A39, Somerset/Devon - RideTo Best Rides

A39, Somerset/Devon

Whilst the A39 runs all the way from Bath almost to Newquay, the most scenic and enjoyable stretch is arguably the 36 miles from Minehead to Barnstaple. What starts as an ordinary looking A-road soon gets interesting as you approach Porlock and the road starts twisting through the Exmoor countryside. It gets even more interesting as you leave the town and head down Porlock Hill.

This 25% gradient hill used to be a graveyard for cars in the ’60s and ’70s but now acts as a gateway to a world of sweeping bends and eventually sea views as you reach Countisbury and Lynmouth. There's still miles of beautiful scenery, twisty blacktop and quaint villages until you reach your finish point in Barnstaple.