Quantocks Ride 2 April 2010
We were supposed to be going out for a family day out - Good Friday an all that - but lashing down this morning - kids moaning - nobody wanted to go anywhere.
By lunchtime I was going bananas. Then flash of inspiration - why not abandon kids and wife to in-laws and escape to the Qs? Brilliant!
By time I got to Triscombe Stone carpark (GR167359) rain had stopped - possible signs that sun may even appear!
Hit the nifty little trail that runs parallel to the road then into Great Wood. Took a gnarly and rocky left downhill (GR168363) - a real filling rattler - all the way to the bottom thru Quantock Coombe. Then climbed out thru Rams Coombe - bit of a draggy fire road climb at first but gets more interesting near the end - up to trig point at Crowcombe Park gate.
Then along the top ridge West for a bit until hooking up with the trail (GR140386) down thru Hodders Combe - probably one of the best bits of Singletrack in the Qs and that's saying something. The rain had turned the trail into a little rivulet - adding to the fun - the going was still good with only a few seriously muddy bits but still rideable and grin making - then the rocky, rooty and loamy descent all the way to the bottom. Next hammering thru the swollen streams at the bottom of the coombe in a hail of mud and spray all the way to Holford.
Then the big climb back up past the old dog pound (the Great Road track) - I made it all the way back up to Bicknoller Post without a rest or putting a foot down! Not bad for an old bloke on a heavyish bike! Also kindly walker opened gate halfway up - curses!
Then back Eastwards along the whale back ridge back to Crowcombe Park Gate - then an easy trail (Samaritans Way) back to Triscombe Stone carpark.
Took about 2.5 hours - but a cracking ride! If you've not visited the Quantocks yet then do give it a try (OS Explorer 140). If you've been raised on a diet of trail centres then the Qs would be a great way to wean yourself onto the natural stuff. There's so many trails and it's compact so you can't really get that lost!
S.
By lunchtime I was going bananas. Then flash of inspiration - why not abandon kids and wife to in-laws and escape to the Qs? Brilliant!
By time I got to Triscombe Stone carpark (GR167359) rain had stopped - possible signs that sun may even appear!
Hit the nifty little trail that runs parallel to the road then into Great Wood. Took a gnarly and rocky left downhill (GR168363) - a real filling rattler - all the way to the bottom thru Quantock Coombe. Then climbed out thru Rams Coombe - bit of a draggy fire road climb at first but gets more interesting near the end - up to trig point at Crowcombe Park gate.
Then along the top ridge West for a bit until hooking up with the trail (GR140386) down thru Hodders Combe - probably one of the best bits of Singletrack in the Qs and that's saying something. The rain had turned the trail into a little rivulet - adding to the fun - the going was still good with only a few seriously muddy bits but still rideable and grin making - then the rocky, rooty and loamy descent all the way to the bottom. Next hammering thru the swollen streams at the bottom of the coombe in a hail of mud and spray all the way to Holford.
Then the big climb back up past the old dog pound (the Great Road track) - I made it all the way back up to Bicknoller Post without a rest or putting a foot down! Not bad for an old bloke on a heavyish bike! Also kindly walker opened gate halfway up - curses!
Then back Eastwards along the whale back ridge back to Crowcombe Park Gate - then an easy trail (Samaritans Way) back to Triscombe Stone carpark.
Took about 2.5 hours - but a cracking ride! If you've not visited the Quantocks yet then do give it a try (OS Explorer 140). If you've been raised on a diet of trail centres then the Qs would be a great way to wean yourself onto the natural stuff. There's so many trails and it's compact so you can't really get that lost!
S.
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Comments
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really good description - i can picture where you were for the whole route -
Hodders, Hoford and Smiths combe are bhy far my fave bits - big storm over them at 7pm this eve though so you got lucky with the weather ! Falcon Sierra - 80's
Muddy Fox Courier - 80's
GT Palomar 90's
GT Zaskar LE - 90's
Cannondale k v 900 90's
Santa Cruz Bullit - now
Orange Evo 8 STOLEN 26/09/10
Orange P7 Pro
Lots of kites.0
