Backpackers Quantocks weekend

Two nights in west Somerset, left of Taunton, both on sites. Our first night was at Quantock Orchard park at Flaxpool. I arrived in good time to pitch before it got dark. Deciding on an early evening meal, my first task was to clean the hard green stuff out of my pan from my last breadmaking session in October. I really must remember to wash up stuff when I get home from a trip (if not before).

The forecast for the weekend was wet and windy. There was some rain on Friday night. Saturday was a perfect day for walking with not a drop of rain. We walked up on to the Quantock ridge and headed for the coast, turning off the ridge to go down Smith's Combe with views of Hinckley Point power station.

We saw a herd of wild deer on the way and called in for an excellent pint of Exmoor at the Plough Inn at Holford.

Saturday night was according to the forecast and very wet and very windy. I'd decided to use the tarp this weekend and it didn't let me down. Well pegged at each corner and, to cut down the draft coming in from the windward end, an umbrella. The evening was spent listening to last week's Bob Harris Show and reading a printout of an email discussion about my favourite ever cinema production Heimat. The evening went all too quickly and the weather discouraged the three-quarter mile trek to the pub.

Sunday morning was a bit on the chill side but the rain had stopped. We walked up Holford Combe up to the ridge again and headed back to Quantock Orchard, the only daytime rain of the weekend catching us half an hour from the end. Never be discouraged by a weather forecast!