Exmoor: My Dream Drive
PH heads out west for a Dream Drive across the wilds of Exmoor
Where: Exmoor, Somerset
Car used: Range Rover Sport SVR
The route:
"A veteran road rally organiser once told me his almost infallible method for finding good venues for events - 'head to where the people aren't.' And while most of Somerset's minor roads feel tight and congested, aiming for the unpopulated wilds of Exmoor gets you onto some brilliant tarmac. Time your trip well and you can pretty much have the place to yourself.
"From Taunton I take the A358 towards Minehead and then, after a couple of slow miles, turn left onto the B3224 just after Bishop's Lydeard. This starts out tight and hilly but opens up as it crosses into the Exmoor National Park. The only real navigational challenge is remembering the take the right fork a mile or so after the Raleigh's Cross pub. For the next stretch the hedges start to get closer again - this is one of those roads where you can feel like you're going properly fast without ever breaking the NSL. After Wheddon Cross - the most sizeable village hereabouts - I keep on the B3224 to Exford and then Simonsbath. Then I turn right and head north towards the coast on the B3223, a fast, flowing road across open moors that has served as the backdrop for numerous car magazine photo shoots. As you get close to the coast there are spectacular views across the Bristol Channel, all the way to South Wales on a clear day.
"After reaching the sea at Lynmouth there's a choice - either take the A39 along the coast towards Minehead or retrace your steps. The A39 is a lovely road, and has a spectacular clifftop climb as you leave the town, but it tends to get busy with holidaymakers and caravans. A good alternative is to head back across the moors to Wheddon Cross and then to turn south onto the A396, which will eventually take you to Tiverton where you can rejoin the M5."
Why it's a dream drive:
Highlights and lowlights?
"Also be aware of diverting off the 'main' route - most of the local lanes are almost comically narrow, with a road-laying diversion sending the SVR down what appeared to be a gravel driveway."
Sights, stop-offs and diversions:
"And Minehead is worth a stop if you want to know what British seaside resorts looked like in the 1970s - it's got everything from Kiss Me Kwik hats to a Butlins Holiday Resort."
Follw the route here.
Great write up, lots of other fun roads in exmoor but gives the jist well.
Ooooh arrrrrggghh
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