UK Roadtrip – Day 14 – Lynton & Lynmouth -> Taunton

Todays highlights were the continuous country lane ways going across from Lynmouth to Dunster into Somerset County, WOW, seriously the rolling hills and the views from here while driving, when they show you the english countryside with the patches of different greens, yellows and browns divided up by shrub fences, and then sneak peaks of the water, this is it! – right little country lanes, passed by a few farms only…. narrow bridges that I barely could make it over without my cars side sensors going off the whole time on the bridge…. then my english dream with the background fiddle music came to a halt when I quickly got totally stuck behind a black faced sheep, the 5 mins felt like forever, and he wouldnt get off the road, I couldnt get past him cos the road was way too small and the side woodland was steep upwards and I kept beeping at the poor thing but he had nowhere to go so was running straight on the road, still in the way, and eventually he ran up the side of the shrubs a bit and I drove past, then not even 5 mins later, a colourful clucking pheasant jumps out and starts fluffing around in the middle of the road until I beeped and it scuttering under a shrub! I was LOL-ing the whole time thinking, what am I doing here!?

DAY 14 ITINERARY

A – Lynton – Devon
B – Lynmouth – Devon
C – Dunstan Castle
D – Dunstan Medieval Village
E – Tiverton & Tiverton Castle – Devon

F – Taunton Castle Hotel – Somerset

LYNTON & LYMOUTH

Devon

Breakfast at The Cliff Hotel in Lynton was between 8:30-9:30 and I had a nice vegan english breakfast which was lovely!

woke up with this view from my room – didnt want to leave

Also known as Little Switzerland, and surrounded by beautiful countryside known as Valley of the rocks, Watersmeet and Heddon Valley, these 2 villages are known to be included in a lot of famous poetry

Geez though, the roads towards these 2 places was just small and narrow and I thought I’d never get there! They were all windy and small and again had to reverse a few times for oncoming traffic… Thinking glad that I filled up petrol as well

As soon as I got there my mouth dropped when I saw the buildings on the cliffs edge and how huge and beautiful they were! Went down a walk way towards my Accomodation (I thought, here we go again, when I don’t think a road can get any more smaller!) But I’m now getting used to just driving into any sized space like these Brits do without thinking lol

For centuries this pathway between Lynton and Lynmouth was used to transport goods from the harbour up, before 1810 there were no wheeled goods – the main road up to Lynton was not built until 1828

Took about 10-15mins to walk down from my hotel

Thats my hotel at the top! Lazy way to get down is via the cliff train thingy – the walk was much nicer

Would you have the chamiches to swim in there? And in october?!

Lynmouth was a small port town until late 18th c. Importing coal and limestone from south wales and exporting farm and woodland produce and oysters

Lynmouth has the 2nd highest tidal range in the world which can lead to flooding from the sea

The view from my hotel in Lynton towards some beautiful hotels and properties with the best views!

When I first arrived the tide was low and the boats were sitting there in mud

Coffee on the beach (not the type I’m used to lol)

DUNSTER CASTLE

Somerset

Over the last 1000 years Dunster has developed from a motte and Bailey Norman fortress to a family home, the Luttrell family have lived here since 1405 – the outer gatehouse was built by Sir Hugh Luttrell in 1420

45mins says the map – I didnt know what to expect but when I saw this route and the number of twisty roads! BUT… this drive was my absolute favourite out of the whole trip! The scenery was just exactly as you wiuld imagine the rolling green hills to look like in a movie! Also because its getting into their autumn, there were yellows and reds scattered around as well

The house here today is due to a major modernisation in 1860s when George Fownes Luttrell employees Anthont Salvin the architect to make the house suitable for his family

The drawing room – brought back to life in 1935 and it was here parties were hosted

The dining room – By the time Geoffrey and Alys Luttrell had come to live at the castle in the 1920s they loved entertaining friends with hunting parties

State of the art kitchen was installed in late 1950s

The mainstair case – oak and elm installed by colonel francis luttrell in 1680s – each of the panels is xarved from a single plank of elm 23cm thick!

The Morning Room – during rhe civil war this room was used as a dorm for the castle garrison then became a bedroom and then breakfast room in 1772

The Wisteria Bedroom – this was one of the guest bedrooms for guests who were there for the hunting party

East Quantoxhead Suite – originally a bedroom was later changed to a bathroom

Part of the long gallery – 1704 would have been a banqueting room the leather paintings show the story about anthony and cleopatra who were placed here in 1741

Every victorian house had a billiard room!

DUNSTAN MEDIEVAL VILLAGE

The main street – looking back again, the photos just dont do it justice! Its like a medieval english movie scene!

The original buildings are now shops and museums – i love the

The inside – had a wooden divide in the middle which was interesting

TIVERTON & TIVERTON CASTLE

Devon

Out of the way a bit with a 47min drive but worth it! The drive alone was interesting as ive asked the gps to take me off major routes so im constantly going into little back lanes and passing by cute villages and lanes with trees hanging over from either sides so its like a tunnel, I loved this drive for that reason… its the journey itself, not the destination

This castle is the remains of a medieval castle (the norman motte was created in 1106 ) and then converted in 17th c to a country home

The floor leading up to the church – original and so impressive!

TAUNTON

Somerset

Arrived in a heck of a lot of traffic into Taunton, missed my turn into the castle carpark so got stuck in more of a heck of a lot of town centre traffic trying to get back again, but it’s interesting driving through the town centre, if not a bit daunting but you get a good feel of the place while trying not to run pedestrians over sprinting across the narrow streets!