Skiving Off With Horses

I helped out at a local stables on Saturday and was then playing cricket on Sunday and wasn’t sure I would have time to do a pick this weekend – so Dad did one for me thanks Dad! All of what follows is his.

I thought I’d get out in the country – we are lucky to live in Taunton so close to some beautiful places – I drove up to Broomfield having planned a rough looping route. I only have a winter waterproof (that still fits me!) and it was the wrong choice of coat as the rain stayed largely away and it was very warm. As I didn’t have Issy with me today I took the dogs, Bruce & Bean, instead.

The dogs and I did a largeish loop dropping down into the valley beneath the Old Post Office near Broomfield before climbing up past Stevens Copse, across some farmland and then circling along the edge of and then into Buncome Wood. I followed the road down from Buncome Wood to the top of Three Horse Shoes Hill – where the remnants of the The Pines burnt out café still remain. I then headed up Broomfield Hill heading down through Rackhouse Copse before following the road back down to the finish.

The pick started slowly – as I dropped down the first valley there was not very much; only a can, a food wrapper and some farming plastic. We passed some children carrying what looked like heavy rucksacks who all said hello to the dogs. Once I had reached the bottom of the valley and started climbing the other side though the volume increased. The first part of the climb led up to a road and I think several items had washed down from the road – quite a few plastic bottles and cans. In this section and throughout the walk up to Buncombe Wood I found quite a lot of farming debris – large remnants of plastic bags, some semi buried some ensconced in the undergrowth, rope, assorted plastic remnants etc. Once I got up into Buncome Wood this type of rubbish stopped and it reverted to the norm. As I entered the Quantocks along the path through the wood I felt quite positive as I had not s

een much if any litter – but it did start again. The first bits were a plaster an energy bar wrapper and a bottle. It gradually picked up as I headed towards the car park – someone's Costa nourishments –were spread over quite a wide distance – I found the lid first then the napkin, then the cup. There were several dog poo bags as well.

Once I left the car park and headed down the road to the Pines café the rate of litter picked up even more – as Issy has written before this seems to be drivers chucking stuff out of their window. McDonalds made an appearance again - I had thought being a bit away from the Golden Arches would mean they didn’t make an appearance but true to form they showed up. Some Greggs wrappers made an appearance today as well – a first for them on Issy’s picks. I also got several Thatchers and Coke

and Red Bull cans.

Heading up Broomfield hill the litter dropped off again – there was a small pile at the start but only a couple of snack wrappers and tissues on the hill itself.

On the road back to the car the usual cans and bottles and cigarette packs were found.

I made the mistake of only taking 1 black sack with me today and that took a rip quite early on from a quarter of a plastic bucket that I dropped in – I did spend the rest of the walk worrying that the bag was going to suddenly split as I added more weight – luckily it held out.

As I was driving to my start point I had noticed a bag of cans in a layby but I couldn't stop and get it then because of other cars - so on my way back I called in and picked it up.

I covered a shade under 10Km today – 9.85 to be precise in a 3 hours and 2 minutes. The dogs got a walk, I got to spend some time in some beautiful country side and I picked up a fair amount of litter. Wins all round.

Distance: 9.85 km

Recycling: 0.95 kg

Rubbish: 4.3 kg

The Quantocks are beautiful - the views from the hilltops are really nice. Buncombe Wood is a lovely spot with paths through the woods and Broomfield hill as well was lovely - lots of wide grassy pathways meandering through the clumps of bushes. A lovely place to walk.