So after my first solo trip back in October, it has only been now that I’d managed to sort myself out and get to Exmoor. I’d planned a slightly different route from my last one, parking up at Simonsbath and hoping to cycle up to Foreland Bothy near Countisbury, then back the next day.
<img src="<img src=”https://i.ibb.co/zGfxKhr/DSCN4720.jpg” alt=”DSCN4720″ border=”0″ />” alt=”Malmsmead” />
<img src="<img src=”https://i.ibb.co/K91Kv2p/DSCN4722.jpg” alt=”DSCN4722″ border=”0″ />” alt=”river” />
I climbed up from Simonsbath up to where the Exe starts, from there I made my way to the two moors way, peddling through some beautiful valleys and along quiet moorland streams. From Farleywater I headed up to a B road and kept along a gravel track that took me down to Badgworthy water and on to Malmsmead. The river here is stunning, with gnarled ancient oaks lining now side of the valley.
<img src="<img src=”https://i.ibb.co/P6FT3b4/DSCN4723.jpg” alt=”DSCN4723″ border=”0″ />” alt=”river crossing” />
From here I headed up to county gate, with the climb being a lung busting, calf crunching killer. I walked that one. From county gate I peddled along the road and then off to the right that swung me down to the Bothy for the night. Luckily I’d stopped off at the Quantock brewery and picked up two cans, QPA and A batch made in heaven, both really tasty. The night though went downhill….as soon as I drifted off the wind picked up and was howling, keeping me awake most of the night. It only dropped off at around 6, just when I woke to make a brew.
<img src="<img src=”https://i.ibb.co/bmbNj65/DSCN4724.jpg” alt=”DSCN4724″ border=”0″ />” alt=”Foreland Bothy” />
<img src="<img src=”https://i.ibb.co/h2ZcP3j/DSCN4728.jpg” alt=”DSCN4728″ border=”0″ />” alt=”Lime kilns” />
After a few coffees, I headed back up the hill and found the bridleway that took me down to the Rockford Inn. The river here along to Watersmeet is one of my most favourite places to be, the scenery is stunningly beautiful. The river here is powerful, cutting through the landscape with imposing woodland glaring down at the river. From waters meet I made my way up to Hillsden bridge and along to Barbrook, where I stopped at a friends smallholding and they had sausage baps and hot coffee waiting for me.
From Barbrook, I head up the road next to the petrol station, which takes you hight up on to the moor. The sun was out, flocks of starling kept flitting over, it was glorious. At the top, I perched on the saddle stone, at my chocolate tiffin and surveyed the glory of Exmoor.
It was a push your bike walk up further, with the thick mud causing issues, at one point going up to my knee in a rather innocuous looking patch just off the side. I even spotted a huge amount of frogs spawn in a large puddle, it a very exposed area.
<img src="<img src=”https://i.ibb.co/cxRBQbr/DSCN4730.jpg” alt=”DSCN4730″ border=”0″ />” alt=”frogs spawn” />
Once at the top, I decided instead of heading back over to the head of the Exe, I opted for a more direct route down on to the road that took me back in to Simonsbath.
<img src="<img src=”https://i.ibb.co/k0NYDj5/DSCN4733.jpg” alt=”DSCN4733″ border=”0″ />” alt=”Simonsbath” />
A cracking 24 hour adventure had!
