Description
Exmoor National Park mountain biking in the Somerset and Devon countryside takes you across moorland, valleys, woodland, rivers, cliffs, rocky singletrack, and beaches. It is natural trail riding across a vast network of bridleways, with routes ranging from beginner-friendly tracks to rough, technical terrain for advanced riders.
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Exmoor Trails
- The natural trail riding on offer is significant as Exmoor has a mammoth network of bridleways โ over 400 miles โ that are open to cyclists. The routes range from pleasant beginner rides through to rough, steep, rocky technical terrain for advanced and expert mountain bikers.
- Some of the trail sections of note are the descent to the east off Dunkery, the route from Hawk Combe to Porlock Horner, the descent down off Selworthy Beacon to Bossington, and the famous Hawcombe bridleway, Somerton Combe descent and Minehead way.
Etiquette
- Ride only on permitted routes: bridleways, restricted byways, and routes clearly marked on up-to-date OS maps. Open access land on Exmoor does not grant a right of way for cycling.
- Give way to walkers and horses. Control your speed and avoid bunching when in larger groups.
- Announce your approach to horses and walkers from behind, ideally with a bell rather than a shout, to avoid startling them.
- Avoid hard braking and skidding, particularly on the delicate moorland soils which are vulnerable to erosion. Stick to well-established lines and avoid over-used routes during wet conditions.
- Follow the Countryside Code.
Useful Sites
- Exmoor National Park has produced a colour-coded off-road cycle map and publishes good practice guidance for mountain biking on the moor.
- Check out the Lynmouth, Exmoor route or the Porlock, Exmoor route from MBR. The Porlock route, including the Hawcombe bridleway, has been named one of Britain's best singletrack rides.
- Exmoor Adventures in Porlock Weir offer guided MTB rides across Exmoor and the Quantock Hills, along with e-bike and mountain bike hire, skills sessions, and uplift days. They have over 50 Specialized bikes in their fleet.
- Browse MTB routes on Komoot or Trailforks for GPS-ready route options across the national park.
Events
- The Exmoor Beast โ a classic cycling sportive based at Wimbleball Lake, with multiple route options taking in Dunkery Beacon, Exmoor's highest point.
- The Exmoor Explorer โ an off-road cycling challenge starting from Halse Farm, Winsford, accessing areas of Exmoor not usually open to riders. Multiple route options available.
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