A39 to Ilfracombe, returning over Exmoor

I know that this is a famous biking road but I did it for the first time last week on my R1150GS (Helga the Panzer) and it was a right laugh, the whole circuit was built just for this bike. Come off the M5 at 23, if you need a cuppa you can go back up the A38 towards Highbridge for a mile or so & a good greasy spoon.
Take the A39 out of Bridgwater and stay on, its single lane A road with no GATSOs and the odd copper in a landrover as far as I could see. Watch out for traffic queues behind tractors, great fun wasting them, but beware also muck spreaders during the appropriate season - one pulled out on me and the shite was flying everywhere. Then its fantastic sea views all the way, the 1 in 4 climb up Porlock Hill is a second-& third gear howl. At Blackmoor Gate take the A399 for Ilfracombe for a good pit stop, then retrace your steps until you reach the turning for Simonsbath B3358/B3223/B3224 to Wheddon Cross. This takes you right trough Exmoor Forest and across Exmoor, the GS loves it all the way. Very light traffic when I did it (December) but must be caravan hell when the sun shines ...
Take the northbound A396 thru Dunster - so picturesque you won't believe it - then its back onto the A39 to Bridgwater. Riders is worth a visit if you rate Ducatis and Harleys, but to be honest the salemen took one look at my GS and realised they were wasting their time with this bloke ...

Retro



Hi, - i live just down the road from the places you mentioned!

When you get to Dunster, come down the A361 (i think) to Tiverton- then onto Exeter , its the River Exe valley road, approx 30 miles of twisties following the river. This route was also in RIDE magazine earlier in the year..Bilko.

Cheers for that, I've not done the A396 but I seem to recall a few GATSOs on the A361 Barnstaple - Tiverton road: whatever, Devon is top GS country ...

RetroMan,
Did that part of the world last Easter on a BMW Club w/end and have to agree with you,all the roads are great around Exmoor.
Re-acquainted myself with this area (haven't been for about 10-15yrs).
Particularly liked the coast road out of Lynton or Lynmouth - the blast up the side of that cliff edge,back towards Minehead.
The climb also up to Dunkery Beacon and the tiny coast road to Watchet and the Quay.
Only problem I wasn't on my GS1150,I was on Rainbow BMW's R1150R demo bike (whilst my GS was being PDI'd).
Still a good weekend covering 1200 miles.

Originally came from Newton Abbot in Devon -so know the Devon/Dorset/Somerset area fairly well.
But don't get down there so much now - Yorkshire has got some classic roads though in the Yorkshire Dales and Moors National Parks.
Ride Safe

Exmoor...You're talking about my back garden.

from home, we're 15 mins from Watchet, 30 mins form Dunster, and pretty much back in the middle of the circuit your talking about.....I knew there was a reason we lived here

Cheers
Simon T

simon thomas said:

Exmoor...You're talking about my back garden.

from home, we're 15 mins from Watchet, 30 mins form Dunster, and pretty much back in the middle of the circuit your talking about.....I knew there was a reason we lived here

Click to expand...

And now you're going to go and bloody leave!

Free food

Noticed that nobodies posted here for 3 weeks, anyway when in DUNSTER theres a resterant in the high street called Hatherways.

Its run by a mate of mine, order a meal eat it and leave without paying.

DO NOT MENTION MY NAME, well you can shout it out as you leg it down the High Street.