Horner, near Porlock is the start of our next walk. This is a beautiful part of Exmoor and we will make best use of the lovely woods and views. It will be the usual 5 - 6 miles but hopefully the streams will be somewhat lower than the photos shown here, which necessitated a wade or swim, depending on whether two or four legs was involved.

To find the hamlet of Horner:

1. Along the A39, five miles beyond Minehead going towards Porlock, turn left ½ mile after the bend and the turning to Allerford, which is on your right. This is marked Horner and Luccombe.
   
   
2. If coming from the West and taking the adventurous route down Porlock Hill, the Horner turn will be just two miles on your right.
   
   
3. After leaving the A39, we meet at the car park (and toilets), ¼ mile past the hump backed packhorse bridge, on the left (see photo of the discreet sign on right). If you see the bend and the cream tea gardens you've passed it. Meet at 11.00am to give time for those traveling from a distance or if you like a lie-in. For those with the relevant OS map, the start is at 898455.
   
4. If coming via Taunton you may wish to avoid the A39 through Williton and Minehead by taking the B3224 at Bishops Lydeard. This is a fast and straight road along the tops via Ralegh's Cross and Wheddon Cross. From there you take a lane route that skirts Dunkery Beacon – the highest part of Somerset – and drops you into Horner by the back door. Drive past the two cream tea places, round the right-hand bend, and the car park will then be on your right.

Our walk will be following the river (Horner water) gently up through the beautiful woods and over a footbridge to climb ever so gently up to the ridge and views of open Exmoor. (The climb is so gradual that Exmoor Park have called it Granny's Ride so there's no excuse from the malcontents, please. If your granny can do it . . . ). However those who wish may leave us here before crossing the river and return by themselves back down the valley.

We then skirt down along the ridge with lovely vistas as we gradually descend back to Horner and a welcome non-cholesterol, low-fat but scrumptious cream tea, for those who've earned it. The gardens have a welcome sign "Dogs welcome on a short lead" (nothing about a pack of Bassets though).

Hope to see you all then. Please let me know if you intend coming.

And if you don't know the area, why not make a day of it? There are some beautiful villages close by: Porlock and Porlock Weir, Bossington and Allerford and Dunster though this will probably be heaving with grockles.

Map: click on image to enlarge (you may want to print off).

Watch for this discreet Car Park entrance sign