Kilve Beach

Today I went north and took a very detailed look at places associated with my story character, Rachel Dibble. The weather forecast was supposed to be drier.......I wish....... Having negotiated the rabbit warren of Taunton's chaotic road system, it did not stop raining heavy showers on and off until around 1.00. I took a look round Williton which lies on the A39 coasr road. It was stuffed with traffic. I moan about our local roads - this was much worse! Having gone there, I moved on along the A39 to Kilve.

Kilve is a very interesting and pleasant village. One of our teachers grew up and spent her childhood in this wonderful place and her parents still live there. There is a lot to see through walking down to the beach. The church is very old, and next to it are the ruins of the 14th Century Chantry attached to a farmhouse where you can have the inevitable cream tea! Next to the beach car park is a strange brick structure that has a an appropriate science connection. This was built in the 1920's as a shale gas retort. The idea was to produce gas from the shale rock that is exposed in the cliffs. It was not a success and was soon abandoned. The cliffs and beach are full of fossils, though I never saw any. I did pick up some pebbles. A stream runs out under the shingle and into the sea. However, I got absolutely drowned here when a shower came after I had my lunch on a bench looking out to sea!

After Kilve beach, I had a photographic survey of the church, and the village (this part used to be called Putsham) and has the village hall, the Hood Arms Inn and a general stores all on the A39, before going on to Holford, By now it had dried out and I had a good look at Holford. This has many old houses, a pretty church with a very un-Somerset tower (Saddleback roof), and the Plough Inn. Holford is where Rachel Dibble in the story grew up and her brother Andrew teaches at a school in Williton (a mixed Secondary School). Holford lies under the Quantock Hills and is also biscected by the A39.

After a brief stop in Nether Stowey, I returned through Holford and Kilve to visit East Quantoxhead. This is a very pretty place with an ancient church and huge manor house, thatched cottages and a pond. I walked on a super circular walk from here to Kilve beach and back which enabled better pictures of this fabulous area.

It took me 3/4 of an hour to get from one side of Taunton on the way home to the B&B due to the solid traffic. Heaven knows where it's come from and where it's going, but it was unbelievable! Still, it was a very succesfsful day! I have the TV on writing this and was aware that The Great British Bake Off is on - incredibly boring!!