May Day Walk to Dunkery Beacon

 It’s May Day, 1st day of May, and traditionally the 1st day of Summer.  Let’s hope so, we have had so much wind and rain, cold and wet.  May Day falls half way between the spring equinox and summer solstice.   It’s always been a time for celebration.  It seems there are no emojis for May Day, what a shame, maybe next year 🤷‍♀️

In the seaside town where I live , we celebrate with an old tradition of the Hobby Horse.  It apparently begins at 5.30 am, although I’ve never been up that early to see the start.  It does, however, parade around the town for most of the day.  In fact there are two Hobby Horses.   

More info on the Hobby Horse can be found here

May Day is a Bank Holiday in England, many people have a day of off work, although many shops and entertainment venues are open.  Perhaps only banks, schools and offices are closed nowadays.  Thankfully I’m retired.  Anyway, with three of us at home today we decided it was time for a day out, and agreed it was a perfect day for Dunkery Beacon.

Dunkery Beacon is 1703 feet above sea level so quite a climb.  When I first started my legs ached almost immediately but on the whole I did quite well.  I was pleased to get to the top,  

Dunkery Beacon is the highest point in West Somerset, and today the views were magnificent.

You could see for miles.

And miles

All the way to Wales.

There is a stone built pillar supporting a directional map, pointing to places of interest.

And you regularly find works of art  made by visitors ❤️

Feeling energised, we decided to cross over to the Joaney How Cairn

And John How Cairn.

We had lived here for many years before paying these cairns any attention.  More people should visit them.  They are ancient burial cairns, but reportedly rebuilt over time.   They take you back to early settlers on Exmoor.  What a life they must have lived.  

Today only people and sheep were visible, although we did see a buzzard over Bossington.

It was great to get some miles in for my End to End walk too.  I’m way behind my schedule but will catch up now that summer is here 😉

116 miles in, 

462 to go.