Motorhome travel: The Quantocks
4ab8d21b-39f2-461a-b283-72cbcd29e29f
The bumper sticker on the car outside the pub confirmed what I had just seen in the church: ‘I believe in dragons, good men and other fantasy creatures’.
Crowcombe nestles at the foot of the Quantocks on its western flank and in its church there are outstanding carved pew-ends dating from the fifteenth century. On one, a dragon is being slain and others are a marvellous mix of pagan and Christian symbolism. So hereabouts be dragons…Local legend has it that a woodcutter was going about his daily business amongst the oaks at the head of the combe. One lunchtime he sat down on a huge trunk to eat his bread and cheese, washing it down with cider. When he had finished, the trunk began to stir – it was a dragon! Without hesitation, he cut the creature in half with his axe and its copious blood spewed out, staining the soil.
Geologists, generally speaking, don’t believe in dragons. They like to think that the distinctive red soil is attributable to the underlying sandstone rock laid down in the Devonian period. After a couple of pints of local cider in the Carew Arms in Crowcombe at lunchtime (when I first visited the Quantocks some 10 years ago), I was tending more towards the dragon theory.
Nether Stowey, which is on the east side of the Quantocks, is almost directly opposite Crowcombe on the west side. It’s a proper village and has a busy feel to it with real people and shopkeepers.
In the main street the houses are all cheek-by-jowl and there are no front gardens; you look straight into people’s front rooms. Castle Street, as the name implies, runs up towards the motte and bailey castle with the hills behind, and down the same street rushes a stream off the Quantocks confined to a gulley, which makes a pleasant noise as it hurries to disgorge into the Bristol Channel.
There are three pubs, a butcher, a post office, a newsagent, Castle Stores (which opens at 6am, ‘although sometimes we don’t get the papers until quarter past’) and some other quirky shops like Mervyn’s charity bookshop stuffed to the rafters with books plus loads more out the back in a makeshift wooden extension.
The Quantock Hills are special. So much so that they were the very first area to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) back in 1956. They are a narrow, gently curving ridge of hills three miles wide and 16 long, running northwards from Taunton to the Bristol Channel.
The beauty of the Quantocks for me is the variety of landscapes. All in a day, you can experience deep wooded combes carpeted with whortleberries, leading to exposed moorland heath of heather and gorse on the tops. It is home to ravens with wonderful rasping calls of gronk, gronk; nightjars and Dartford warblers breed in the summer and it is the only place I have ever seen a pied flycatcher.
A good way to spend a day is to take the steam train running between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard. With a Day Rover ticket you can hop on and off and take in Dunster, Crowcombe and Watchet or any of the other five stops. The ladies’ toilet at Williton is well worth a visit as it still has its original sanitaryware and gas lamp and, of course, the brass door lock which presumably was how we got the expression ‘to spend a penny’ as you needed an old penny to get in.
One of our favourite walks in the Quantocks is where the hills meet the sea (reward yourselves at some point with a cream tea in the Chantry Tea Rooms just north of Kilve). Dubbed the Jurassic coast, it’s as good as anything Dorset has to offer when it comes to fossils. There is a spectacular foreshore landscape, where the sea has eroded the folded bands of blue and grey limestone to create strange curving and sweeping rock formations, ledges and terraces. And, if you look carefully, you can make out a dragon or two… no, not really, but at low tide huge fossils can be found embedded in the rocks.
One of our favourite walks in the Quantocks is where the hills meet the sea (reward yourselves at some point with a cream tea in the Chantry Tea Rooms just north of Kilve). Dubbed the Jurassic coast, it’s as good as anything Dorset has to offer when it comes to fossils. There is a spectacular foreshore landscape, where the sea has eroded the folded bands of blue and grey limestone to create strange curving and sweeping rock formations, ledges and terraces. And, if you look carefully, you can make out a dragon or two… no, not really, but at low tide huge fossils can be found embedded in the rocks.
This article is an extract from a longer piece in February 2014 MMM magazine. To order your copy, click here.
More useful Motorhome pages:
Motorhomes for Sale | Motorhome Reviews | Sell Your Motorhome | Motorhome Advice | Motorhome Buyers' Guide
Motorhome News | Motorhome Articles | Motorhome Forums
Campsite Finder
MMM (Motorcaravan Motorhome Monthly) Magazine | Which Motorhome Magazine | Motorhome Shows
Recent Updates
Campervan festivals: all you need to know
Get the lowdown on going to a festival with your campervan. We've got everything you need to know, from choosing the right festival to deciding what ...
Off-grid campervans: what you need to know
Ditching electric hook-up and wild camping in your campervan is a great, low-cost way to enjoy the outdoors ...
Where and how to sell my motorhome: the ultimate guide
Whatever your reason for selling, there are a number of steps to take to try to get the best price for your ...
Gas tanks or refillable cylinders: our guide to motorhome gas
From cooking dinner to the central heating, gas is an essential feature of motorhoming – here, we explore ...
Engine management lights: all you need to know
What is the engine management light? What does it mean, and what do I have to do? ...
Motorhome air suspension: all you need to know
Motorhomes are heavy and the additional weight of equipment and height of the bodywork can increase the loads ...
Motorhome WiFi: how to get better motorhome internet
Staying connected on the move is more and more essential, so relying on campsite WiFi isn't an option – here ...
A class of their own - our guide to A-class motorhomes
Thinking of trading up to an A-class, or even going straight to the top of the motorhome tree? We guide you ...
Explore overseas on a motorhome dream tour
Enjoy exotic travel in a campervan or motorhome by hiring, swapping with someone else or exporting your ...
Motorhome water systems: everything you need to know
On-board water is an important part of every motorhome – here’s everything you need to know ...
Other Articles
Campervanning in Europe: what you need to know
Whether you're planning a leisurely drive through the French countryside, navigating bustling city streets in Italy or winding your way around ...
Campervan security: all you need to know
With thefts on the increase, it’s important to know how to keep your campervan secure and prevent campervan ...
Campervan furniture: everything you need to know
Our campervan experts guide you through all the essentials for your campervan, including tables, chairs, ...
Campervan finance: how to fund your purchase
Here we look at the different types of campervan finance available, to help you decide what’s the best option ...
Britain’s best used motorhomes
Want a great motorhome without paying the premium for a new one? Here's a guide to the best you can get in ...
Which motorhome? Choosing the perfect motorhome for you
Choosing a motorhome or campervan is one of the biggest buying decisions you’ll ever make, so it's important ...
Campervan washroom essentials: stay fresh on the road
Our guide will take you through the campervan washroom essentials you'll need so you're well-prepared for ...
Dogs in campervans: all you need to know
Follow our advice and your dog will enjoy campervanning as much as you do ...
Electric campervans: all you need to know
Our guide will take you through everything you need to know about electric campervans and what the future ...
Motorhome electrics: a complete guide to your motorhome electrical set-up
Motorhome electrics can dramatically enhance the convenience and comfort of your vehicle – but they can be ...