ensuitepilgrim's Blog

Did you know: Exmoor is the only national location for the lichens Biatoridium delitescens, Rinodina fimbriata and Rinodina flavosoralifera, the latter having been found only on one individual tree?

Well, you could be forgiven for that.

Certainly the trees in the Lynn Valley generally and in the grounds of Myrtleberry Lodge were evidence of this phenomena.

Walking up to Watersmeet and on to the waterfalls was a magical experience.

The tumult of the River Lynn, the sunshine and birdsong – great start to a days’ sauntering in the Exmoor valleys and coastal path .

After Watersmeet, a drive to the coast and a walk along the coastal path and a typical valley , where the pace of the stream, enforced by half a day’s rain was breathtaking.

Heddon’s Mouth – then a long,uphill walk, including a half mile 1-4 gasper to the car psrk, near Martinhoe, an ancient hamlet

Everyone in good spirits, befitting St Patrick’s Day – we enjoyed our own parade.

Myrtleberry was a lovely retreat , in Exmoor, which ended too quickly – what an amazing place.

“All the beauty of the spring went for happy men to think of all the increase of the year was for other eyes to mark. Not a sign of any sunrise for me from my fount of life; not a breath to stir the dead leaves fallen on my heart’s Spring.” 
― R.D. Blackmore, Lorna Doone

A welcome invitation from good friends to stay a couple of days over the Saint Patrick’s weekend in Myrtleberry was irresistible.

The destination is very near to Lynton and Lynmouth.

It occurred to me that the weekend could be extended by staying over in Minehead on Friday evening.

Why?

Well it is only a 45 minutes to The cottage from there, but the destination was born out of nostalgia.

In the 70s \ 80s, Butlins’ holiday camps advertised “ Venture Weeks” at some of their centres,taking place over a month around Easter.

Billy Butlin was not altruistic- this was an opportunity to warm up the camps, train staff ready for the main season – it was still quite visionary.

I had taken children’s’ groups to Venture Weeks in Minehead,Bognor Regis and Phwelli, over twenty years – Minehead always had the best qualified staff for the children’s’ activities which were wide ranging from abseiling to chouckball ( a kind of handball ). They came from St Luke’s Exeter and St Paul’s Cheltenham- PE specialist colleges.

It was a week of On- site activities and off- site excursions. This formula was the same in all venues and it worked well.

I shall always remember Minehead off site for the West Somerset Railway Trips and what was billed as “ The Big Walk” – Coaches dropped us off at Dunkerry Beacon on Exmoor and we walked 10 miles back to the camp…sorry holiday centre. Moans a plenty and that was only from the staff.

Inevitab,ly the children would later be asked to write about their Venture Week – often the Big Walk was what they remembered most!

Today,walking past the Minehead Butlins ( nominal, as Rank took it over years ago – might even be owned by someone else now ),I was struck by the enormous canopy and The Maisonette like accommodation.

The first years we went, it was still lines of single storey rooms with toilets interspersed!Not that it bothered us,or the children in the slightest.

With all the developments I thought that maybe the Boat Lake as it was called, would have been tarmacked over, but no, it was still there. And I recalled that the session on the lake was a highlight for the children, paddling around in canoes. It was also popular with ducks and though shallow, lined with Guano…!

My fondness for it was such that whilst accompanying the children on the lake in a double cayak, with another teacher, as we herded the children in at the end of our session, staff on the bank took the children back to their billets…only Glen and I managed to capsize our craft and fall in to the lake, whilst trying to disembark!

TG no Iphones in those days.

We waddled back to our primitive bunkers and ran hot baths…my abiding memory is of us, in separate baths, I should add, laughing our heads off.

I was fortunate enough to have enough willing staff prepared to give up a week of their Easter holiday to accompany the children on these many weeks. I think they all loved it – 24 hour wrap around care – I certainly did and am forever in their debt.

We were staying the night in The Quay, a free house on the Esplanade and a great pub it turned out to be – food and accommodation top value.

This the view from the bedroom.

Minehead was much bigger than I remembered, I was struck by its cleanliness and despite or because of the huge Butlins” campus, genteel in an old fashioned way. Opposite the West Somerset Railway Station, the council have recently erected some notice boards featuring aspects of the town’s history and development – some fascinating old photos.

After a further walkabout it was time for a drink in The Duke of Wellington and back to the Quay for dinner.

Nostalgia for a place can be disappointing but on this occasion pleasantly surprised.

A walkabout on one of the town trails leads you through parks and over bridges up North Hill, to the splendidly situated St Michael’s Church – peaceful and terrific views across the bay.

The trail led downward to the pretty, little harbour and coffee in the sun – that was the last we saw of it, though.

Then it was time to bid farewell to Minehead and face the challenge of Porlock Hill, a drive across the edge of Exmoor – really windblown and scenic – a decent in to Lynmouth and a narrow road to Myrtleberry Cottage.