Jim & Happy : Porlock, Somerset

The drive from Karen & Dave’s to Porlock took 4 hours.

Heading across the Dartmouth Moors was wet wet wet. It was lovely though, made us feel like we were driving across the high plains (of Victoria). We saw Exmoor ponies. The ponies are native to this part of England and roam the open moors. It was hard to stop and take a photo because there was nowhere we could pull over and the rain didn’t help, it was heavy at times.

Just before Porlock we stopped in a village called Dunster and had a yummy lunch at one of the village’s inviting pubs. I know you find that hard to believe my saying a pub is inviting, it is more the buildings that are inviting. They are typical old English buildings. They have so much character. Jim had the hog bap (pork on a bun – straight off the rotisserie) and I had smoked haddock soup with fresh herbs. I did have to pick out the fish skin I found that hard to look at.

Our accommodation here in Porlock at the Millers Bar & Bistro was a Groupon deal and what great value it is. Karen introduced me to Groupon. They advertise specials every day for holidays, homewares etc.

Yesterday we took a stream train ride on the West Somerset Railway. It was a 3-hour return trip from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard. It was a good day to sit on a train as it rained and rained. The surrounding coastline on one side and countryside on the other was made even prettier with the rain.

Prior to driving to Mindhead we drove to Porlock Weir, only a 10-minute drive away. It has been a fishing village for hundred of years. The beach was amazing, covered in rocks of various sizes but all an iron ore colour.

Today we visited Lynmouth, a 15-minute drive away. Porlock is in Somerset and Lynmouth is in Devon. All the sights of the area are close by which is nice. We took the cliff railway up to Lynton. The railway is water operated - worth a Google to read about its mechanics and the history of the Lynmouth & Lynton.

Driving to Lynmouth we saw more Exmoor ponies. This time it was easier to pull over. We walked up to them, close enough for a photo. The countryside we have seen the past few days is spectacular and very picturesque, it has it all - rural and coastal.