Exmoor Beauty Course Released
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Exmoor Beauty Course Released


With over half the event's 1000 rider capacity now filled, time is rapidly running out if you want to secure a place on the exhilarating Exmoor Beauty Sportive on April 22. Tempt yourself with the official route description which takes in up to 100 miles winding lanes and panoramic views of the National Park.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION
Starting at Butlin’s, Minehead, riders will find themselves on an attractive coastal road heading towards Watchet within just five miles, a beautiful rural town full of the type of buildings seen on West Country television dramas.

With the sea on one side and the rising scenery of Exmoor National Park on the other, it's hard to find a better way to start a truly iconic ride. Exmoor carries on revealing itself as the route climbs slowly through Williton and along the river; passing small communities living the quiet life in the Great Wood. This tranquility is short lived when you break out of the wood for the first major climb up onto the moor.

Here, the course joins the traditional 100 mile Exmoor Beast route for a few miles, albeit in the opposite direction, before turning right just after Brendon Hill for the long descent to Wimbleball Lake. With twenty miles covered and only ten remaining to the first feed station, the route winds itself through Brompton Regis which is also part of the annual Wimbleball Ironman Triathlon. The ups and downs from the lake are about to be rewarded with a fantastic decent to Jury's Hill, which leads to the feed station in the centre of Dulverton.

This setting is perfect for riders, their families and supporters. The beautiful river, with the Bridge Inn open for business, offers a relaxing venue for everyone. The feed station, providing all riders with what they need for the remaining forty miles of the ride, will be set up in front of the Exmoor National Park Authority offices. The route now rejoins that of the hundred-mile Beast. There are three ascents on this section but every crank of the pedals and every morsel of effort expended deliver a breathtaking reward.

At the summit, Exmoor is revealed in all its stunning beauty. Rugged moorland stretches for miles in every direction, the ridge road taking riders to another exhilarating decent into Simonsbath and eventually the drinks station at Exford.

Refreshment will be welcome before embarking on the final climb of the day; the infamous Dunkery Beacon. This climb is gentle, enjoyable and as always very scenic providing the best viewpoint on the moor.

After this visual treat, it's time to get ready, concentrate and cover the brakes. The decent off Dunkery is extremely technical, very steep and generally quite windy. The road appears to literally drop away in front of you. So, the message is clear - take it easy and stay in control. After the descent of a lifetime, it's winding roads again all the way into Minehead via Dunster. The final parts of the route will offer time to chat and reminisce about the ride just experienced. You only have to look at this route on a map to get excited. It's got it all, takes in the sea, the moor, good challenging ascents and fantastically thrilling descents. The whole event will demonstrate just what a rewarding day out on a bike should be like! So, if you are free on the 22nd April, you'd be mad not to get out on this one; it's a beauty.

For full details visit www.exmoorbeauty.org