Hi. I live in Taunton and have explored the Quantocks quite a bit, but have heard plenty of people recommending the Blackdowns too. Can anybody give me a bit of a pointer where to start exploring or some personal highlights?

GPS routes would be good also.

Thanks.

When I was a nipper there was some nice trails around Culmstock Beacon and over to the Wellington monumnent – be interested to know what the current thinking on this is as well……

I found this a while back http://www.nerochescheme.org/media/uploadedFiles/Herepath_Cycle_A4Map_(2)_2.pdf
Not tried it myself – perhaps a local could comment?

Trailseeker – looks ok, maybe I'll try it this evening…

Can you post up what you think about it?

blackdowns is shite. rarely dries out, very few routes to pin together, really not worth going there over the quantocks.

there are some alright road rides that way I believe, and some DH tracks at orchard portman.

I'm no local, but from the few rides I have done around there (have done that Neroche trail in parts), it's pretty much what jam bo says. Nothing majorly exciting and when it's wet, it's an absolute horror show. The bridleways are also heavily used by horse riders, so the ground gets mashed up and you will spend half your ride negotiating horse traffic.

The little DH tracks near OP are pretty good fun, nothing too hair raising. Again, avoid in the wet, as they turn into a zero traction mud chute.