A Trio Of West Country Pubs Part 2

[Malcolm Buggeridge]

A Ceilidh band and a real ale festival were the attractions at our second stop on our recent West Country jaunt.

We arrived in blazing sunshine at the Bottom Ship at Porlock Weir to find the revellers already in full swing. My wife and I checked our bags in, ordered two pints of Betty Scoggs and went out to join in the action.

The evening's entertainment was provided by the Exmoor Doo Dahs who were performing a samba infused Irish jig with the local vicar performing some fancy footwork as we took our seats.

Then the mood turned more sombre as we remembered the tragic events in Lynmouth some decades earlier with a tale of the selfless act of 2 brothers from Simonsbath who crossed the moor in their underwear in torrential rain to prevent a similar fate befalling the people of Porlock.

It is said that one of the boys had a vision in which he was told to go to Porlock and awake the populace from its slumber to prevent the village from being consumed by a landslide of monstrous proportions.


Unfortunately, it turned out to be a false alarm and some of the more elderly inhabitants perished in the freezing rain while waiting for the danger to pass and the villagers swiftly turned into an angry mob, turning on the 2 lads.

One of them lost his underpants in his attempt to get free and locals maintain to this day that a spectral pair of underpants can be seen blowing in the wind at certain times of the year.

Nonetheless, the deeds of the Simonsbath brothers are still celebrated in song and verse to this day by the people of Exmoor and in no more moving fashion than that of the Exmoor Dooh Dahs.

I have to say, it really was a very good craic!

[Troll]

We arrived in blazing sunshine at the Bottom Ship at Porlock Weir

Has there been any this year?

[Troll]

One of them lost his underpants in his attempt to get free and locals maintain to this day that a spectral pair of underpants can be seen blowing in the wind at certain times of the year.

Do they still have skiddies on them?

[gingerjedi]

Has there been any this year?

Sunday before last was ok but a bit windy and it didn't rain last Thursday.

[eek]

Where's the frigging ignore button

[Malcolm Buggeridge]

Sunday before last was ok but a bit windy and it didn't rain last Thursday.

Indeed, we were there the Sunday before last and we were nicely sheltered from the wind in our little spot where we watched the band perform.

[wurzel]

A Ceilidh band and a real ale festival were the attractions at our second stop on our recent West Country jaunt.

We arrived in blazing sunshine at the Bottom Ship at Porlock Weir to find the revellers already in full swing. My wife and I checked our bags in, ordered two pints of Betty Scoggs and went out to join in the action.

The evening's entertainment was provided by the Exmoor Doo Dahs who were performing a samba infused Irish jig with the local vicar performing some fancy footwork as we took our seats.

Then the mood turned more sombre as we remembered the tragic events in Lynmouth some decades earlier with a tale of the selfless act of 2 brothers from Simonsbath who crossed the moor in their underwear in torrential rain to prevent a similar fate befalling the people of Porlock.

It is said that one of the boys had a vision in which he was told to go to Porlock and awake the populace from its slumber to prevent the village from being consumed by a landslide of monstrous proportions.


Unfortunately, it turned out to be a false alarm and some of the more elderly inhabitants perished in the freezing rain while waiting for the danger to pass and the villagers swiftly turned into an angry mob, turning on the 2 lads.

One of them lost his underpants in his attempt to get free and locals maintain to this day that a spectral pair of underpants can be seen blowing in the wind at certain times of the year.

Nonetheless, the deeds of the Simonsbath brothers are still celebrated in song and verse to this day by the people of Exmoor and in no more moving fashion than that of the Exmoor Dooh Dahs.

I have to say, it really was a very good craic!

Got trapped by the tides down there one night. Spent the night in the hotel next to the pub, can't remember what it's called, but ISTR it had a very eclectic collection of art and curios displayed in just about every available square inch.

Edit: Here you go

[Doggy Styles]

That sounded like a good afternoon/evening Malc.

Mentioning Lynmouth as you did, there is a memorial there to the 40-odd people who died as the floodwater suddenly crashed down the hill into them, even washing away a row of houses.

One of the people was anonymous, and my very first Whodunnit mission in the area, which I mentioned a few days ago, was based on him.

Incidentally, I know this thread is supposed to be about Porlock Wier but while we are on the subject of Lynmouth, there's a nice funicular there. Have you tried it?

[Malcolm Buggeridge]

Incidentally, I know this thread is supposed to be about Porlock Wier but while we are on the subject of Lynmouth, there's a nice funicular there. Have you tried it?

Yes indeed I have. It is a water powered funicular.

Once upon a time I stayed near the top of that funicular - in a very nice guesthouse run by a Swiss chap called Fritz right on the edge of the cliff overlooking Lynmouth.

The area is in fact known as "Little Switzerland" owing to the its physical geography and a number of Swiss nationals have made their homes there. Indeed, on the afternoon on which my wife and I checked in, there was a bratwurst party in full swing with all the attendees dressed in their leiderhosen. We were invited to join in but declined as we felt we weren't suitably attired. Though I did give them a demonstration of my considerable yodelling skills before we made our excuses and left.

[wurzel]

That sounded like a good afternoon/evening Malc.

Mentioning Lynmouth as you did, there is a memorial there to the 40-odd people who died as the floodwater suddenly crashed down the hill into them, even washing away a row of houses.

One of the people was anonymous, and my very first Whodunnit mission in the area, which I mentioned a few days ago, was based on him.

Incidentally, I know this thread is supposed to be about Porlock Wier but while we are on the subject of Lynmouth, there's a nice funicular there. Have you tried it?

Have you been to the Valley of the Rocks along the coast just west of Lynton / Lynmouth? If you like coastal walks you can't do much better than that IMO.