Day 3

Weston-super-Mare to Lynton

Trip Details
Yesterday: 120km with 1420m ascent
Overall: 393km with 5170m ascent.
And the Strava details of yesterday's route . Click on the play button on the map to see a drone's eye view of my route, including wrong turns! I recommend you speed it up by clicking on the "X1" button a few times.

Onto what I saw...

Brean Down
This peninsula was the most northerly point of my trip. My cycle route ended at the base of it. But the views I got from spending a strenuous hour there where worth the effort! Let's just say I suspect not many touring bikes get to the trig point at the end of the peninsula!

I pushed my bike up a paved footpath that was almost as steep as these steps. That got me 50m above sea level.
And another 40m of off-road elevation gain got me to the trig point and fabulous views. First, the view north - Cardiff is visible top left.
 
And the view south. I'm sat writing this somewhere to the far right of the land in the distance.
And just to prove I was there...

This was all fun, but it was already 1115am by the time I left the trig point and I had a lot of cycling to do to get to my booked accommodation in Lynton😬

Views en route
I tried to savour the cycling in the next couple of hours. Flat and with a tailwind. The route and the weather forecast suggest I'll not experience that combo again!

Midday at Burnham-on-Sea

1pm. Crossing the M5 at junction 23

2pm. My view at The Friendly Spirit in Cannington. My fuel tank was full after demolishing this😁

4pm. Heading towards Watchet. Brean Down is the headland in the distance, top right.

445pm. Watchet harbour

515pm. Blue Anchor

6pm. Minehead. Yes, my lunchtime snack only tided me over for 4 hours! With hindsight, topping my fuel tank up at this stage given what was to follow in the next 3 hours was my best decision of the day.

Porlock Hill to Lynton
I was genuinely concerned about Porlock Hill. The A39 tops out at 425m above sea level and has 1 in 4 gradients. I wasn't looking forward to pushing my bike up those gradients, especially with the sun straight ahead blinding drivers approaching me from behind. What I hadn't realised is explained by this photo.
This route was such a bonus. Only 2 cars passed me. And the gradient was a steady 1 in 20 - so comfortable peddling with my 22 (front):34(rear) lowest gear. It did take a full hour to make the 400m of ascent, which I started at 7pm. So no photos from the top as the sun was setting and there were no obvious vantage points. I did swap into thick coat and gloves though ready for the chilly ascent.

850pm. Dropping into Lynton. Crescent moon visible and Wales (Gower Peninsula?) middle right.

915pm. I get to my hotel in Lynton, which is 800m from Lynmouth Harbour. My hotel is also 132m above sea level. The 1 in 4 road between the harbour and here, in my hotel, is a feat of engineering. I apologise unreservedly to those engineers for what I said about them whilst pushing my bike up that road a little after 9pm last night🤣

Monday's plan
Accommodation booked near Clovelly. Another 110km and 1750m elevation gain await.

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