DIY Quantocks-Blackdowns-Mendips

Ride Details

Series 6 Audax Season 2024-25, Ride number 3

Ride Stats

Ride Notes

I’ve set myself a few challenges for 2025 that will involve more climbing - for my January ride I therefore tweaked a route I last did in 2022 to add a few more metres elevation.

The day started cold and misty but there was fantastic (nearly) Full Moon visible through breaks in the mist and a hooting owl (I think it lives in an old outbuilding in the next field) set me on my way.

The run to and over the Poldens was okay… then Bridgwater at 8:00am. Horrific traffic which I was glad to leave behind. The first BIG climb was Enmore from Durleigh Reservoir. The sun came out and I was treated to some lovely views out to the coast… but it was still a proper slog. The mist returned as I crested the hill and by the time I’d descended Cothelstone into Bishops Lydeard it had morphed into really quite dense fog. This continued as I crossed the Tone Vale to the second big ‘un to take me up onto the Blackdowns…. Ford Street with its 20% final kick. The top road was still foggy, and cold, but the descent into Corfe again gave beautiful views back to the Quantocks with the whole valley covered in fog. From there I headed to the first stop at the Somerset Willow Centre cafe. Its such a pity that this one isn’t open on a Sunday…. its toasty warm, you can keep an eye on the bike and the food/coffee is great.

I’d now done 4/12 climbs (yes, I do know that is a third) with the route back towards the Mendip Hills adding a few interesting lumps and lots of shitty lanes. At Wells the fog was even thicker as I winched my way up East Horrington to the Maesbury, nee Rocky Mountain, cafe. I’d planned a quick coffee but I was so cold that I opted for the ‘Oasis’ (that’ll be soup… think about it) to warm me up. Afterwards the route dropped off the Mendips via Bennets Lane to Emborough/Chewton Mendip and Harptree - FYI do NOT go that way if you have a choice as its probably the muddiest metalled road in all of Somerset. At least the sun came out though.

Finally, the climb I’d been dreading all day…. Harptree Hill. It was mercifully free of traffic and I cursed myself for adding it in but hey, targets are targets. The pay-off, as always, is a blast down Burrington Combe.

I was now on the homeward stretch to Banwell and the final sting - Canada Combe - to get me back over the Mendips. I knew what to expect, pain wise, but the darkness and fog gave it a whole new feeling, which I quite enjoyed. What I didn’t like was the thick fog on Roman Road and the descent into Bleadon. Once this was out of the way it was an easy (ish) spin home.

RRtY series #5, ride #3 completed… if rather slowly.

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