Washford to Hawkridge Reservoir (via Quantocks)

Weather today: Biting easterly wind all day

Daily Miles Covered: 12.2

Total Miles Covered: 207.2

Things of Interest: The Quantock hills, and views to die for.

Personal Comments: Usual early breakfast, and off to meet Dave, Andews friend, who tags along with us for a couple of miles. We leave the cider farm, and thank Jill for her hospitality. We set off with wind proof clothing on, I consider gloves to wear but because of map reading, I put it off until later. We reach Williton quite soon and progress through the by-roads to reach the other side of town with no problems. Here we say goodbye to Andrew, for a while. When we reach Chilcombe via various paths, there is nothing for it but to attack The Quantocks. Let me tell you people some of these paths uphill many not be too long, but they are steep. The views looking back down the valley bottoms of a patchwork England, fields of various colours, how do they make it for the money, fantastic, I wish you all could see what I saw
Once on the top, with the wind increasing in strength, I can see there being no brass welders out of work today! Moving slowly with the wind full in our face, it reminds me of an Aesop's fable we learnt at school, about the wind and the sun and the man with an overcoat on, there is no way the sun will win today.
Lunchtime comes and we escape the bitter wind behind a tall hedge. Robins are about, so we feed them with bread, I think they liked it. Pressing on through a forest to take us ever downwards, we see stags, the bound over fences 6ft. high, I wish I could do that. At the end of the forest, the sun is still shining, the wind is less fearsome on the valley bottom.
A couple of more miles takes us to the reservoir where Andrew picks us up. We motor back to Crowcombe, Andrew sets us up on a pub car park f.o.c. I know but what can you do when you're weak willed!