FEATURED
road
a39 exmoor coast road
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next feature.
I hope you find
this section useful – enjoy every mile! Ed.
-
I had originally planned to stay close to home
for my first feature, and tackle some of the roads in Sussex.
Am I ever glad I changed my mind!
The nice thing about driving all the way out
to Sommerset/Devon from the Southeast is that the roads become
so much less congested along the smaller A and B roads - during
my mid-January jolly at any rate. I can’t recall having
so much uninterrupted fun behind the wheel.
I joined the A39 from junction 25 of the M5.
After negotiating my way through the town of Bridgewater, the
road began to meander nicely, past Minehead and on to the village
of Porlock. As you leave Porlock behind, and start to make your
way up the steep incline to continue following the A39, things
get really interesting.
A39 leaving Porlock
Once atop the moor, there’s a very good
view out to sea on one side, and undulating topography opposite,
with the road itself bobbing and weaving into the distance.
On the Saturday afternoon I was there it was very, very lightly
trafficked. Stunning views aside, the sinewy road is a nice
mix of engaging crests and dips, closely lined on either side
by rock or hedge. Once in a while, the road climbs a tall crest,
and you’re awarded a clear, open view of its path far
ahead - great for sighting any potential oncoming traffic, which
allows you to take some liberties with your cornering lines
if the road ahead is empty.
I didn’t keep track of time as I was
making my way across the moor, but this is no short run. There
are very few true straights, so overtaking opportunities aren’t
common; I can imagine this run being a bit painful during the
caravan season. The epic views tend to take some of the sting
out of it, though.
After a while, you begin your decent into the
village of Lynmouth (I’ll be back with the missus and
the little one for sure – it’s very charming). There
are several shops and cafes where you can stop for nourishment
if you need it, and as a city boy, I found the views inland,
as well as out to sea, were gorgeous.
Skirting the coast towards Lynmouth
But this is about driving so, safely strapped
back in, I left Lynmouth and continued along the A39. I followed
it for a while longer, and it was a blast the whole way; the
roads are fast and flowing, and the limited view around corners
really kept me on my toes. I spent a lot of very satisfying
time playing the powerband in third gear, and there was a great
mix of medium-speed bends and second gear corners you could
scythe through and fling yourself out of. Lots of blind crests,
too.
Even after it began to rain started in earnest,
it was very easy to maintain a good rhythm. It was sheer joy
darting between corners, and of the few cars I encountered,
most seemed to be up for a bit of a thrash; when I ended up
behind another driver, I was hardly left wanting for thrills.
The A39 isn’t the only source of endless
fun: I wandered around on a couple of other roads, and they
all brought smiles aplenty. There weren’t any more coastal
views at this point, but the roads themselves were virtually
empty and all of them were massively entertaining.
A view out to sea
In short, I had a cracking drive for the best
part of two hours - and I could have explored this seemingly
endless network of roads for far longer. Light traffic, cut-and-thrust
corners, crests and compressions, and some great scenery. It
won't be long before I make the trip back there again.
By G Morgan
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