Sun 18 June 20° Ilfracombe to Minehead

Today our mission was to find grandad Sloane (Tony's Mum's dad), and boy was it a mission. Up, up and up very steep roads we walked in 25° 45mins up, seemed like to the highest point of the town to Marlborough Road Cemetery.

Tony was here 43 years ago with his sister Prue and his Dad, we had a plot number but numbers to be seen anywhere. We walked along row after row, then I saw a man walking his dog and I asked if he knew where graves from 1957 might be, he said can't see them from here, go down the oath through the wall and more on the slope down there.

Tony had dissapeard,  but there he was, eureka he had seen the wall and somewhere in the deepest recess of his memory he recalled walking thru there in 1974. Then in his minds eye he saw Prue waving and calling I've found him. Sure enough there he was...

Only took us 30 mins to walk back down, just in time for the car park to be fed another £1. I prepared lunch while Tony went to cool of with a swim, we were hot and tired after all that walking.

Duly refreshed and fed and watered,  we headed off on coast road to Minehead,  past Wood Bay steam train through very narrow winding roads...stress and tension to Lynton and Lynmouth eeekkkk 25% gradient....no thanks, not for us, we took the high Road out of there for the parallel road thru the Exmoor Forest.. Into Somerset.

There was no forest..just green,  green , grass, the only trees were along the roadside, forming long cool green shade from  the branches meeting  overhead.

Exford pub covered in ivy, over a bridge the  up another steep hill.... but at least 2 lanes wide.....not for the feint hearted these southern roads.

Through Dunster,  width and length warning signs,  over a tiny bridge, traffic lights as very tight bend...quaint little village.

Into Minehead, along the waterfront to park for night.....however now a pay and display with onky car spaces...nowhere for motorhomes.  Saw another motorhome drive back along the other way so followed him. Right at end a lovely grassy patch, again pay and display £2.80 for 2 hours free after 6pm till 10am on roadside.

Tides out revealing rocks and large stones....not nice for swimming.

Not quite what we had hoped for but ok for tonight. We put our chairs on the grass and had a refreshing beer, now 27° and forecast more of the same for next 4 days.

Then I booked the ferry from fishguard to Rosslare for 30th June..job Done!  Found a campsite nearby for a couple of nights before visiting my Mum's cousin Jean in Winchcombe on Wednesday. Another job done......it's not all relaxing and having fun you know.....haha.

Tony cooked dinner then we sat outside in cool evening to eat, very pleasant evening.