a day’s rest before tackling it.


The path winds its way up through woodland to pass, tiny Culbone Church, the smallest in England, via a small detour, and then eventually over the busy A39 Lynmouth road to drop down to the little Church at Oare close to the famous ‘Doone Valley. It was here in RJ Blackmoor’s famous novel Lorna Doon that the heroine was shot but recovers. Later the way arrives at the tiny hamlet of Brendon to


meet the fast- flowing East Lynn River which it follows all the way down to Lynmouth via tiny Rockford and the famous Watersmeet beauty spot.


But close to journey’s end, we came across a fallen trunk pitted with hundreds of coins.


Apparently, these ‘Money Trees’ have randomly popped up all over the country in recent years and supposedly bring donors prosperity and good luck. I found a place for a shiny ten pence piece but as I walked away, it occurred to me that we’d already been lucky enough to enjoy four days walking through wonderful scenery cloaked in autumn’s gold.


FACT FILE We used The Coleridge Way Companion


Guide together with the essential OS Landranger map 181 Minehead and Brendon Hills. Our accommodation, right on the route, was at The Ancient Mariner in Nether Stowey, Bridleside b&b in Monksilver, the Royal Oak in Luxborough and The Castle Hotel in Porlock.


A Cyclist’s Island Paradise: Majorca’s Top Four Cycle Routes


WITH 1,732 km of cycle paths, Majorca has become a bucket list destination for the world’s amateur and professional cyclists alike due to the island’s sixteen routes that make up its extensive Cycle Route Plan infrastructure.


Autumn is one of the best times for cycling enthusiasts to enjoy Majorca, and is a bucket list destination for cyclists thanks to its mountainous landscape, pleasant Mediterranean climate and extensive infrastructure which has been designed especially to meet the diverse demands of cyclists. This infrastructure as implemented by the Majorcan Government, called the “Cycle Path Plan”, classifies roads and paths as either “non-recommended”, “suitable” or “preferential” routes according to their degree of safety and the level of nearby traffic. Based on these classifications, the Government of Majorca has drawn up several itineraries which vary in difficulty in terms of the distance and unevenness of terrain, resulting in a network of sixteen routes which cover 1,732 km of the island. These itineraries connect the main towns and points of interest in Majorca such as its lighthouses, chapels and the great mountain system that is the Serra de Tramuntana. Find out more about the Majorca Tourism Foundation’s top four routes for tourists visiting the island from the Formentor Lighthouse, Road of Sa Calobra, Andratx to the Son Carrió and why they are so special.


Formentor Lighthouse The Formentor Lighthouse route (A2), with


a medium difficulty level, takes cyclists to the spectacular Formentor lighthouse, located on the northernmost cliff of the island. Riders begin their journey in the town of Alcudia and travel towards


The Coleridge Way is a 51 miles long


Puerto de Pollença , bordering the coast of the bay of Pollença and the Natural Reserve of s’Albufereta. From the port it goes to the Formentor Lighthouse through one of the most panoramic roads of the island. At the top, there is a chance for cyclists to take in the view, 210 metres above sea level, and have a quick coffee and delicious pastry to celebrate their achievement. The itinerary continues along the Campanet Old Town path, that includes the Ses Fonts Ufanes Natural Monument, the Campanet caves and the Sant Miquel oratory.


Road of Sa Calobra The route of Sa Calobra (A4), with a very high level


of difficulty, is only suitable for trained sportsmen and is a goal for thousands of European cyclists to achieve. The route reaches one of the famous scenes of the Serra de Tramuntana, the Sa Calobra road, which is nicknamed “The Snake” by locals. Alcudia is the starting point and after leaving behind the town of Pollença, begins the ascent of the first mountain pass, Coll de Femenia. The climb continues through Escorca and the Coll de Cals Reis, which leads to a dizzying descent to the port of Sa Calobra, located next to the natural landmark of the Torrent de Pareis.


Andratx


The Andratx route (C1), with an easy level of difficulty, is an accessible route for all visitors, and is especially of interest for those who are passionate about architecture. The journey connects the coast of Calvià with the Majorcan villages of s’Arracó with its modernist architecture and the villages of Calvià and Capdellà, with examples of traditional architecture, demonstrating the island’s diverse urban landscape. The ride take cyclists along the coast, allowing them


to connect with cosmopolitan tourist areas such as the port of Andratx, Peguera and Santa Ponça.


Son Carrió Through the Son Carrió route (M3), with an high


level of difficulty allows expert cyclists to enjoy two of the most breath-taking viewpoints on the island located in the Levante Mountains, the Betlem Hermitage (Artà) and the Sant Salvador Sanctuary (Felanitx). The route starts in Cala Millor and reaches the Betlem Hermitage through the villages of Son Servera and Artà after passing a small mountain pass, Coll des Pescadors. The route continues along secondary roads with low traffic, continuing through Manacor and Felanitx, where the 5km climb to Sant Salvador begins, with a gradient of 7%. The return is via roads near the eastern coast, passing through Porto Cristo, one of the main tourist attractions on the island due to the famous Drac caves.


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