03:00 start, round trip drive of about 420 miles…This time my friend Frank was at the wheel. Locations to
tackle….Burnham-On-Sea for the wooden lighthouse, Dunster Castle quick shot from the roadside, Selworthy yellow thatched cottages and church, Porlock Weir and then onto Clovelly.
Camera, car and several coffee’s to fuel the photo session.
Would the light and the weather gods be with us ?…….Sort of…?

Twinkling lights of Burnham-On-Sea (tide out)….Cold crisp air…The first glimpses of light.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens. 65×24 aspect ratio.

Burnham-On-Sea….Looking towards the other end of the beach.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens. 65×24 aspect ratio.

Burnham-On-Sea, wooden lighthouse c1832 stands like a sentinel on the hard compact sandy beach.
To do this justice you really need to be there a high tide, and do a very long exposure for a more surreal look
(next time). However I do like the pinky pastel very early morning light.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens.

Dunster Castle 11th century taken from the A39 on a layby enroute to Selworthy.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens.

Selworthy Church 15th Century.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens.

Selworthy Church inside, vertical view in this aspect you can see the light striking the floor leading to the altar.
Nikon Z5ii & 14mm Viltrox lens.

Selworthy Church inside horizontal view. In this aspect you can see the windows on the left and right.
Nikon Z5ii & 14mm Viltrox lens.

Walking from the church via a wooden gate this is the first yellow thatched cottage you come to.
I’ve seen them quite a few times and I’m still impressed with the exterior design and chocolate box look.
Nikon Z5ii & 14mm Viltrox lens.

There are a few of these dwellings facing a green. The sun breaks through and lights up the front of the cottage.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens.

Now were at Porlock Weir. Three cottages with their backs to the sea facing the small harbour.
Nikon Z5ii & 14mm Viltrox lens.

Although slightly distorted view…This shot reveals the cottages frontal view at low tide. A muddy basin.
The lock Gates are to the right (currently under repair).
Nikon Z5ii & 14mm Viltrox lens.

Old, old groynes leading to the entrance of Porlock Weir.
Nikon Z5ii & 14mm Viltrox lens…As you can see from the sky the weather is on the turn..Moody and foreboding.

Military bunker with a face, slowly sinking into the stoney beach.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens.

Stoney beach and brooding sky.
Nikon Z5ii & 14mm Viltrox lens.

Porlock Weir. Sailing boats and no water.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens.

The Red Lion Hotel at the bottom of Clovelly Village. A very steep cobbold footway from the top leads you down to this point…Look closely, it’s called Fish Street.
Nikon Z5ii & 14mm Viltrox lens.

Fishing boat returns to Clovelly Harbour.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens.

Cobbold streets, tiny cottages and the salty air of Clovelly.
Nikon Z5ii & 24/200mm lens.
I hope you like this little dander to North Somerset and a touch of North Devon. If you fancy visiting I strongly suggest going in the spring when it’s not so grey and cold. Please note Clovelly is privately owned village / estate.
In December 2025 the entrance fee was Β£9.90 per person.
Great stuff, mate. Real ‘Old England’. I have been to Dunster, but didn’t get to see the castle at the time. My favourites today are the stony bunker and the old groynes in B&W. I remember Clovelly being packed solid with tourists one summer, and I swore never to go there again.
Cheers, Pete.
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Dunster is cute place….Clovelly was empty, probably on account of the weather and time of year.
Cheers.
AK
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The last time I was in Clovelly it was actually difficult to walk around. Worse than Oxford Street during the January sales!
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Nice.
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Many thnaks.
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Beautiful photographs! I was at school in Bideford 1962-64, so I am familiar with that part of the world which is quite lovely. It was nice to see it again through your pictures.
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Many thanks for your comment.I’ve only passed through Bideford on my way to Heartland Quay and of course Clovelly.
Appledore and Instow are nice..I prefer Instow…and there’s Westwood Ho…with its huge beach.
AK
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Lovely photos. I have family connections to Devon, but never had much chance to spend a lot of time there. Cheers, Jon.
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Many thanks for the comment…Time…Yes never enough.
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I love Dunster Castle and I have been in most of your pictures. We had a good holiday staying in that area with surprises every day.
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True, Somerset is a nice place..I must get round to exploring the Lorna Doone area.
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Stunning images..I love a thatched roof and that cottage is a great example, so pretty post card worthy π
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Yes, Selworthy is proper chocolate box…Especially with spring flowers in bloom.
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I can imagine it must be so beautiful .
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