Скачать или смотреть Wild Camping on the Coleridge Way.

The Coleridge Way is a National Trail that runs from Nether Stowey in West Somerset all the way to Lynmouth in North Devon. We go over the Quantock's, right down the spine of the Brendon Hills before climbing up to the highest point on Exmoor (519m) at this point we drop back down to sea level and the beautiful village of Porlock. Until quite recently The Coleridge Way would end here at the 37 mile mark, but Samuel Taylor Coleridge would walk to Porlock and beyond on a regular, He would visit Culbone Church, Ash Farm, Lynmouth and the Valley of Rocks and found inspiration along the way to write some of England's finest Poetry. So the trail was extended a few years back to include these sites and make it a 51 mile trail.
Now I can't say I knew much about STC before this walk, I new much more about the trail, landscape and the Ancient Woodlands with Very old Oak trees and that felt about right to me, but I needed a narrative to accompany the walk so took a deep dive into the works of STC and loved it. He could string a line together that's for sure and within a few days I was choosing my favourite Poems, favourite lines and felt a kinship with this Historical figure. He was a critic, Philosopher long before he became a poet. The Son of a preacher and destined for the pulpit but somehow avoided that fait with the help of many benefactors. In his day the war with the French had been going on all his life, and is quoted as saying "The war against France is a war against Liberty" also spending much of his time in Bristol where he witnessed slavery first hand seeing strong magnificent African men chained together and up for sale to the highest bidder. Disgusting and rotten practices that repelled him and changed him profoundly. He wrote a paper called the "Watchmen" and distributed it to the masses but it got the attention of the establishment and some of his closest friends got thrown into the Tower and jailed for many years. This was the turning point so with his wife Sara and their young Son Harvey they moved to Nether Stowey, to get back to the land, nature, growing veg in flower beds saying "the flowers to feed the spirit the veg to feed the body" They were there alone for a year before his best friend William Wordsworth came down with his sister Dorothy. Other Poets would also join in as STC was now published and getting rave reviews. This was the start of the romantic period.
This walk took me the best part of four days, about right to truly experience the joy of the trail, and what a Joy, utterly stunning. Walked in mid May, or as I like to call it Bluebell season. The most beautiful time of year and I tend to think that any trail walked at that time of year would be beautiful but the Coleridge Way has to be my all time favourite walk. Two wild camps one on a site but the first wild camp was a deep woodland camp, one that would have unnerved me not that long ago but this time it was special with wildlife making it's presence known all night, but a peace that is rarely felt came over me and I struggled to leave in the morning, such a special camp. The second was high on Exmoor over looking the trail from earlier and the previous day. The end of day three the weather changed from full sun to a storm that only lasted an hour but enough time for me to change course and head to the nearest site to pitch, I also needed a shower. Three days on the trail had a definite odour. Day four was through the Doon Valley and Lyn gorge so dramatic and so appropriate to end such a wonderful walk.
My taxi back to Nether Stowey was £105, cost of booz and pub grub about £60 so another cheap adventure but in truth I'd have paid good money for the energy that lasted for months. The gain from doing something like this is priceless, can't be bought has to be experienced and earned.



"Music: www.purple-planet.com"