Watchet and Splash Point on the Somerset Coast.

Watchet on the Somerset Coast is one of my favourite places to visit.  It is not only an interesting, tranquil little harbour town, but the journey to it along the A358 through the gently rolling foothills of the Quantocks is a pleasure in itself.

I visited Watchet on 16 June, a very hot day, with the primary intention of walking up to Splash Point on the eastern side of the town to see if I could spot the tower of St. Decuman’s Church on the hill to the west.  The easier of the footpaths to Splash Point initially follows alongside the West Somerset Railway line and then passes behind the East Quay complex.

In my eyes, East Quay just about qualifies as a blot on the landscape.  It is garish and angular with what looks like a couple of bright blue shipping containers plonked between it and the marina.  The building’s odd geometrical design does mitigate its ugliness, but only slightly.  I did not linger!

East Quay at Watchet Harbour on the Somerset Coast.

I continued on along the footpath and up the steep steps to Splash Point where I found views east and west, and out over the Bristol Channel – well worth the effort of climbing those steps!  However, I was not rewarded with a view of St. Decuman’s.  The area around Splash Point was known to the Victorians as The Pleasure Ground – it once had a tea room for their refreshment. 

A view of Watchet looking across the marina and tidal harbour from Splash Point.

Unsurprisingly for such a vantage point, I came upon the remains of a World War Two bunker and coastal artillery emplacements.  No doubt they were ideally situated to defend Watchet Harbour and the approaches to the Cardiff, Newport and Avonmouth docks.

The World War Two bunker on Splash Point above Watchet Harbour in Somerset.  The footpath and steps down to the Eastern Pier, from where this photo was taken, are on the right.

From beside the WW2 bunker I walked down another set of steep steps to the Eastern Pier and proceeded on a gentle stroll around the marina, the Esplanade and the tidal harbour wall.  I was surprised at how few people were around considering it was such a fine day.

Pleasing shot of an old lifeboat in the marina at Watchet on the Somerset Coast.

The fossil beach below Splash Point at Watchet on the Somerset Coast.  The photo was taken from the Eastern Pier.  The forest of cranes at the Hinkley Point nuclear power station construction site can just be seen on the horizon to the right of picture.

After an interesting visit lasting two hours, at a very reasonable cost of £2.20 to park the car, I left Watchet at 1630. Heading home I took the B3191 to Williton, then the A358.  Both roads were very quiet so I had another chance to relax a little and enjoy the scenery.

Invading Martian war machines, or floodlights at the County Ground, Taunton, Somerset?

I recently had reason to visit the centre of Taunton in Somerset.  Having left the car in the Duke Street car park I walked toward North Street, as I did so I noticed the floodlights at The County Ground towering over the rooftops.  The thought struck me that these monstrosities looked like invading Martian war machines out of War of The Worlds.  It seemed as if they were surrounding their prey and about to let loose their death rays!


Be that as it may, what a blot on the Taunton skyline!

One of the floodlight arrays at The County Ground, Taunton, Somerset.

An August visit to Seaton in the neighbouring county of Devonshire.

On August 23, the Friday before the Bank Holiday weekend, I had a pleasant drive in bright sunshine down the A358 to the seaside town of Seaton in Devonshire.  Having passed through Axmouth it became obvious that the fine weather had drawn people to the coast as most of the little laybys beside the B3172 overlooking the River Axe were occupied.  On the Esplanade around 80 percent of the car parking spaces were taken, but I found a space halfway along the seafront and put £2 in the meter to allow a couple of hours strolling.

The first thing I noticed was that the new ‘modern’ apartment block in the middle of the Esplanade appeared to be complete, and is just the monstrosity I expected it to be.  In my opinion it’s a blot on the coastline in general, and a blot on Seaton’s seafront in particular!

The Esplanade, Seaton, Devonshire in August 2019.

Walking west along the Esplanade the sea front was as crowded as I had ever seen it.  All the benches on the sea wall were taken, lots of people on the beach, queues for ice-creams, people in the sea, and the usual promenaders. 

I strolled up Castle Hill, occasionally stopping for a breather and taking the odd photo.  The benches between the cliff top and Cliff Field Gardens provided a convenient place to sit down and enjoy the view to the east.

A view of the beach and seafront at Seaton in Devonshire as seen from Castle Hill.

A view of Beer Head in Devonshire as seen from Seaton.

The steep path down to The Hideaway café gave me an opportunity to take some photos of Beer Head with the sea sparkling in the afternoon sun.  My return journey took me east back along the seafront where every other beach hut was occupied, and past the ice cream kiosk – still with its queues.

My two hours were up by the time I got back to the car, so it was off to a busy Seaton Tesco for some shopping, and then back home for tea.     

Willow Man near Bridgwater in Somerset - and other 'carbuncles' and 'blots' on the West of England's landscape.

I wrote a letter in response to the article 'Battle to stop 'carbuncle' at author's isle' by Tom Bevan in the Western Daily Press on June 17th.  The article begins: "Thousands of people have signed a petition to stop a 'concrete carbuncle' being built on an island made famous by writer Agatha Christie. 
The owners of the luxury hotel on Burgh Island - where rooms cost from £500 a night - want to build a pool house on a rocky outcrop.
It will be linked by a bridge spanning the water in between, known as Mermaid Pool.
The controversial design - the result of an architectural completion - was approved last month by planners on South Hams District Council in South Devon.
But the project has appalled opponents who say it will "desecrate" an area of outstanding natural beauty and a protest petition has already received 2,000 signatures." 

My letter was published on June 21st.

Many carbuncles throughout the West.

I sympathise with those campaigners who are trying to prevent a ‘carbuncle’ being built on the picturesque Burgh Island (Western Daily Press, June 17).  Unfortunately such ‘carbuncles’ have been known to pass through the planning system.

Further east along the Devonshire coast planners have allowed a new development of luxury apartments on The Esplanade in Seaton.  Its modern style appears entirely out of keeping with the rest of the sea front.

However, the proposed structure on Burgh Island is modest compared to Verity, the grotesque 66ft high, 25 tonne bronze monstrosity which dominates the charming harbour at Ilfracombe.

Somerset has its own ‘carbuncle’, or should that be ‘blot on the landscape’, in the form of Willow Man on the eastern fringe of Bridgwater.  At twilight this spectral figure appears malevolently poised as if to leap the M5 and hunt the ghosts of Monmouth’s rebel army across Sedgemoor.

I am sure there are many who see beauty and grace in these examples of modern art and architecture, but I am obviously not one of them.

Photographs to follow!

Update 3rd September 2017

Willow man looms phantom-like above the tree-line alongside the M5.

Seaton in Devonshire. A redevelopment building site on the sea front for 8 luxury apartments.

After three days of rain in South Somerset I took a spin down to Seaton for some sea air and sunshine.  Enjoying a stroll along the sea front I passed a prominent redevelopment building site which, according to the advertising signs, will be filled by 8 luxury apartments.  I trust the standard of building will be better than the standard of spelling!

The building site.

The advertisement - note the spelling!