Quantock Hills: 1 - to the summit

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

A beautiful walk, with some magnificent views, an enchanting lake, a red Kite and the wind in your sails. All the joys of the Quantocks in springtime - and all to yourself and the wildlife. I would love to go there, though you caution that public transport may be a problem. Lovely video. Thank you!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Hi Malcolm, the best option for public transport is train to Taunton and bus to Minehead alighting at Bishops Lydeard. I am not sure of the bus's route after that but Crowcombe village is another access point and the WSR has a station near there too (Crowcombe Heathfield). It is a super part of the world and completely unspoilt. Thanks for watching. Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

@@westcountrywanderings Thanks for this info. Paul. Much appreciated. Malcolm

[@classic-shirt-obsession9843]

I’m a watcher of Roy edwards, Paul. He mentioned your videos. I’m glad I came to watch 👍🏻

[@westcountrywanderings]

Hi, yes I have known Roy for a while - he was one of my very first subscribers from well over two years ago now. Great chap. Thanks for popping over. Cheers. Paul.

[@johnsparkes8963]

Very enjoyable video Paul wonderfull area of beauty. Glad you enjoyed your walk their. Take care all the best.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you John! Glad you enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed walking this route on the Quantock Hills . Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@cathydyer3774]

Great video Paul. Thank you. I love the bright greens and yellows. Wonderful views and easy watching.🙂🌿🌿🌿

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Cathy! Glad you enjoyed this wee wander up on The Quantock Hills. Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@SouthWestSundays]

What a superb introductory video to the Quantock Hills! The springtime Somerset scenery looked so resplendent! You had a glorious day for that walk! I often drive past the Quantock Hills. I really should make more time to go up into them than I do. Fabulous video Paul and also thank you so much for talking about the video that I made at Cothelstone Hill. Louise

[@westcountrywanderings]

Sorry I forgot to add the link 🔗 to your video in the description - I am out at the moment but will add it later. Glad you enjoyed the video - it really was a spectacular place, and I will definitely return there. I was most impressed with the Quantock Hills! Such a lovely (and very quiet!) place. Thanks for watching and commenting Louise.Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@michaelmiller641]

Lovely video again Paul, thankyou

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thanks Michael. Yes, my first ever visit to The Quantock Hills - I was impressed and I will be back again! Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@dianarolph1770]

The wind reminded me of Brean Hill! You answered my question re other people being there in the video- very deserted!! Not much shelter so I’m glad you had good weather. Beautifully filmed as usual.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, this was a walk to savour Diana, particularly on a lovely and sunny day. Glad you enjoyed it too. Thankfully it wasn't as windy as the top of Brean Down! Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@faithg9766]

What a fantastic walk, with great views on a beautiful day. That wonderful lake seemed to appear from nowhere. How very fortunate you were to have such a place to yourself. It was great to see the patchwork of fields.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Faith! The Quantock Hills are indeed a very special place. I can't believe that I have never been there before but they rarely seem to be spoken about or featured. Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@Top.Mallorca]

Nice images of the woods and the hills! Greetings from Mallorca Spain!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed my little walk across the Quantocks. Cheers, Paul.

[@davidberlanny3308]

Hi Paul, Well you certainly had the place to yourself, some great views from up there. You caught the sound of one of those gate post latches perfectly, looks like they are very well maintained. Interesting to see the horses there as well, I assume they are wild. The steep descent reminded me of the South Downs, you did the right thing to go down carefully with a weight on your back. The vision from that start of that path was just like flying!! You know for certain measurements I still prefer the old imperial units, 297m sounds much more impressive if you say its 974 feet. If I head over towards Murcia the motorway goes through a pass known as el puerto de la mora which at 4528 feet is just higher than Ben Nevis!! Another great video, well done and good luck from Spain!!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Apart from the (very!) steep descent I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this walk, especially the solitude and the nature. Glad you enjoyed it David. Unlike The Pennines or Snowdonia or even Dartmoor, this place gets overlooked by walkers and visitors but I am not complaining about that! I suppose because I was taught at school in England in the late 1960s, it was mandatory on the national curriculum to only be taught metric and nothing else. Whenever I 've worked it's always been metric too, imperial is like characters in the Chinese alphabet to.me! Is it imperial or metric in Spain? Glad you enjoyed the video. I have a feeling I will be back there again soon! Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@davidberlanny3308]

@@westcountrywanderings Hi Paul, yes do go back when you can, it looks a great place to visit👍👍 I went to school in the 70s I'm pretty sure nearly everything was in metric then. I went on to do an engineering apprenticeship which was definitely mixed but all the theory used metric measurements, so I grew up with both. In Spain it is totally metric there is logically little understanding of imperial values. Plumbing is still a partial stronghold with fittings being talked about in terms of fractions. Pretty sure most people don't understand why. If you have a look at the specs it's described as a naming convention!! And of course some sectors or projects still use imperial measures, mainly where American standards are being used including the one I'm working on right now. I've just been out in the back "yard" doing some gardening ....... don't think I'll ever do gardening in my back "metre"😅😅

[@westcountrywanderings]

Ha ha! 'Back Metre' love it!!🤣In the Forces it was always strictly metric - a NATO convention. It is strange in Northern Ireland the road signs are in mph but as soon as you enter Ireland it goes to kph. It is often the only way you can tell what side of the border you are on!

[@Somersetmanwalking]

Great stuff Paul, looks like a great walk! beautiful work and footage from around the water! i thought for one minute you were going to fall in. really enjoyed this, it was a great watch! best wishes Darren👌👍👍

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Darren! I do hope to return to the Quantock Hills - but there is jus so much of the Westcountry to cover though. and never enough time. I seem to remember the light was particularly lovely on that day. Cheers! Paul

[@michaelpilling531]

What a magnificent video Paul. Beautifully filmed. The walk was delightful. It appeared you had the whole place to yourself. Today is 16 May and I'm still in hospital watching you on my phone

[@westcountrywanderings]

Hi Michael - sorry to hear that you are still in hospital. I am on holiday at the moment with family in Cornwall. I hope you are able to leave hospital soon. Glad you enjoyed the video - I do hope to return to the Quantocks again soon. Take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@cruisingwithnarrowboatiris6161]

Another delightful walk Paul so thank you…and so close to home too…my Dad was born at Triscombe and most of my childhood was spent living in Bishops Lydeard so I know the area well…I must make time to walk your route soon now I’m living in Williton…Oh and the drilling rigs you can see close to Hinkley Point are to dig a network of underground cooling water tunnels which will extend to about 6 miles in length for the new reactor…fascinating to see them in the channel….xx

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you! That's really interesting information regarding the tunneling. Glad you enjoyed the walk - it truly is a terrific area, as is around Williton too. I have yet to cover Blue Anchor, Watchet and Williton, but I did do Dunster for the Christmas Event with Louise from @southwestsundays . Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul.

[@lionelmarytravels6003]

Absolutely superb video Paul. I have been over the Quantocks, but not done any walking there, plus it must have been 40+ years ago. I also like your style of photography. It's similar to mine, using shadows from the trees and wooden fences. That effect dissappears when the trees come into leaf. Also, you've kept any wind noise at bay, but there is enough sound to suggest wind blowing.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thanks so much Lionel & Mary. I loved it there, and can't wait to return. Yes, I used a lot of audio editing to get the sound just right, and my 'dead cat' helps a lot to keep the wind noise down. As you say, those shadows dissapear soon. Take care, Paul.

[@davetyler16]

You weren't very far from the romantically named Dead Woman's Ditch. I was there a couple of weeks ago. It was in the middle of nowhere 😂😂😂

[@westcountrywanderings]

Ah, that's a bit further west between Over Stowey and Crowcombe Park - I am sure I will cover that in a future video. I see it is associated with two murders, but both were after it was so named. It is on the 'at risk' register too. Cheers Dave.