Horner Woods, Somerset

Finally back down in Somerset for our yearly visit. I felt quite emotional driving those last few miles as I had been so afraid that I'd have to cancel the holiday due to my prostate cancer diagnosis. As it turned out, the consultant arranged all my treatment visits in such a way that I could get away for a few weeks.

I had a chat with him a week or so before we set off and he gave me some great news. I was to have radiotherapy treatment and not the chemo which the first doctor had intimated. This basically was because my cancer hadn't spread so the chemo wasn't the best way to fight it. This took a big weight off my mind as I had dreaded coming back home to a three month course of that! I was put on hormone therapy as well, which unfortunately isn't without it's side effects but they are ones I will just have to live with for the time being.

We stayed at the same house which was just a five minute walk from Watchet Harbour and spent the afternoon just settling in. The first evening Sal and I has a walk down to the harbour just to say hello to the old place again. It was easy to see by both our demeanours that we were both glad to be back in our 'happy place' once again.

Our first day was spent just pottering about and going into Minehead for some shopping so all the photos are from our second day when we went to Horner Woods. The weather was changeable, mainly damp but with a few sunny spells thrown in for good measure. The tearoom or should I say tea garden was absolutely lovely and that is where we made that our first stop.

After a lovely cuppa, we had a short walk in Horner Woods, mainly following a path alongside Horner Beck. We had intended returning on a different path on the far side of the beck but this was unfortunately closed due to fallen trees after the recent stormy weather.

Also we had hoped to hear a cuckoo but the lady in the cafe said she hadn't heard any all year. There was no shortage of other woodland birds though and they accompanied us throughout the walk.

My progress was pretty slow due to my cancer treatment but it felt great just to be back out in the countryside again without the dark cloud of chemo hanging over me.

A day I will remember for a long long time.