On the level

Saturday 21 March ‘26. DH, RW, JB, CH, JS, CM & Scrumpy

With all this years floods we have kept clear of the low lying land of the Somerset levels so far, but with brighter skies and warmer days starting to return, it was time to head back to the west of our patch for a walk onto the Somerset Levels and a visit back to The Kitchen at the wharf at Langport for our breakfasts. Chris very kindly offered to drive this week but had forgotten that his car was in for a service and as such he was demoted to Di’s Toyota Yaris. There was a bit of debate about fitting us all in or changing to one of the Hondas, but in the end we went for it. As I was first to be picked up I called shotgun on the front seat and slid the seat forward to make enough room behind. When we arrived at the Auction site to pick up the two Johns, JB was already indicating in his usual jovial self that he would need to fold himself in half. As it was there was plenty of space and once loaded up and heading down the A303, it made a change to actually be able to hear and join in the conversations in both the front and back together.

We arrived in Langport at 0829 and ‘saved’ the parking space next to us for Richard who had taken the more scenic but slower route through Somerton and arrived just a couple of minutes behind us. It was great to see Chris M in the car with him this week, the first time back with us since early Winter and the potato cave walk. Once all sorted we set off heading south from the area onto the Huish Drove where we turned right to head across towards Drayton. Turning off of the track onto the first path across farmland we were delighted to see how wide and clear the right of way was, but equally surprised to see the ground so dry and cracked up. We didn’t climb too much but the views across the levels opened up as we made our way towards a field full of old abandoned cars and farm equipment.

There was some activity as we approached with an old tractor towing a silver 4 x 4 onto the field, but apart from being a car grave yard we couldn’t really come up with any answer to what was going on. We walked up the track alongside the field and out onto the main road, where a left turn took us down to the village cross roads. There was no time to stop at the pub today but we did pause to admire the village war memorial. Sat under a small thatched roof the roll of honour of the First World War had the names of eleven of the fallen villagers, and beneath it just one who gave this life in the Second World War.

Although it initially looks like it could be a modern replacement of an older memorial cross as seen it most villages, it was actually constructed in this style in the early 1920s and is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;

* Design: an unusual and well-executed memorial that reflects local vernacular building traditions and which complements its surroundings;

* Group value: it is located in close proximity to a number of listed buildings.

Pushing on we took the lane opposite the memorial and out to the south of the village passing alongside a small stream before emerging into the countryside once more. The sun had by now burned through the early morning cloud and it was getting considerably warmer. We followed a hedgeline and then had to take a dogleg route to ensure we crossed one of the many drainage ditches that cross cross the area. Although tne grass Wa still wet the fields were mostly