Taunton – Brendon Hills – Dunkery Beacon – Porlock Hill – Countisbury – Porlock – Minehead – Blue Anchor. 73 miles 10 hours 07.30 – 18.00
23rd October 2002
Previous night train at 23.07 for Cardiff with the bike in tow. Arrived in Cardiff at 02.30 and slept in the waiting room for a couple of hours. At 04.35 went for the Penzance train and got out at Taunton, Somerset, just as dawn was breaking at 07.15.
Breakfast fry up at a street café just by the turn off for the Minehead road. Energised I was striking north along this road as far as Bishops Lydeard. I stopped for a while to have a look at the country station here. This is the terminus from Minehead of the West Somerset Railway. Alongside the platform was a diesel multiple unit (DMU) in the old British Railways bottle green livery. I spent ½ an hour there and left just as the staff were arriving at 08.00. From there onto the lanes heading for the Brendon Hills and steeply and sleepily through Ash Priors were there is a steep road through the village. Went cautiously past a woman walking a horse up the hill, they’re funny round here like that. Eventually I emerged on to the quiet B3224 main road and continued along to Elworthy and then steeply up to Raleigh’s cross right at Brendon Hill chapel but still on the B3224 past Wivelscombe Barrow, Cutcombe Barrow to Quarm Hill and Heath Poult Cross where I could see Dunkery Beacon for the first time, across the Wheddon valley. It was raining a bit on the Brendon Hills but it didn’t detract and was fine again later but it was very windy, coming from the west. Steeply down to Wheddon Cross where there are very old road signs at the crossroads. I went straight across and up through Blagdon and Dunkery Gate for the easy and gradual ascent to Dunkery Beacon, my main objective for the day and probably my final BIG of the year and my final BIG achieved in England. The road goes over at 1403 feet while the height at the trig point is 1704 feet. Just over the brow of the hill, heading north, is a wide stony path easily rideable that brings you to the conical mound of white stones that mark the summit. From there it’s a fantastic unrestricted view across the Bristol Channel, Exmoor and also to Dartmoor in the distance. There is another path to the south but this is steeper and narrower, for walkers only. If you try to bike this one I’m sure you’ll get some frowns from any walkers you pass. The north side is much steeper and further down as the south side is already at a good height coming off the Brendon Hills. Down steeply through the Holnicote Estate to Webbers Post and Luccombe village, a pretty place of sleepy cottages, a large church and a stream along the road. Along the lanes to Allerford with its packhorse bridge, via Blackford. From Allerford steeply down to Porlock ‘the end of the world’ because from every direction when you’re in it there is a steep hill in every direction if you want to escape from it. Up the very steep road to the top of Porlock Hill on the A39 at Oare Post without stopping (much easier without panniers!), along to County Gate and. At County Gate there’s toilets and a tourist information office, asked about the route back via Lynmouth and Oare valley but later turned back at Countisbury at the top of Lynton Hill as I was running out of time to get to Blue Anchor for 18.00 as prearranged with Ruth and Kay. Back then to Oare Post then left (north) for the toll road down to Porlock again (great views) and up to Selworthy, a quick look around the village and to the tithe barn then back down to the main road and over Headon Cross and left for Minehead. Passed along the sea front to Butlins, thinking I would get by along here to rejoin the main road further east, but it’s a cul de sac. From here through Marsh Street to Carhampton and left on the B3191 for Blue Anchor. Up a totally unexpected steep hill that really finished me off! Final sweep down to the coast and the hotel. Arrived at 18.00 as promised only to find they were out walking the dog! Ruth, Kay, Mark and Theo came back with panting Hector at 18.30 while I was soaking and sleeping in the bath. We all went out to ‘The Smugglers’ along the coast road for a meal that evening.