Exmoor 2014

I'm going to recce the bridge at the bottom of Hall Hill later this week armed with a tape measure. :thumb2 I'll report back in due course.

There are at least two pubs down that way and Hall Hill is the most direct access. I can't believe that the delivery lorries use the long, narrow twisty alternative routes to get there. Also there are campsites with facilities for wobblyboxes and caravans so they must get there some way or another. The biggest probelm with access is that if you are in a large vehicle, or towing, you may have to be prepared for a very long face off! :D
 
Hall Hill Bridge (viewed from Brendon towards Hall Hill), with a couple of people on for scale, on Googlemaps at the mo… There is a sharp right turn at the bottom of the hill that puts you on to the bridge, but if 7.5 tonne beer delivery lorrys can come down through here, then a Hymer will too.
Hopefully Humbug will report back, and i'll try to get up there and remind myself of how wide it is as well.
 

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As we'll be in Devon, you may want somewhere to go for a cream tea. The National Trust at Watersmeet is a short drive, or a leisurely amble, downstream along the East Lyn River.
If i can get the walkers roused and hustled along on the Saturday morning in good time, we'll be aiming to get here for lunchtime-ish, and will be walking back along the river to Brendon.
 
Wasn't sure whether to post this as Private Message to various people but as I originally posted directly on here thought it was better to reply on here.

Apologies for my stupid rant above, as usual I over-reacted big time and went off the deep end.:(

Excuse One: I am a bi-polar disorder/manic depressive paranoid schizophrenic nutter who finds it hard to put anything in perspective.
Excuse Two: My wife Ann has been signed off work until September and we are both suffering from significant stress as a result of an issue which is causing us both financial loss and is subject to ongoing legal action. We have both been reliably informed by our respective shrinks that we are not allowed to kill the bastard causing us the grief. Ann's shrink told her to beat shit out out of a hay bale to relieve the stress.

But neither excuse is good enough to justify me acting like a total dickhead:(

To Cogs. We first met at Richie's original 40th birthday bash at Brendon at what was my first ever GS event. I knew nobody and was nervous about attending an event and what to expect. You and Lisa were extremely welcoming and helped me get my tent set up as I didn't have a clue. Apologies that I reacted the way I did in the post above.

To Val.H. I think we are talking about different bridges. I still maintain that the route I tried from the north with 25% gradient on single track routes would be very hard work in a Hymer.

To Richie. Really sorry if my posts have caused you problems with the event. I was only trying to help in enough time to make other arrangements such as different pub for food etc. The Landlord did say that his Dad sometimes answers the phone and doesn't always correctly update him.:) As you are Moderator on this section, please feel free to delete my rant above.

To Trippy. I tend to agree that a mountain bike is probably the best option. Unfortunately, and despite the best efforts of the TRF, the trail riding is being very restricted whereas the mountain biking is still growing.

Please ignore my rant and enjoy the event.:)
 
Sid, those of us that know you, know you. Everyone's susceptible to a rant, i've had a few fallings out on stuff in the past on here myself. I find it best if i rant on a word document, sleep on it and revisit it the next day. After reading my rant in the light of a new day, it gets amended or deleted, i feel happy and the correct point is usually put across. Works for me so well that i don't rant anywhere near as much these days…. or is it just that i'm getting older and my testosterone levels are diminishing?:thumb
Hope your troubles are sorted forthwith, and it would be good to see you both, even if you just pop over to say hi.:)
 
Sid, those of us that know you, know you. Everyone's susceptible to a rant, i've had a few fallings out on stuff in the past on here myself. I find it best if i rant on a word document, sleep on it and revisit it the next day. After reading my rant in the light of a new day, it gets amended or deleted, i feel happy and the correct point is usually put across. Works for me so well that i don't rant anywhere near as much these days…. or is it just that i'm getting older and my testosterone levels are diminishing?:thumb
Hope your troubles are sorted forthwith, and it would be good to see you both, even if you just pop over to say hi.:)




+ 1


See you both soon Sid.



Val.
 
We took a ride out to Brendon today. The best way into the village is the turning off the A39. If you are coming from Lynmouth it will be the first turn right signposted Brendon, from Porlock it will be the second turn left signposted Brendon. For those coming the latter way this is a very tight left turn, almost doubling back on itself. If you are being followed here it may be best to let any traffic past as you will need to swing out into the oncoming lane to make the turn. This information is for wobblyboxes only. Sid is correct, there is a 25% gradient here on Hall Hill. However, the 25% bit is relatively short and the road is wide enough for two vehicles to pass down this hill. There is another turning from the Porlock direction but this is signed for light vehicles only. DO NOT attempt this in a wobblybox. Personally I would also not consider the turning to Brendon on the hairpin bend after leaving Simonsbath. This takes you onto a very narrow lane with few passing places. There is also another 25% descent on this route.

The bridge at the foot of Hall Hill is not that long and there is plenty of visibility. The first narrow section is 9'4" wide. This is followed by a much wider section which leads to a second narrow section which measured 9'6" wide. I don't think there will be a problem and hopefully the attached pictures show this. There is a sharp corner onto the bridge but there is plenty of room to swing out to get onto it.

If you intend coming from the the North you will have a very steep and sharp turned climb up the infamous Porlock Hill. My recommendation would be to avoid turning off the M5 at Bridgwater and carry on to Taunton. Take the A358 direction Minehead but turn off onto the B3224 direction Exford and Wheddon Cross. Continue on the B3224 to Raleigh's Cross. This becomes the B3190 for approx one mile and you turn right off this onto the B3224 once again signposted Wheddon Cross and Exford. At Wheddon Cross go straight ahead and continue on the B3224. Enter Exford and at the foot of the hill take the first right, signposted Cloutsham and Porlock. The road is narrow here and continues for a few miles. The open topped double decker uses this route and so wobblyboxes should have no problem. This will eventually bring you out onto the A39 after the top of Porlock Hill. Turn left (a sharp one) onto the main road and then follow the directions to Brendon as above. Good luck!

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Thank you very much for your reconnaissance mission Andy. I knew about the awkward turn off the A39, but hadn't realised We'd be coming up Porlock. I'll take your advice on the diversionary route.


Cheers Val.
 
Last Minute Entry

Hey Richie

On the assumption I fix my frustrating battery fault, I hope to join you at this meet along with SWShouldBO as our first venture out this year. We'll plan to camp out at Riverside but don't be surprised if we appear in the B&B if its a bit chilly:rolleyes: - but we will bring our boots and join your coastal walk on Saturday (assuming we survive the first night in the pub/by the fire of course!).:jager

Hopefully we'll be on the R1200 GSA so bridge width shouldn't be an issue - but we appreciate all the detail provided so far! Sid (Crapaud) is a top bloke, last year's Gentlemen's Wee Kend was my very first UKGSer event and he was very welcoming so he gets my vote - and I hope to buy him a beer in return - assuming he gets across the bridge of course (and that its the right one?! :augie)

All the best

Bazzer

PS: Do you think we'll need suntan lotion?!:nenau
 
Nice one Bazzer, just to note, i won't be cooking BBQ in Brendon - which i helped out with at Sid's last year - but i've spoken to Humbug in the last couple of days and there may well be an extra catering option available for us. He'll be posting on here soon if he can make the event (95% certain at the moment i believe) and will want preorders so he can ascertain quantity of ingredients etc.
 
For the information of those coming out on my walk… It's a day walk of 10 miles (which can be extended or slightly shortened depending on progress on the day). There's a cafe, a few pubs and the National Trust tea rooms en-route (the latter is a definite stop), though i suggest you bring fluids and nibbles to prevent any dehydration and blood sugar imbalances.
 
PinkLady said she would have liked to have done this walk. Only the minor issue of her double leg fracture is stopping her. She just asked if Richie could give her a Fireman's lift around the course.:)
 
PinkLady said she would have liked to have done this walk. Only the minor issue of her double leg fracture is stopping her. She just asked if Richie could give her a Fireman's lift around the course.:)

If it's going to be as sunny next weekend, as it has been this weekend - so far - i think you really ought to bring Anne along for a relaxing weekend amongst good friends, where she can put her (mangled) feet up and chill.:D
 
I am a little gutted as I had been really looking forward to this, however I have to travel up to Manchester later in the month to see Jasmin and that is going to take all my spare cash. This is so close to home as well. Sorry Rich was really looking forward to it.
 
There are some new faces and some old attending. The weather's looking like sunshine, very wet showers and very breezy. Fortunately, the site's in a very sheltered valley, so don't be getting too scared of the forecast, it's a good all weather location.
Sandy and I will be heading over Friday morning, though we may well stop off for a wander round Minehead and a ride on the train. We may hold off on the train if the forecast changes for the worst on Saturday, as it will be a great alternative trip out should the heavens open all day. The walk can also easily be amended to keep us away from some of the more exposed sections of the coast path.
 


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