Gosh Somerset and Devon are busting at the seams! En route to Lynmouth we stopped at Dunster to visit the castle, village and church. The castle car park was packed (on a damp Monday afternoon) but the National Trust still managed to relieve us of £31 to wander round what is quite a nice 1800’s house (it ceased being a castle after the civil war) and gardens (Gill pictured on the lovers bridge above).
Better value for money (i.e. free) is the village church which dates from the 11th century and was built for the monks of Dunster Priory but the villagers also worshipped there. In 1357 they had a bit of a row over the churches use and an agreement was drawn up between the village and the monks which lasted 100 years before there was another bust up.
This time the dispute was settled by putting a wooden screen across the church, dividing it in two. Not very Christian behaviour but the 600 year old wood carving is quite impressive. It is a very nice church and it seems not many tourists go there, they just do the castle and the very picturesque High Street which of course features cream teas so we decided to go with the flow and have our first Devon Cream tea. Once ordered we it discovered we were still in Somerset but it was too late to send it back.
Then on to our hotel in Lynmouth, we had stayed there before and liked it but due to covid, staff shortages and any other excuse they can think of they are not doing food, this was not mentioned when we booked. Then panic set in, we walked round both Lynmouth and Lynton and found every restaurant either closed or full, we were beginning to think the cream tea was going to be our last meal!
Eventually we found a pub which said it was fully booked but seeing our sad hungry faces agreed to feed us, even better they have TV in the bar and let us book for Wednesdays Euro semi final so life is not so bad after all.