Dartmoor, Exmoor and Quantocks: The best of the South West
Ride info
Days: 3 (Fri-Sun)
Style: XC / Big country
Level: 8
Accommodation
3 nights B&B
2 luxury hotels
Ensuite rooms
Bike store & charging
Distance
Day 1: 26 mi | 42 km
Day 2: 19 mi | 31 km
Day 3: 21 mi | 34 km
Ascent
Day 1: 4,145 ft | 1,265 m
Day 2: 2,940 ft | 895 m
Day 3: 3,750 ft | 1,145 m
Dartmoor, Exmoor and Quantocks: The best of the South West
May 2024 sold out!
16-19 August – New 2024 dates
Deposit is £150 pp
Total from £395 (non-residential) £530 (B&B)
This is your chance to ride three very different landscapes in one unique guided trip. In 2024 we launch our ‘Best of the South West’ adventure with all the usual ingredients of our popular multi-day trips.
From the wild moors and tors of Dartmoor, we take in the steep sided valleys of coastal Exmoor, before we wrap it all up on the rocky red coombes of Quantocks.
Booking more than one room? Select occupancy and room type for your first room, add to basket, then repeat.
Click HERE if you want a ‘private trip‘.
Our regulars have been asking for this one for some time now and we do not like to disappoint! After months of planning and finding the right accommodation, our Founder has created a unique trip where you can ride Dartmoor, Exmoor and Quantocks on what really is the ‘Best of the South West’!
Our passionate big-country specialist and British Cycling Level 3 leader Sean will be your host for three truly epic rides.
Three big areas in one trip – The format
We believe this trip has never been attempted before and with our careful planning of the hotels and time of year, an exhilarating and equally relaxing experience will be had. Here’s the summary of the itinerary:
- Meet and greet Friday night at the exquisite Moorland Hotel in Haytor on Dartmoor
- Ride Dartmoor on Saturday and relax for a second night at the Moorland
- After a hearty breakfast on Sunday, we drive over to Exmoor, drop the cars at our next base, enjoy a light lunch harbour side and head out to ride the awesome singletrack and natural descents of Exmoor
- Sunday evening will be spent watching the sunset over the sea as we dine and reflect on two superb days on two very different national parks
- After our last hearty breakfast, we have the short drive to the Quantocks and enjoy a day on the red rock of the jewel of Somerset with its countless swooping combes and cleeves
Day 1 – Dartmoor
After breakfast we ride from our hotel and we are soon straight into our first kilometer long descent as we circumnavigate Yarner Wood. Passing Lustleigh and Manaton our adventure starts to get wild and it’s all about the vast open moors and Tors! A sublime descent around Easdon Tor will bring out the high fives before we head for Hookney Down. With Birch Tor in sight, our riding goes up a notch with flowing singletrack and twisting trails taking us around the medieval village of Challacombe. From here, we climb through Grimspound and the open moor riding of Hameldown Tor and the epic descents just keep on coming.
It’s a big day out, but armed with a packed lunch and plenty of time, the ancient landscape will take us along past Hound Tor and downs its super fun and rocky eastern flank. The panoramic views from the our hotel terrace will be the perfect way to finish the day’s riding ahead of a local crafted meal and a second night at the Moorland Hotel.
Day 2 – An Exmoor Adventure
After our relaxing morning we say goodbye to our two night base in Dartmoor for the beautiful drive across Devon to Somerset. Arriving around midday, we have time for a harbour side light lunch before riding some of the lesser-known but equally world class natural riding on the doorstep of our final base in Porlock Weir. The sea views will provide ample distraction as we take on the many twisting and rocky trails through Horner and Shillett Woods and off the flanks of Dunkery Beacon.
After another epic day our last thrilling descent will spit us out on the waters edge and at our hotel to enjoy sunset drinks and delicious local dining.
Day 3 – The Quantocks
The final day before we travel home has to feature the distinctive Quantocks to wrap up this truly memorable trip.
After a fifty minute drive in the direction of home for most of us from our seaside base in Porlock Weir we park up in Holford on the edge of this area of outstanding natural beauty. Meaning ‘full of windings abounding in corners or bends’ in old British, is only music to mountain bikers ears as this compact range of hills is smothered in ancient singletrack trails that meander deep into hidden valleys. Whooping through the corners, splashing through idyllic streams and flowing though lush woodland
Traversing along the top and picking-off as many of the brilliant descents as we want and enjoying the sea views during a well placed picnic will be the perfect way to wrap up this memorable west country mountain bike extravaganza.
Day One: Dartmoor
- Duration: 5-7 hours *
- Distance: 26 mi | 42 km *
- Elevation gain: 4,145 ft | 1,265 m *
- Technical Grade: Experienced intermediate (minimum)
Day Two: Exmoor
- Duration: 4-6 hours ride time *
- Distance: 19 mi | 31 km *
- Elevation gain: 2,950 ft | 895 m *
- Technical Grade: Experienced intermediate (minimum)
Day Three: Quantocks
- Duration: 3-5 hours ride time *
- Distance: 21 mi | 34 km *
- Elevation gain: 3,750 ft | 1,145 m *
- Technical Grade: Experienced intermediate (minimum)
Minimum of 2-3 years mountain biking experience with regular experience on steep, technical and natural trails
See ‘Is this for me tab’
Any questions, please contact us
* for each day the distances and elevation gain could be dynamically adapted to suit the weather and the overall riding level of the group. Our rides will be sociable and relaxed. This is big country and we appreciate we need to look after our legs, therefore to maximise the smiles we will take all day if required to pace ourselves
Room options
For the first two nights, classic double and twin rooms are available and for our final night, harbour sea view doubles and twins are the choices in Porlock Weir.
Details of your South West trip
We have carefully crafted this three day trip aimed at strong intermediate riders – to provide you with the very best format to experience the finest mountain biking the South West has to offer. Mix this all together with the friendly, sociable Marmalade magic we’re famous for and you have the perfect recipe for an unbeatable experience and lifelong memories.
Full details of our 2024 Dartmoor, Exmoor and Quantock trip are below, along with additional information on the other tabs. If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact us.
- Dates:
- 24 – 27 May 2024 (sold out)
- 16 – 19 August 2024
- Ride days are Saturday, Sunday and Monday
- Places available: 8 (max.)
- 1:8 ratio of riders to our fully qualified British Cycling Level 3 MTB Leader
- Total price per person: (incl. VAT)
- Without accommodation = £395
- We can advise on local campsites and other accommodation providers
- Small classic double (single occupancy) = £765
- Small classic double (couples) = £530
- Classic double (single occupancy) = £785
- Classic double (couples) = £540
- Classic + side view double (single occupancy) = £810
- Classic + side view double (couples) = £550
- Classic + side view twin (shared) = £550
- See further twin room information and options below
- Classic + front harbour view double (single occupancy) = £850
- Classic + front harbour view double (couples) = £565
- Classic + front harbour view twin (shared) = £565
- See further twin room information and options below
- Without accommodation = £395
- Twin room options:
- Available for friends who are happy to share
- On your own and happy to share? Please book a twin room and you will be placed with a member of the group of the same gender who has requested the same option*
* if no one else books this option, then you will be offered the room as single occupancy based on the room rates above
- Payment (booking 60 days or more before trip)
- £150 deposit on booking, by credit/debit card
- Balance due 60 days before trip, by bank payment
- Subject to our standard Terms and Conditions
- Payment (booking less than 60 days before trip)
- Full balance payable on booking, by credit/debit card
- Subject to our standard Terms and Conditions
What’s included:
- 3 nights hotel accommodation at the amazing Moorland (2 nights) and Porlock Weir hotels (1 night)
- Bed and breakfast: Friday, Saturday and Sunday night
- Single or shared occupancy en-suite rooms available (see above)
- Additional pre- and post-trip nights available by booking direct with the Moorland and Porlock hotels
- Bed and breakfast: Friday, Saturday and Sunday night
- Evening meals are included for the first two nights at the Moorland
- 3 fully guided days by Sean Howell our British Cycling qualified Level 3 MTB leader
What’s not included:
- Lunches, evening meals at the Porlock Weir hotel and drinks
- Travel to and from our accommodation for the start and end of our trip
- Personal health, activity and holiday insurance
- The above is a requirement for your participation on this trip
- Bike hire (options available – please contact us)
- Bike spares
To read the full terms and conditions please visit them here. Thank you.
- You will be at least a strong and experienced intermediate rider with a minimum of 2-3 years regular mountain biking experience
- The above experience would include example routes and locations that you have successfully ridden such as:
- Jacobs ladder in the Peak District
- The Trans Cambrian Way and the Elan Valley
- The Gap in the Brecon Beacons
- Technical red trails with some black features in places like Bike Park Wales, Afan and Coed-y-Brenin
- You will have confident in your bike handling skills and not be phased by steep, technical and long trails that would be graded predominantly red with some black sections
- The trails will include features such as roots, small to medium committing roll-able drop-offs and slopes with loose rocks of varying sizes
- Your professional Level 3 MTB leaders will dynamically manage the group and individuals during each day. There will not be any pressure to ride features or sections above your riding ability on the day
- You have your own suitable full suspension modern ‘all mountain’ / ‘trail’ mountain bike
- 120 mm of suspension travel with modern and aggressive geometry is the bare minimal for this trip
- 140-160 mm of suspension travel on an ‘all-mountain’ / ‘trail’ bike would be perfect
- Hybrid and budget bicycles are not suitable for this 3 day trip
- The ride does contain many undulating and moderately steep, technical and long climbs
- You have the personal fitness to ride for at least 6-8 hours on consecutive days at a social and comfortable pace
- You are aged 18 and over unless accompanied by an adult also participating on this ride
- If this sounds a little beyond your current skill and fitness level, then please do contact us for further discussion
Equipment, kit, clothing and anything else
- You have your own suitable ‘all mountain’ / ‘trail’ mountain bike *
- 120 mm of suspension travel with modern geometry is the bare minimal for this trip
- 120-150 mm of suspension travel on an ‘all-mountain’ / ‘trail’ bike would be perfect
- Helmet *
- Personal health, activity and holiday insurance *
- Gloves and glasses
- Knee and elbow pads if this is what you usually ride with
- Hydration backpack (min. 2 liters) *
- x2 spare inner tubes
- Spare rear mech hanger specific for your bike
- x2 spokes specific to your bike wheels
- Puncture repair kit and bicycle pump
- Clothing & shoes appropriate for cycling and weather conditions on the ride days
- Padded cycling shorts for comfort
- Personal choice of drink and ride snacks *
* without these you will not be able to take part in the guided ride. Our guides carry an extensive kit to assist with trail-side repairs
Choose your date, occupancy and room
Choose your date, occupancy and room
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