Great Western Coffee Shop

We're off to Minehead for our family holiday at the end of June this year (I say family, although we are all adults).

I've just started looking for ideas of things to do when we are there.

Could I pick the brains of people for familiar with the area for any suggestions of days out (both by train or otherwise*).  As I'm on holiday, I want to drive as little as possible.  We would probably be going from Taunton if travelling by train.  Bear in mind that I live in Bristol and often visit W-s-M, so wouldn't want to be travelling to that area!

I was looking at a Devon Day Ranger but not sure whether this could justify the 55 minutes drive to Tiverton Parkway?

Also, any suggestions of places to visit in Exmoor National Park (this would have to be in the car)?  I've never been to North Devon so would love to explore the area well.

TIA and all suggestions welcome

* = My mum has a belief that trains are still like they were in the 60s (apparently): old**, dirty things that are very expensive - so any train suggestions would need to be cheap!
** = Yes, I know the newest HST is still 33 years old! :P

Your mother won't be disappointed when she arrives at Minehead Station (with the exception that the scene is more 50s than 60s.)

So West Somerset Railway obviously. You can use Days Out vouchers from Tesco to reduce the cost.  Lynton & Lynmouth is a good day out, and you can visit the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway as well. A drive up Porlock Hill is worth doing for no other reason than to do it. Dunster Castle is quite interesting.

If you feel like a strenuous walk you can try the first couple of miles of the South West Coast Path, which starts at Minehead. Don't keep walking though, as Poole is rather a long way away.   

I heartily endorse all of John R's suggestions.  ;) :D ;D

Only place I've been to in north Devon is Bude so can't really help. W.r.t a Devon Ranger, is Barnstaple closer than Tiverton?

I'm surprised you didn't add the suggestion of a day trip to Taunton, Chris.  ;D

bude is cornwall  ;D

anywhoooo

im scaring myself now but as i know this area very well im there every day..... cringe but i know its true.... the busses are actually very good up that way cant comment on price but from minehead you have regular services to taunton and bridgewater and a day ticket on one of these would give you a chance for dunster castle (as already suggested) also Cleeve Abbey,watchet ,blue anchor if you enjoy walking there are some beautiful walks around Luxborough (alot of hills tho!), as for places to go for lunch the newly refurbished letherbridge arms in bishops lydeard is very good! alot of effort has gone in there, as for the devon ranger if you were thinking of tivvy parkway from minehead drive threw Wiveliscombe its faster :-)

Concur with Lynton and Lynmouth. The A39 from Minehead to Lynmouth is a pretty scenic drive when the weather is clear. En route you have Porlock and various other locations (Oare, Malmsmead, Brendon) that featured in R.D. Blackmore's Lorna Doone - although the Doone Valley and it's waterfall appear to be a figment of RDB's imagination! At Lynmouth you can park up and take the Cliff Railway (http://www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk/) up to Lynton.

Beyond Lynton there is the very picturesque Valley of the Rocks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_the_Rocks), a summer Sunday afternoon/evening watching a cricket match as the sun sets at the Valley of the Rocks cricket ground is one of my ideas of heaven.

(http://oursurprisingworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/traveling_in_united_kingdom_05.jpg)

Also nearby at Woody Bay is the  Lynton and Barnstaple Railway (http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/visitors/location). The first section of which re-opened in 2004.

IMHO, this part of Somerset/Devon where Exmoor meets the Bristol Channel is the one of the most beautiful parts of the UK.

just dont try porlock hill when its snowing that aint fun!

You didn't ... did you??  :o ::)

To further add to the attractions of Lynton and Lynmouth there is the Lynmouth Disaster Memorial Hall (http://www.lyntonandlynmouth.com/lmh.html) detailing the story of the major flash flood in August 1952 which destroyed much of Lynmouth and sadly took 34 lives. The Memorial Hall contains many photos and news clippings from that terrible day along with models of the town before and after.

Also in Lynton there is the delightfully quaint  Lyn and Exmoor Museum (http://www.aboutbritain.com/LynAndExmoorMuseum.htm)

As you say you wish to avoid driving as much as possible you might find http://www.cartogold.co.uk/Devon_Transport/Devon.htm useful.

Personally I would highly recommend a trip over to Barnstaple and then a cycle ride from there along the Tarka Trail, which uses the old railway trackbed, as far as you want to go - it is level all the way to Torrington and on a decent day the scenery is frequently stunning. There is a cycle hire centre at Barnstaple Railway Station.

The alternative to a drive from Minehead to Lynmouth is to take the open-topped bus.  Service 300 operated by Quantock Motor Services (http://www.quantockmotorservices.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/service-300-timetable-only-feb-2010.pdf). 4 return trips daily (3 on Sundays). The services then connect into Filers Travel (http://www.filers.co.uk/bus.htm) service 300 (not open topped on this leg) at Lynmouth for onward travel to Illfracombe - another pleasant, relatively unspoilt seaside town.

Much better views from the top deck than sat in a car!

A leaflet in .pdf form detailing all bus services on Exmoor National Park can be found here (http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/exmoor_bus_timetable_web.pdf).

haha I've done worse I'm the van killer.... Was a beautiful view tho!!

Just to add to this suggestion, the Lynton - Barnstaple bus passes Woody Bay station, making a trip to the L & B very feasible.  Route 309/310 run by TW Coaches.

Thanks for all the ideas - I didn't quite expect this many :o

I'll write down a list of everything suggested here and look into it in more detail once my dreaded exams are finished.  What we do will probably depend on the weather!  Will let you know what we ended up doing when I get back (maybe with a photograph quiz if I collect enough pictures!)

I did look at this but was put off by the cost.  But since you've mentioned Tesco vouchers, I will see how many we can pool together to bring down the cost as this makes the price very reasonable.

19th June (too early?) - Paddle Steamer trip
1st July (too late?) - Boar trip on "Balmoral"

http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/bdisp.htm?port1=minehead&port2=

Nice idea, but I can't travel on leisure boats anymore (after an incident in France where a pleasure cruise boat I was travelling on almost capsized).

Never been on a Boar trip. Is 'Balmoral' a friendly pig?  ;D

I know someone who went on a boar trip up the Severn

What? They took a pig on their surfboard to ride the bore?  ;D

I would say a Visit to Dunster station is well worth seeing... It's a lovely little station ran by friendly folk... You can get some tea and biscuits for about 40p... The station is done up nicely and looks fabulous in the summer, and a single into Minehead on the steam service isn't too expensive either (Takes about 10 mins). You do have to pay for parking there, but that is about 10p!

Dunster Castle is also worth a visit if period estate is your kind of thing...!

Returned back from our holiday a few days ago.  Weather was excellent, so we spent quite a bit of time on the beach and doing walks.

My original plan was to leave at some stupid hour on the Friday and park somewhere in either Exeter or Tiverton and then do a Devon Day Ranger.  I was particularly interested in trying out the Tarka Line (as it was both a line and part of the county I've never been to).  Anyway, this never materialised as I had a meeting in Bristol and had to sort out something with the flat (what a lovely way to start my holiday!)

Next day we took the train to Dunster.  Unfortunately I timed it wrong so we ended up on the DMU :(  Had a walk round Dunster - lovely village with plenty of pubs!  Looked at going into the castle, but none of us were that interested to justify the ^9 each.  We walked home along the coast, which is a great walk albeit having to avoid flying golf balls from the golf course!

We then drove up to Lynmouth - not realising that the journey involved Porlock Hill.  I don't think my dad read the signs when driving up the hill "1 in 4 gradient, use LOWEST gear".  So he approaches the hill in third gear and stalls the car ::)  I drove us home and that was quite an experience - going downhill in first gear!  The views during the journey were spectacular.  Lynmouth was a quiet little village with some good shops.  Climbed to the top of the cliff railway on foot - what a huge drop.  Will post some photos of this when I've looked through them.

Didn't quite make it to Valley of the Rocks as we didn't quite put enough money in the parking meter.  Putting more on would have meant walking down then back up the cliff!!

Thanks again for all the suggestions and I'm pleased that they came in really handy.

Slightly OT but I remember going to somerset as a kid (must have been about 8 or 9) - was our first family holiday other than the caravan in north wales.

Was before the M5 was extended I believe

We stayed in watchet and my abiding memory is of some road - no idea froom where or to where - with the steepest blinking hills and escape hatches and a blinking big drop off the side of the car.  I was terrified

I suspect if I drove the same road now, would not bother me but all I did was lie on the back seat (was before rear seat belts) in a ball with my eyes closed until we got off that road.

Any idea which one it was?  Since I'm going to be in the general area, I'd like to revisit it to quell a 30 year memory

Sounds like Porlock Hill (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A39_road#Porlock_Hill)!  ;) :D ;D

lol the reason that i will not go west of alcombe on my route :-)