As promised to ourselves, we arrive (now 5 adults and 3 dogs) squeezed in one car, at East Quay, Watchett.

After sourdough topped with poached egg, bacon and home made baked beans we peruse the gift shop then head around the quay to find the coast path.

For the first half hour the going is easy – up and over the cliff to Helwell Bay.  We can hear the sounds of Saturday morning football practice coming from behind the glorious row of pines and cypress trees. The single track of the West Somerset Railway hiding between us and the trees.

The beach is stony with some incredible intact fossils, some resembling beautifully mascaraed eyelashes!

The natural rock formations lying at an angle on the beach remind me of the stacks at the Giant’s Causeway.  We follow them along until we hit our first hurdle – a concrete breakwater sticking out to sea. It takes for 4 climbers and 3 dogs to climb onto and over the top on the massive “ankle breaking” boulders.  I can’t decide whether to take off my boots and lower myself into the sea or clamber, but it turns into an elegant scramble with Freddy the dog being the last to decide on his route.  We soon pass a large group of young children and adults – I bet they’re not as whiny and indecisive as us!

I remove my boots again and enjoy the sensation of the smooth weed covered rocks under foot.

At the end of Helwell Bay concrete railway sleepers are slumbering at the edge of the waves. We clamber up the solid ramp to the path through the field then behind Doniford Bay Haven Holiday Park.

Averting our eyes away from the holidaymakers “creating memories that last a lifetime”, we follow on the edge of the farmers field to the Haven’s viewpoint, overlooking the bay at the highest point on their estate.  You’d think they would have a nice bench, an exclusive lodge with the finest view?  But no, they should be thoroughly ashamed of the dumping ground of spoil and unwanted furniture.

A short section of woodland follows before we find ourselves at what looks like an old farmhouse, set amongst trees, a stunning monkey puzzle in the front garden.  There are plentiful people milling, cars parking which makes us think that this is part of the Home Farm holiday centre, marked on the map?

Follow the well-trodden path to St. Audrie’s Bay beach where I’ve heard there is a stunning waterfall. It doesn’t disappoint – maybe 25 metres drop of clear water, tumbling at great speed through a gap in the rocks with trees clinging perilously to the cliff tops.  All of it shimmering in todays bright sunlight. The almighty sound of the water crashing down just about drowning out the noise from the throngs of people enjoying the sight, sound and for some drenching of the water.

We stop for a while but a drone being manoeuvred just over our heads is too much for me so I move on.  We have the rest of the beach to ourselves with its unusual read coloured rock topped with large grey pebbles.  The red cliffs beside us topped with majestic conifers silhouetted against the clearest of blue skies.

I find myself getting anxious about our route off the beach when the first set of stairs are abandoned, but some kind beach-goer has made a little cairn to show the new route up a grassy path to the clifftop. The low clifftops towards Quantocks head are an absolute joy, especially in May with the grass not too long, wild flowers starting to poke their heads through and bracken a lush green colour.  The abundant creamy-white flowers of the low-lying hawthorn trees are buzzing with bees and other insects.

Stop for a suncream and refreshment break at Quantocks Head then down the grass path towards Kilve Car Park.  Over the green fields we can start to make out the cranes over Hinckley Point Nuclear Power Station, which is kind of our destination for the day. Our second car is parked at Kilve, where we stop for ice creams in the café.  Leave Heather, Jen and two of the dogs enjoying tea and we continue towards our campsite.

Passing by the cricket field in full swing we make our way back to the clifftop and the second half of todays walk to our campsite. It’s half an hours easy walk on a very wide path through the farmers crop, no fences between us, to Lilstsock Quadrant Hut.  Padlocked and protected with razor wire this Royal Navy hut appears disused, but who knows?

This coastline is quiet and somewhat dominated by the view and feel of the power station. It’s not long before the coast path is diverted away from the coast into beautiful rolling green countryside, margined by hedgerows and punctuated by sheep and windswept trees.

It’s difficult to avert your eyes from the plethora of cranes, funnels, domes and other structures behind a dense picket of spiky plants and razor wire fencing.  Work started on Hinckley Point C in 2017 and was due to be completed this year but is now expected to become operational in 2029.

It’s a steep climb away from the campsite and a short detour away from the re-routed coast path through Newnham Bridge to Burton Springs campsite, our home for a few days.