The New Normal: Short Break to the land of Cider

We nipped off on a cheap break to our favourite seaside town of Minehead, Somerset on Sunday, returning Wednesday night (with a 50 mile detour on the way home to avoid climate change demonstrations which had closed our part of the M25 motorway).... we should have been in Bulgaria this week but they had us on their red list so it was canx some time ago.  Hey ho,  Minehead has plenty to offer - not least the cider  (I am fond of locally brewed Holy Water).

Proper cider, made locally LINK   

Usually we mostly drive around here on short visits, but this time we put the car away until it was time to go home.  We have previously been on house hunting trips in the area but that's on hold so this trip was just for pleasure.  We found the start of the South West Coast Path (just like Raynor Winn did in her book The Salt Path) at Minehead seafront and off we went.

and walked a few miles uphill into the woods, looking down on the sea.  The path was narrow, a bit slippy in places and had fabulous views down to the fields and sea below.

Then back down through the woods into town and along the beach - nice and sandy with lots of rock pools, safe for swimming.

We also did a walk in the opposite direction, from Minehead to Dunster along the Coastal Path, mostly on wet sand, then into the village of Dunster and had a cider at the Luttrell Arms Hotel (website).  The bar is made of the most beautiful copper - gleaming - the chairs were comfy and there were several open fireplaces to admire, lots of comfy cushions and some very lovely paintings and antiques - it was a beautiful place to step into and the cider was good too! 

Luttrell Arms. Dunster

The Luttrell family still own the Luttrell Arms Hotel.  They were influential land owners, owning much of Minehead, Dunster and Carhampton in times gone by.  At one time they owned Dunster Castle, then sold it, then bought it again.  It's now a National Trust property.  

LINK:   A medieval castle turned country home | National Trust

Dunster - brief history (dunstertithebarn.org.uk)

around the village there are many beautiful buildings.

Old Nunnery, Dunster

Dunster is famous for it's medieval market place.

My grandparents once lived in this village and are buried at the old churchyard here, which is why I like to visit.  Dunster Castle is above and accessed via the village, it's a big tourist attraction but there wasn't much traffic this week though as the holiday Season is coming to an end.

There are lots of honesty boxes around the villages here selling honey, jam, vegetables and new potatoes.

Having scoured the internet and EBay for ages for some wrist warmers, I found a pair when I least expected to in a small gift shop in Minehead for £8.  These were knitted by the shop owner who kept a handful of Jacob sheep, spun their fleece into knitting wool and knitted my wrist warmers - this is the natural colour of their wool they are supersoft and far more wonderful than anything mass produced as they have all that local sheep, love and care knitted in.

Looking a bit plump and in need of that walk!

Autumn is creeping in, for the last few days of my holiday at home I will be digging out my warmer clothes and getting some gardening done .... how was your week?