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Does anyone have a good route for a "classic" Exmoor ride?
Nobody?
Doing https://www.trailforks.com/route/mbr-britain-s-best-singletrack-exmoor/ unless anyone has better suggestions.
You’ve got most of it covered... I would one day like to work out a way to get from the bottom of 15 Splashes (according to the Trailforks link) to the top of Hawkscombe, which would enhance your route by a) heading down 15 Splashes and b) eliminating the long tarmac slog from Goosemore trail to Hawkscombe... BUT - I’ve never managed it despite numerous map poring sessions
Not a bad loop but more road than necessary. If you zoom in you can see other trails. When you descend Hawkcombe and then climb back up,you can turn right after the cattle grid and avoid the A39 completely. Also not sure about going up the 2 miler from Wootton Courtney.. OK if you like a climbing challenge but not much fun if it's your only day out.
As above, 5 or 6km of avoidable tarmac & I'd not be riding up the A39 in holiday season.
When are you going to to be there ? As we ride that area regularly.
Where's '15 Splashes'?
pete68: can you suggest an alternative to the climb? Avoiding very long climbs sounds like a good idea.
snaps: first week of August, roughly.
To miss that climb, if you look at a map, from Brockwell down lane to ford then up either disband lane or the tarmac farm track to join spangate lane. This will bring you up on the dunkery road where you can rejoin the route. It's further and still a good climb but easier than the other way. If you've a decent level of fitness or e bikes then give the suggested route a go.
Not disband lane🙄 should say digland Lane. I hate auto correct sometimes.
15 splashes is labelled as “Lang Combe 15 Splashes” on Trailforks... I usually skip Hawkscombe as it’s not worth the tarmac and or I don’t have the time and go straight over after the Goosemore descent from the Beacon... head roughly straight on over the Cloutsham road and then pick a few of the ups and downs in and out of Horner Woods
There's not really any way of avoiding long climbs on Exmoor.
I'd avoid that MBR route, riding up 2 miler seems an odd choice.
Horner is a good place to start, as you have the option of heading towards Porlock, coming back for lunch at the tea rooms, and then going up Dunkery afterwards.
Drop me an email (address in profile), happy to share some gps files.
Thats almost definitely an ebike route. Classic mbr wrong way round syndrome.
" first week of August, roughly."
Give me a shout when you know a date, I'm up there a fair bit & happy to show you around, but like an early start to avoid the heat of the afternoon.
Also on that route linked to, the Worthy Woods singletrack has been bulldozed ten feet wide after a few near misses.
To get to Hawkscombe head I tend to ride up Lord Ebringtons path (called Wilmersham on trailforks) the bridleway 110 or Lucott farm track then turn right after the gate HERE
Can't believe this was over 10 years ago!
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Rough Ride Guides has two loops in the vicinity of Porlock. I bolted them together and it made for a very good ride, if quite long.
Dunkery Beacon is a must do. We left the cars in the free car park at Exford and there is a trail straight out of the village centre (heading north) and then after about a 1km of road you turn right and follow the track up to the beacon (about a 4 mile climb I think). The views are stunning in all directions north across the Severn estuary to Wales, east to the Quantock Hills, south across Exmoor and west to Dartmoor. The decent to Brockwell was brilliant very technical until you the get into the woods near the end. We then returned to the top via Fairgarden Farm and did the decent (the climb we did at the start) back into Exford. It's about 15 miles and 2000ft of climbing. The White Horse Inn in Exford does excellent food and beer.
Does anyone know if Lucott Farm track on trail forks is permissive, as its not a bridleway or even a footpath on the OS.
Lucott farm track has no right of way on it. Depending on your direction you'll need to use the bw from Ley Hill around Tar Ball to the stone track and then up to Lucott farm.
If you mean the track that runs north west from Lucott farm to the woods in hawkcombe, then it is a permissive path. Used regularly by bikes so should be fine. Don't use the one from the farm heading east though. There's a sign asking bikes not to use it as there's been problems before. It's a footpath only so no right of way.
https://flic.kr/p/2ma2Yew
This one, sorry its called lucott farm path. Looks like i can get from bridleway 110 to hawkcombe. Will a farmer shout at me?
Even if they don't, that dumps you at the bottom of the good bit. Hawkcombe is also a bit over rated tbh.
Thats the Tarr Ball BW, so fine to ride that but the climb up to the farm is a push.
Guess where we rode today?
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nice
Am up there on Saturday, can't wait to ride that one. 🙂
What's the Lang Combe / 15 splashes trail like? Worth the ride up Dunkery? I normally just do the 2 miler or Dicky's Path off the top, but got some mates visiting and keen to show them some new stuff from the previous times they've ridden up there.
15 Splashes is my favourite, as per post above, but the climb back out in any fun, however you choose to do it
@jonostevens - see my comments re Dunkery earlier in the thread, well worth it I think. If the weather forecast is correct the views from the top will be stunning this weekend.
"What’s the Lang Combe / 15 splashes trail like?"
I've ridden every combe that goes off left off Horner water & most have singletrack that ends up with a massive push up a loose trail.
im going with the missus during 1st week of august, or one of the weekends either end of that. hope the weather is ok. planning on a day at lustleigh as well.
whats the deal with parking at dunkery/porlock? am i wasting my time trying to park in porlock? Can you park at horner round the corner from that tea room? or just stuff it in one of those ones at webber's post or dunkery? im looking to get there early.
There's a National trust car park round the corner from the Horner tea room, but I usually park up at Webbers Post.
It's all riding brilliantly at the moment and the forecast looks pretty good for the foreseeable future.
If anyone not familiar with the area wants to hook up for a ride post up what day you're planning to ride and I'll try and join you.
We are gonna give the Trailforks route a go on Saturday. 👍🏻
The National Trust car park in Horner is a good place to park as you can head out and do a drop off Dunkery and some stuff in Horner Woods, come back for lunch in the tea rooms, and then head out and do the Porlock side in the afternoon.
If you're there on the Friday, Horner Farm (farm right next to the car park) do excellent pizza nights.
I'll second the quality of Marks pizza nights but don't forget to book and take your own beers.
We are gonna give the Trailforks route a go on Saturday. 👍🏻
Others have pointed out the flaws with that route so I won’t repeat those, but if you’re set on doing it anyway here’s a couple of ideas that could help you get the most from the day.
The route starts from the pay and display in Porlock, but if you head down the right fork at the top of the town by the The Ship Inn (New Road) there’s a free car park next to the Village Hall – we’ve never had a problem finding a spot there before about 10am. Spend what you save on post ride beers in The Ship Inn – Otter and Exmoor Gold both recommended, but they usually have a selection.
Here are a couple of options for the route that will stop you riding past the best bits!
Once you’re up on Ley Hill drop into Cat Scramble – it’s a fabulous trail, single track and unlike most of what you’ll be riding it’s loamy, no rocks or stones. It’s not technical, but if you can ‘mini-manual’ over the water bars it’s fast and flows brilliantly – will leave you grinning from ear to ear. It brings you out in Horner, might be a bit early for a tea stop, but the café is ace with good seating outside and great cakes.
From there if you pick up Horner Woods Bottom Path that runs along the side of the steam (very scenic) and turn right up Lord Ebringtons climb (that looks to be called Wilmersham Wood Path on that map) you’ll come to an obvious crossroads half way up the climb that’s Granny’s path – turn left and you’re back on the route.
When you get to Webbers Post car park (where the P is on the map after Webbers Bridleway Climb) there are a couple of great descents you might consider before heading to Dunster Path.
There’s Webbers Post Path – this is a wide trail that starts loamy but gets looser at the bottom with some great eroded rooty bits and a couple of fast banked turns. If you look closely at the trail on the map above you’ll see towards the bottom there’s a left turn option – it’s easy to miss as you’ll be going quite fast here, but try not to miss it as it’s better than the straight on option even though they finish in the same pace.
Across the road from Webbers Post carpark is Mondraker – it’s a bit ‘trail center’ at the beginning but gets better after that – lots of tight turns. Watch out for the ‘sniper stumps’ – if you catch a peddle on one of them it will not end well! On the map this looks to stop on the second fire road, but if you turn left here and go up about 100 yards there’s another section that drops through the woods and brings you out at the crossroads.
Both of these descents have been stages in the The Ex Enduro
To get back up to Webbers Post car park after either of these descents by far the easiest and quickest option is a short but steep road ride up Chapel Steep – you could go along the river, over the first bridge and up Priest Path (it is signposted) but that would add quite a bit of time.
I hope that’s useful - we’ll be riding somewhere on Exmoor as well Saturday – I’ll shout 'Soap' whenever I see another rider!
Great advice! Thanks Phil
Just a couple of points from Phils post, the car parks not free there's an honesty box and it helps to pay for the upkeep of the vital village hall. Also there is no cycle right of way on Cat Scramble, it is permissive footpath only I believe.
Thanks everyone. We're staying near Combe Martin and the kids would like a fun ride that isn't a day trip, is there any "blue" trails locally? The coastal area between there and Heddon Valley looked promising.
@rossburton There's some easy riding at Arlington Court not far from the top of the valley at Combe Martin, mostly bridleways around the estate (You'll have to piece together a route from an OS), plus a fair few cheeky bits here and there if you keep your eyes peeled.
There's there's a good Exmoor loop starting / ending at Hillsford Bridge carpark at the top of the Watersmeet road which goes up onto Brendon Common, down to Doone Valley to Malmsmead, quick bit of road to Rockford then back on bridleways to loop you back round to the start. Nothing too difficult but a great local loop and not as far for you to travel as Porlock.
I'll see if I can find the route online for you…
Couldn't find it online, so I've marked it on here for you…
Cool, thanks! I saw the Arlington Court woods on strava heatmap so that was an option. Like a good explore...
Arlingtons good fun if a little short, the other loop is a great way to do a decent Exmoor ride without it being too difficult. Both good fun.
Yep, spot on. The main thing to remember is to turn right straight away out of the carpark (Onto the small road that goes up a small climb by a house) and not right onto the main road (B3223). But you have this correctly marked on your map so should be good.
This is also on this weekend… https://www.channelevents.co.uk/exmoor-explorer/ and starts / finishes not too far from there as well.
Damnit, if I was organised I'd have discovered that in advance.