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    Home > Books > Guides

    South West Mountain Biking guide a review

    Jan 31, 2017 by Ian Carruthers | This post may contain affiliate links.

    Quantocks, Exmoor, Dartmoor

    South west mountain biking written by Nick Cotton & Tom Fenton covers the Quantocks, Exmoor and Dartmoor, I have the second edition of this book and what follows are my thoughts and views on how this guide shapes up based on using it to go on real rides. Currently these thoughts are only bas on two rides as the weather and time has been against us this year and I have only had one weekend to sample the delights that the southwest has to off mountain bikers.

    South West England Mountain Biking Dartmoor, Exmoor, Quantocks
    South West England Mountain Biking
    Dartmoor, Exmoor, Quantocks

    This is the second book in the series that I have purchased the first being Cotswold Mountain Biking, it follows a similar format although rather than splitting the rides into how long / challenging they are they are split into areas as this book covers a larger area than the Cotswolds.

    Like the other books in this series the grading of the routes is interesting the overall grading is OK that kinda matches up with he hardness of the route. However the ascents and descent grading doesn't seem quite right, it's almost as if they are set a grade higher maybe to avoid any potential recompense?

    I do find this book easier to use that the Cotswolds one because its is arranged by area so it's easier to pick a ride. The instructions are generally clear and concise although on occasion they could do with little more clarity at some of the trickier junctions, this is especially the case when you get up onto moorland, it's all too easy to stray from the intended route and have to back track or correct. Having said that I've yet to find a ride that it wasn't possible to navigate round using the book.

    The book itself doesn't really hold up to the rigours of mountain biking, it really could do with being printed on paper that resists the rain that frequents this area. My copy was looking worse for wear after only one trip, it did rain rather heavily to be fair but these are standard conditions for the south west.

    DARTMOOR ROUTES

    Granite Way & Meldon Reservoir
    Route Grade: easy. Distance 16km
    The Military Road South of Okehampton
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 24km
    Lydford & Mary Tavy Route
    Route Grade: medium . Distance 17km
    Princetown to Burrator Reservoir Route
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 21km
    Two Bridges, Princetown & Hexworthy
    Route Grade: easy. Distance 16km
    Bellever & the Stepping Stones
    Route Grade:hard. Distance 20km
    Postbridge & Challacombe Down
    Route Grade: easy . Distance 16km
    Grimspound & Hound Tor
    Route Grade: hard. Distance 30km
    North Bovey & Foxworthy Route
    Route Grade: easy. Distance 13km
    Avon Dam & Scorrition Route
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 30km

    EXMOOR ROUTES

    Lynton & the Valley of the Rocks
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 22km
    Brendon Common, the Doone Valley & the East Lyn River
    Route Grade: moderate . Distance 21km
    Porlock Weir & County Gate
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 22km
    Porlock to Minehead Selworthy Beacon Route
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 25km
    Horner Wood Route
    Route Grade: hard. Distance 10km
    Withypool & Sportsman’s Inn
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 22km
    Winsford & Exford
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 30km
    Dulverton & Winsford Route
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 20km
    Winsford & Wheddon Cross
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 27km
    Wimbleball Reservoir Route
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 22km
    Carhampton & Croydon Hill
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 17km
    Monksilver & Brompton Ralph
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 19km

    QUANTOCKS ROUTES

    Quantocks Quickiew - Holford & Sheppard's Combe
    Route Grade: easy/moderate. Distance 12km
    Quantocks Classic Singletrack
    Route Grade: moderate. Distance 18km
    Aisholt & the Southern Combes
    Route Grade: medium . Distance 16km
    Quantocks Killer Loop
    Route Grade: hard. Distance 27km

    Buy on Amazon

    More Guides

    • Mountain Biking in the Lake District, Guide Review
    • Cotswolds Mountain biking: 20 Classic rides, a review

    About MTB Foodie

    MTB Foodie is a UK mountain biking blog covering routes, maintenance, travel and food. Ian can be found chasing awesome trails and thrills around the South West and beyond.

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    I’m Ian aka MTB Foodie… have bike, will ride! Found chasing awesome trails and thrills around the South West. Addicted to mud, gravel and hills, with a healthy balance of travel and food.

    Hit me up with any questions, enquiries or new trails to ride at: blog [AT] mtbfoodie.com

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