Where Was I?
Crikey. When Friend had suggested heading north on this country’s longest trunk road I’d pictured bare, windswept moorland – not shades of the Pacific Northwest. The landscape was a complete surprise.
“It’s man-made of course,” he said as we traversed it. That’s almost true: a duke had a key role in its creation, but he didn’t design the waterfall we were approaching. A pioneering 19th-century collector (mother, Jean) indirectly played a part too. His namesakes are scattered through the gorge — although one of the finest fell victim to a storm in 2017.
“Never mind,” Friend said, as I lamented the loss. “It was never the most exciting specimen hereabouts.” And he pointed to a village on the map – 1½ miles east of the waterfall. “Ring any bells?” he asked. “Not unless it’s associated with a Manchester politician,” I said. “Wrong spelling,” Friend said with a sigh. Then I twigged, and we rushed to another riverbank to see what’s thought to be the last remnant of a famous natural feature. It’s probably more than 500 years old, and these days needs the help of some posts to stand.
After that, only death and bane would have kept us from seeking out a hill, 13 miles southeast of the remnant. No one knows for sure if it was ever occupied by an 11th-century king, but the literary connection is obvious.
From its 1,020ft summit the view takes in more of what my friend had originally brought me to see. But were any of them moving? “Would that they could,” Friend said with a wink. “But we’d need 10,000 soldiers for that.” Or maybe a playwright’s quill.
— Sean Newsom
Last week’s prize
The answers are Start Point and Salcombe. Jon Schuring of Winchester, Hampshire, wins a seaside break on the Isle of Wight at the George Hotel in Yarmouth.
1 What is the name of the collector?
2 What is the name of the hill?
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Chief Bargain Hunter