This is a crap mobile photo of a Horner Wood.

I’m thinking of using the main path next to the river (marked with black dots) to provide a relatively civilised (for Exmoor) climb in the woods to head over to Hawkcombe Head. I’m aware it gets real steep coming out of the woods at the western end.

Is it rideable or will it be a horrid hike-a-bike mess?

River path is a pleasant enough climb as far as pool bridge, pretty much all rideable bar one trials rocky step ups bit that I’ve thrown myself at several times with no luck.

After that – don’t know, have gone up the road (hellish steep but at least spinnable) and then picked up the top path from there.

After pool bridge it all gets a bit hike-a-bike.

You’ll struggle to follow the trail from Pool bridge camp site, its been washed out by the river in a few places & then its a push up to Lucott farm.
If you follow your route for about a mile from Horner tea rooms, when you get to a large grassy clearing, a nice bit of singletrack goes off up on your right, keep following this straight on at the signpost & it will bring you out on a fireroad on Ley hill, turn left & it takes you to the top of the road climb from Pool bridge near the entrance to Lucott farm lane.
Here
From there you can drop down the road a short way & turn right onto the bridleway that leads to the top of the push up from the campsite.
Or just blast down the lane to the farm.

Yes, that’s the route I’ve taken a few times, nice long climb 🙂

Great stuff. Thanks chaps.

Whilst we’re on the topic, what’s the most enjoyable permutation down to Porlock from Hawkcombe head? I always seem to run out into the double track in the bottom.