6th NOV. MINEHEAD (Base Lodge hostel) to CULBONE adjacent church.

We had slept well except I woke a few times in the night due to the cider I had drunk the night before. It was about 7 by the time I dragged myself out of my bottom bunk. Listened to the radio, all about the US election. Will Obama get back in?  This time tomorrow we will know,  I hope so!
At around 7.30 I got J up. We packed up our gear before descending to the kitchen to cook the breaky with Josh monitoring the beans, toast and pizza for later. My fried eggs were neither sunny side up or down,  more unintentional scrambled. After the breaky we cleared up,  I checked we had turned the gas off but discovered we had left gas oven on and our pizza was burnt but salvageable,  when walking even a burnt pizza tastes good!
We finally left at around 9.30.
It was a relaxed easy going start. We ambled into town sent a couple of parcels,  old maps / guide books from Offas and Glyndwrs trails and other bits collected on route ,nothing to pungent for Monique to open. I had told Ran ,my 7 year old, I would send him a little something so did.
We wrapped and addressed things in a cafe drunking coffee. We really were in a go slow mode.
Having stood in a line for what seemed ages to post things I returned to find Josh chatting to a chap who when seeing me disappeared. Josh was laughing remiving his Snugpak top which was quite dirty from careless eating. Apparently the chap had come over thinking that he was homeless and had pointed out the church for him to go to, he was not to fair wrong which was sad. Amusing anyway.
It was nippy and I could not believe J was warm in a t shirt.
We walked out along the prom, sounds familiar.
It was the official start of the South West Coast Path,  a couple of large hands holding a map about 8 foot tall.
We now had 630 miles of this National trail to complete.
I was full of wee today and had an awkward time trying to avoid eyes when on the beach releaving myself,  needs must.
We finally started.
The sun shone but was not warming however we warmed up nicely walking up the prominent hill dominating the harbour view.
When we gained the top it gave way to heathland wbich was easy going and not to muddy.Ironically. the coast path stood away from the  coast and meandered to North Hill.Here we had choice of rugged coast walk or easy going offical route. We lazily took the easy route,  wisely I would prefer to say. Flocks of Redwing and Fieldfares flew ahead of us,  a real sign of autumn.
As we walked to Bossington Hill the view to Porlock and its bay opened up. It was a toe numbing descent to the Porlock plain.
As J stripped off his thermal bottoms in the car park toilets I sat at the picnic table. A woman on a mobility scooter came over with a chap and I thought I must of taken their burden bench. AS it was they just wanted to talk, how we! got on to the subject of my bald head I do not know but I liked her saying - No grass grows on a busy road!
She told me that her and scooter takes her everywhere and told us the path to Porlock Weir was muddy. It proved correct,  it was interesting to see that tracks of her scooter showed her diverting to drive through muddy puddles,  all terrain mobility scooter.
The walk was flat,  almost desolate salt marsh,  bare dead trees stood in numbers giving apocalypic views.
The path took us to large pebbled beach which was awkwardly painful to walk,  thankfully short lived.
Via Porlock Wiers thatched cottages we continued up to the toll road / lane - but thankfully followed a none toll path to which zig zagged steadily up through sweet chestnut woodland among other oaks and beech.
We arrived at Colbone Church and were allowed to pitch in a flat garden next to the church. The constant roar of a stream about twenty foot away.
We went over the route,  we hope to stop at an independent hostel in Ilfracombe thirty miles on,  two days walking. 
Will listen to the election tonight if I can stay awake.