Muddy Boots & Chips

Good Friday was spent getting very down & dirty in Goblin Combe! While this might sound like a euphemism for something I perhaps shouldn’t be discussing, in this case it meant simply this – getting very, very muddy.

Chris and I met up with an old work colleague of mine, Claire, her husband Paul and their son Callan. We met for coffee at their house, and Whiskey immediately made a beeline for Tom’s food – typical Labrador. Tom is a bouncy cockapoo and Whiskey is more of a gentleman of leisure but the food was an ice-breaker.

Claire & Paul had already warned us that the walk would be muddy, and they weren’t kidding. Although it had been dry as we were driving over, by the time we got to the start of our walk the weather had settled into a persistent drizzle. And so we began our trek, slipping and sliding our way along the floor of the Combe, wet mud splattering our legs as we went. Every so often Paul, who was leading the way, would call back to let us know that it was about to get really muddy – as if that was even possible.

Although we chose a wet day, the beauty of the Combe was still very apparent, with a lovely smell of fresh garlic. The dogs loved running around picking up all the different smells, and Claire and I had a really good catch up. We hadn’t seen each other for over 10 years, and so there was a lot to talk about! The Combe is very close to Bristol airport, and I had been slightly concerned about the sound of the planes taking off and landing. Whiskey is extremely scared of fireworks and thunder, but luckily he was completely unfazed by the noise.

Goblin Combe is a limestone gorge with steep cliffs, and on a clear day you can see for miles. We worked our way up to a viewpoint, although it was too cloudy to see even the planes. And so we made our way back down to the bottom, trying to find the least slippery route, picking our way sideways down the slopes.

We all made it back in one piece, if a bit bedraggled, and stopped off at the Butcher’s Arms in Yatton for a very welcome glass of lager and bowl of home cooked chips – Perfect!