Follow The Bear

Bonus and I thought we'd get out early today as the forecast wasn't too brill after lunch, Bonus doesn't like the rain, probably makes his back to black run :). We hit the road climb up to the Hopcott woods, I sat on his wheel as he's about four stone lighter than me and usually leaves me behind. I managed to keep with him today though so either he's getting slower or I'm getting quicker. After a quick breather at the top of the road we hit the rough stuff and carried on up to the top of the hill. It was then along the top with Minehead down below us on one side and Timberscombe on the other. We then hit the cracking descent down the right side of Grabbist Hill. You could take the left hand route and go down the face of Grabbist but that's bloody steep, I don't do steep, I fall off. It was a leaf strewn descent down the hill so you had to keep your wits about you, this didn't slow Bonus though as he blasted down full tilt. The good thing about riding on weekdays around here is there's less chance running into ramblers or lost tourists, when I say lost, you have to ask yourself why are men and young ladies out in the woods with a flash camera wearing unsuitable clothing, must be birdwatchers.

We hit the road up to Nutcombe Bottom and onto the tracks through the tall trees that take us back towards Dunster. It was up past the bear and onto the crunchy track. We call it the crunchy because of all the little pine cones on the track crunching beneath you, if you hit them too quick it's slide out time. The crunchy track has had a bit of a makeover since our last visit. It used to be shrouded in rhododendron's so if you fall off (me again) you had something to catch you. Not anymore, they're gone, which leaves a lovely view of the hills but a great drop if you lose your balance. It was then back down the road and onto Dunster, we nipped around the back of Dunster and down the farm track to the old Minehead road, we where going quite quick when I noticed the students from the college farm unit sat on a gate by the side of the track watching us blast past, all I could think of was don't fall off now.

Bear in the woods

Dunkery in the distance

It was then the road home, happy to get out and have a blast, and back to mine for a well deserved cuppa.

Distance - 8.8 miles
Time - 1.19
Avg speed - 6.7
Elevation gain - 1274ft