May 31st: Minehead to Lynton
- Phil Brown
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 6
So, on day one of the 31 day trek - my 66th birthday - we set off from Minehead after taking photos at the official starting point of the South West Coast Path, a moment I was eager to capture. My daughter Alex, aka my social media manager, took the lead in snapping pictures, while my just over three month old granddaughter Lennie looked on and son in law Howard joined Bob and me on this first leg of my epic (and daunting) journey.
As we embarked on our hike, it quickly became apparent that the path was not going to be just an easy stroll - we knew this but wow. Within just half a mile, we found ourselves climbing steep hills, and this pattern of constant ascents and descents persisted throughout the day. The terrain was challenging, with difficult underfoot conditions that tested our endurance… on day ONE. Each step brought us new vistas, but the effort required to navigate the rugged landscape was significant.
I knew it was going to be tough but the last climb as we approached Lynmouth, after having walked an exhausting 22 miles, proved to be particularly brutal. The steep incline felt relentless, pushing us to our physical limits.... ON DAY ONE. And just when we thought we were done, we faced another steep ascent from Lynmouth to our hotel in Lynton - Alex discovering this and warning us before hand in our groupchat - bringing the days total elevation to 5000ft. However, upon finally reaching our accommodation, we were met with yet another hurdle: the lift was broken, forcing us to carry our heavy suitcases, safely delivered by Luggage Transfers, up two flights of stairs. The combination of fatigue from the hike and the added effort of hauling our luggage left us all feeling accomplished yet utterly spent.
During our trek, we encountered a variety of fellow hikers, many of whom were intrigued by our journey and expressed interest in Sue Ryder and wanting to support. They took down details of the website, and many ended up contributing to the fundraiser. One of the most interesting characters we met was Mike Leach at 'The Ship Inn' in Porlock Weir. He was a lovely chap and we chatted about Sue Ryder and their mission - no one should face death or grief alone. During our conversation, he shared that he had been married for 45 years but had lost his wife two years ago. I expressed my condolences, and he nodded slowly, a hint of a smile appearing as he recounted, “Yes, she finally got fed up with me and divorced me.” I did find that very amusing.
Finally at around 9 o'clock at night my son and close friend Ashley arrived in Lynton and met us at 'The Old Bank' restaurant where me, Bob, Howard, Alex and Lennie were having an extremely hearty and satisfying meal - Max arriving from Australia that same same day! All tired from a busy day we took ourselves to bed at the 'Valley of The Rocks Hotel'. It was a day filled with both physical trials and heartfelt connections, setting a memorable tone for the journey ahead.
Comments