Valley of the Rocks; June 2020
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Rocks and a Nice Ride from Lynmouth to Porlock
The Tracer had had its first service and had done about 780 miles. Just 220 more miles needed for it to be to run in. Where to go? A ride to the Valley of the Rocks near Lynton and back via the back roads of Devon, Dorset and Somerset would get the Tracer over the 1000 mile mark and run in so that's what I did Monday 29th June. The weather was pretty good that day with a high of 18 C although it was a bit damp and breezy at times, especially along the Atlantic coast.
After breakfast I left Wimborne and headed to Blandford. From Blandford I took the back roads across Dorset to Bulbarrow Hill, Cerne Abbas, Beaminster and Broadwindsor. Nice quite roads. I kept to the back roads in Somerset passing through Chard on the way to Exmoor. I travelled west through Exmoor on the B3224 and B3223 starting at Elworthy and passing through Exford and Simonsbath until I got to Devon and the outskirts of Lynmouth and Lynton. For me, they're lovely roads and I enjoyed that ride across Exmoor. I had a bit of a look around Lynmouth but didn't stop as it was spookily quiet for the time of year. Covid-19 will do that I guess? The famous funicular was going nowhere. From Lynmouth, it was up the hill to Lynton and the Valley of the Rocks where I stopped to admire the scenery (and have my packed lunch). The wind coming off the Atlantic was bracing and dark clouds had started to gather.
The first part of my ride back was from Lynmouth to Porlock. A nice stretch of road that with similiarly blustery and damp weather conditions evoked memories of the 2015 South West Peninsula Spring Rally when Rob and I followed Steve and Gail on their GS up Porlock Hill. We didn't see much of them after that. After that I took some single track back roads that bisected Taunton and Bridgwater as I rode East. The roads were covered in gravel and one sideways slide on a corner was a bit disturbing. I eventually arrived home late afternoon with the Tracer having covered a total of 1025 miles which made me very happy. The round trip ride was around 250 miles. With just the one fill-up at Tesco Chard I reckon the Tracer's range is around 180 miles which I'm happy with.