Five go to Billycock hill

As members of the national trust we understandably want our monies worth, or as much as we can get during a pandemic. We therefore HAD to visit Dunster Castle during this holiday. Looking at the map it seemed to be round 7miles from our palace to said castle. Luckily, Chris decided he didn’t fancy the walk so we arranged to meet him there, all go on said visit together, then get a lift home. So we booked in to Dunster for 2.30pm, and arranged to meet Chris at a little car park in the village at that time. 

Yesterday we had planned to leave at 10am giving us plenty of time. We arose earlyish to a middling day. Middling heat, middling cloud. After breakfast and preparation Ian, Vicky, Alex, Misty and I were ready to leave at the allotted hour of 10.30. (You don’t think we would tell Ian the real time do you?)

Vicky was wearing a jumper. The first little bit took us up the same hill as yesterday, where we branched left instead of right. We would be following the West Somerset branch of the McMillan way. It’s quite exciting to be following a ‘Way’. Sometimes the sign posts even had a little sticker on them. Most times there were no signposts. 

We stopped for lunch at Bat Castle at about 1pm,  but before that we had crossed fields, gone through a couple of small villages, crossed a Ford, gone through a wood, climbed two hills, and every step of the way we had fantastic views, a lot of the time of the sea. 

Misty can’t do this one!

It’s a buzzard!

Misty and Buddy in the Ford

Lunch at bats castle which is an ancient iron aged fort, and the Piccadilly Circus of the Dunster deer park.

Look at those climbs!

You can probably see the route from both pictures together

After lunch we made our way down the hill to the allotted meeting place. Buddy’s Ford was the last stop. Once over that we looked for the car park. Remember. We had been walking/eating for four hours and we arrived at exactly 2.30. As we set foot into the car park Chris arrived. We couldn’t believe it! 

We all jumped in and drove around to the NT car park for Dunster castle. The one way system was clearly marked and as you can imagine it was quiet.

We arrived at a little pop-up cafe and had coffee. It was freezing. Wish I had a jumper. Ian brought Misty an ice cream, which she loved

On the way back to the mansion, Chris dropped us off at the pub at the end of the lane so we could book a table. We left Ian’s name and number (eek!) In between I had a shower and went to Vickys Magic Box for a haircut. At the pub we had to sit in our seats and not stand up unless we needed the loo. The food was good and plentiful, Alex’s two mains actually filled him up. 

Socially distanced dining

We strolled back to the Villa well stuffed. It was a little chilly so Ian and Alex lit a roaring fire. The evening was taken up by the only connect missing vowels that we had neglected. I think I won the most rounds. Then most people had to leave the room due to the heat of the roaring fire. Vicky removed her jumper. 

At bedtime I went out and viewed the stars for a bit before retiring. A little later Ian came to bed, leaving Misty downstairs. About 2am Misty came to bed with us. 

TOILET WATCH

The ladies toilet at Dunster was very nice. Clean, newly painted, nice hot water and power to the max none Dyson hand driers. Only problem was that the toilets were really low so you kind of plonked down. Because of that I am deducting a full Mark. 9/10

STAR WATCH

Nice clearish Sky, but a little light still when I went to bed. I was a bit cold as well as I had left the side of the roaring fire, so it was just a quick look. Saw quite a few stars though. 6/10