Easter Sunday
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The Gallox Bridge
We did discover something new on this walk – the Gallox Bridge.
The Gallox Bridge is a 15th-century stone packhorse bridge situated on the southern edge of the gardens. Spanning the River Avill, the bridge measures approximately 13.5 meters in length and 1.9 meters in width, with a roadway width of 1.2 meters. It features two slightly pointed arches, each adorned with narrow chamfered ribs, and a cutwater on the upstream side to manage river flow .
Historically, Gallox Bridge was integral to Dunster’s wool trade, facilitating the transport of fleeces from Exmoor to the town’s market, which dates back to at least 1222. The name “Gallox” is believed to derive from the gallows that once stood nearby, reflecting the authority of the lords of Dunster Castle during the medieval period . Adjacent to the bridge is an ancient ford, used historically by wheeled traffic, while the bridge itself served pedestrians and packhorses.
Morning
Juno is James and Lucy Dachshund and is 2 years old. As they are all returning home this evening, we decided to spend the day hanging around Dunster.
The Dunster Castle gardens, particularly the river gardens, are so idyllic that we decided on a long walk to try and wear Juno out for the long car journey home. She bounded along the myriad footpaths that wind through the tall trees, azaleas, camelia and rhododendrums that we had explored only a few days earlier.
There are many opportunities to get close to the river on what can only be described as small pebble beaches, but unlike many dogs, Juno isn’t that keen on running water, barely even taking a drink. I guess that when even putting your paws in water also means that your belly will be tickled by ice cold water, we too would be somewhat reluctant.
We finished our walk with what will definitely be our last visit to the Foresters Arms (https://www.foresters-arms-dunster.co.uk/). This pub, with the right investment, has enormous potential. It is clear though that the current owners cannot see that.
On the way back to the cottage, Mike and I stopped off at the Dunster Distillery (https://www.dunsterdistillery.com/) where a very knowledgeable young man expalined the gins being made on site. They were all very pleasant and we could not depart without buying a bottle each, with Mike asking me to keep his one in our drinks cabinet for when he next visits. Happy to oblige sir!
Afternoon
Being Easter Sunday, we long ago decided that this afternoon would be the centre of our Easter celebration, and we booked the restaurant at the Luttrell Arms (https://www.luttrellarms.co.uk/) for a family Sunday Lunch.
Today, unexpectedly, was glorious weatherwise, with barely a cloud in the sky and real warmth. We decided on pre-dinner drinks in the pubs ‘Secret Garden’. This is well named because you think the Luttrell is just a town pub from the outside, with limited space. However, from the bar entrance, you follow paw prints on the stone flagged floors, through the courtyard and up a steep staircase, to be amazed as an enormous pub garden opens out to you at the top of your ascent. The garden has lovely modern furniture such as outdoor sofas, pods, a bar and even a gardenkitchen selling freshly made pizza. We enjoyed a very pleasant sun baked drink as we awaited our reservation time.
Sunday lunch did not disappoint and is well recommended. Between us we had the beef, lamb, turkey and pork roasts, with all the trimmings. On this occasion we pushed the boat out, loosened our belts, and indulged in desserts. It was a great meal.
Sadly, we had reached the time where James, Lucy and the pooch had to set off for home. Following our goodbyes, the 3 remaining Dunstrians repaired to the Stags Head (https://www.thestagsheadinn.co.uk/) where we could track their progress using WhatsApp live location.
