Steamy Day Out

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

You may have already learned through an earlier post that my daughter, Deb and grandsons Rick and Dean came to stay for a few days over the Easter Holidays. The weather could have been better but we did manage a really good day out on one of the drier days when we went by car to Bishops Lydeard station near Taunton.

From there, we boarded a steam train to Minehead, a forty mile journey that took one and a half hours. To me it was just like going back in time because that was they way trains were in my youth and I can remember just how long it took to go on what is now, a very simple journey.

Rick and Dean are very passionate about steam trains and spend much of their time studying them, reading journals, playing with models and visiting places with some kind of a steam train theme, such as museums or going on actual steam train journeys.

Such is their interest, that once the boys get talking about steam trains, then it is very difficult to get a word in about anything else.

So when Deb asked me if I'd like to come on this journey, then I was delighted, but knew I was in for an intensive steam train day!

I was looking forward to going to Minehead, a sea side town at the end of the journey but guess what happened?

As soon as we set foot onto the Minehead platform, the boys wanted to get straight back onto the same train and return to Bishops Lyeard, so we did another one and a half hour journey without actually seeing the sea. I did enjoy it though. It was especially good to get out of the house. Harry doesn't like to go far these days and I think the trip would have been too much for him to cope with. I do worry about him when I leave him for the day, though.

When we arrived back to the Bishops Lydeard platform, the train was uncoupled and in order to get it to face the right way round, off it went by itself to get onto the right track to pick up the coaches from the other end for the next journey back to Minehead.

We could have stayed on the train for the whole day on the ticket we bought, but we all felt we'd had enough by then.

It was a really good day out and I would recommend it even to non steam train enthusiasts.

Minehead

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Our visit to Minehead really follows my recent post about Dunster Castle, as we went there directly after wards.

Minehead in Somerset, is on the Bristol Channel, just before it opens up into the Atlantic Ocean and starts getting really rough.

Minehead takes me back to when our children were young and we had several family holidays there. A small rather old fashioned town with it's own steam trains and a holiday camp.

The sea goes out quite a long way, all along the Bristol Channel coastline, but the tides are high, rapid and treacherous. Not good for bathing, but the children enjoy the sand.

After Minehead, we visited the lovely little town of Watchet very nearby. This is the lovely little harbour with it's own light house.

I love to see the little boats taking refuge there.

Now here is the *Ancient Mariner* himself, holding his albatross. Do you remember the poem by Coleridge?

If not, go here.

And this man...... well I really do not know who he is, but he seemed a friendly sailor. I even had a photograph taken of me sitting on his knee, but you are not seeing that one! Too cheeky!

As usual, the ordinary things in life seem to grab my granddaughter's attention and this little cat was no exception!

Photostory Friday is hosted by Cicely and MamaGeek. Look them up for more photos and stories.

Dunster Castle

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Some time ago my son, Sam, asked me if I'd like to go on a trip with him to Dunster and of course, I said I would love to.

I like to think that he asks me to come out with him because I'm such good company but it is probably because I help to keep the children in check and it is easier to have some extra help! Kaiko, his wife works long hours in another town, so when I go out with the family, it is only ever with Sam and the girls. Otherwise he is happy for them to all go off as a family.

Sam belongs to the National Trust and so he gets in free. Well not really free because he pays an annual subscription but he can go to as many places as often as he likes.

Dunster is situated in Somerset and is near Minehead on the Bristol Channel. The town is famous for it's castle, but because we went before the castle was officially open, not yet being Spring, we could only walk through the grounds. However these were really beautiful and we took a picnic with us and found a lovely place to eat. Squirrels and a robin came to join us and shared our crumbs and it was then that I knew I'd have to get a better camera. The creatures were too fast for mine.

There are lots of little doorways and archways in the grounds of Dunster. It seems that every turning there was something lovely to see.

The castle ruin at the top of this picture seems to haunt many of the scenes wherever we looked.

There were many lovely little *old world* cottages with thatched roofs. We went on to Minehead after that and had a lovely time. However, I will save that for another post!

Photostory Friday is hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek. Why not join in?