A West Country Touring Week
Some motorcycle trips are built around crossing borders, chasing mountain passes or covering thousands of miles across Europe. Others turn out to be just as memorable without ever leaving the UK, simply because the roads, the scenery and the atmosphere come together in a way that makes every mile enjoyable. This week riding through Devon, Somerset and Dorset turned out to be exactly that sort of trip, a relaxed tour of the West Country built around quiet back roads, small villages, good campsites and the simple pleasure of riding some of the most enjoyable countryside routes in southern England.
The plan was deliberately simple. Rather than trying to follow a strict route or cover huge distances every day, the idea was to choose a couple of good campsites as base locations and explore whatever roads looked interesting on the map. The West Country rewards that approach more than most parts of Britain, because the moment you leave the main roads behind you find yourself on narrow, winding lanes that climb over rolling hills, dive through wooded valleys and link together villages that feel almost untouched by time.
Starting Out in Devon
The trip began in Ivybridge in Devon, sitting right on the southern edge of Dartmoor National Park. It is a fantastic place to start a ride because the roads immediately begin to climb and twist as soon as you leave the town behind. Dartmoor always has a sense of openness about it, with wide skies, rugged moorland and stretches of road that feel remote despite being only a short distance from civilisation.
Riding out across the edge of Dartmoor set the tone for the week ahead, with sweeping moorland roads gradually giving way to narrower countryside lanes as the route pushed north towards Somerset. The riding in this part of Devon flows naturally with the landscape, the road rising and falling with the hills before dropping into wooded valleys and small villages that appear suddenly around the next bend.
It was the perfect start to a relaxed West Country tour, because within the first few hours it was already clear that the week ahead was going to be about enjoying the journey rather than rushing towards destinations.
A Somerset Basecamp
For the first part of the week we stayed at Tucker’s Grave Inn and Campsite near Bath, a wonderfully traditional Somerset pub with a campsite tucked away behind it. After a day riding quiet country roads, arriving somewhere like that makes the whole trip feel relaxed from the moment you take your helmet off.
The pub itself has a character that feels refreshingly unchanged by time, and the campsite behind it sits quietly surrounded by fields and trees. After pitching the tents the evening routine quickly established itself — a walk over to the pub, a couple of drinks and the inevitable conversation about the roads we had ridden that day.
Being in Somerset, the cider is very much part of the experience as well. Sampling some of the local cider after a long day riding became a regular part of the evening, the sort of small detail that quietly defines a good touring trip.
Exploring the West Country Mendip Hills
From Tucker’s Grave the roads spread out across the Mendip Hills and surrounding Somerset countryside, and it quickly becomes obvious why riders enjoy this area so much. The landscape rolls gently across farmland and wooded valleys, and the roads twist naturally with the terrain rather than cutting straight through it.
Narrow B-roads curve between villages while smaller lanes weave through hedgerows and over hills, constantly revealing new views across the countryside. Some sections open into flowing roads that allow a smooth rhythm to develop, while others tighten into narrower lanes that demand more concentration but reward you with some beautiful riding.
One of the most famous motorcycle stretches in the area is Cheddar Gorge, where the road climbs dramatically between towering limestone cliffs before opening out onto the Mendip plateau above. Riding through the gorge itself is short but spectacular, with tight bends and rock faces rising steeply on either side.
Even though it only lasts a few miles, it is easy to see why riders make a point of visiting it, because the road feels completely different from anything else in the surrounding countryside.
A West Country Ride to the North Coast
One day during the week we decided to head further north towards Exmoor and the Somerset coast, following winding roads that gradually climb into the hills before opening out onto the edge of the moorland.
The landscape begins to change noticeably as you approach Exmoor, with wider views appearing across the hills and the roads becoming more dramatic as they wind along the edge of the moor. It is the sort of riding that feels perfectly suited to motorcycles, with sweeping curves and stretches of road that seem to disappear into the distance.
Eventually the route drops down towards the coast and the town of Minehead, where the Bristol Channel suddenly appears ahead of you. After a morning riding through the hills, stopping by the seafront for an ice cream and looking out across the water felt like the perfect excuse to slow the pace down for a while.
Sometimes the simplest stops become the ones you remember most clearly.
Moving South into Dorset
Later in the week we moved south into Dorset and set up at our second base at Dorset Nectar Orchard Campsite near Bridport, a beautifully quiet campsite surrounded by orchards and countryside.
The atmosphere there felt immediately different from Somerset, with the landscape beginning to feel slightly more rugged as the countryside rolls down towards the Dorset coast. The campsite itself sits within the orchard and is wonderfully peaceful, making it an ideal base for exploring the surrounding roads.
Just like our first campsite, the evenings there quickly developed their own rhythm. After a day riding Dorset’s winding lanes, sitting outside as the evening cooled down and sampling the orchard’s own locally produced cider became the perfect way to end the day.
After miles of riding through the countryside, that combination of quiet surroundings, good company and excellent cider felt like the ideal reward.
The Dorset Riding Roads
The roads around Bridport and the Dorset countryside are every bit as enjoyable as those further north in Somerset. Narrow lanes wind across rolling hills before opening up into sweeping sections that flow through valleys and farmland.
In places the road climbs high enough to reveal distant glimpses of the English Channel, while in others it dips into wooded sections where the next bend is hidden by hedgerows and trees. The constant variation keeps the riding interesting all day long and makes it easy to spend hours simply following whichever road looks promising next.
What stands out most is how quiet many of these roads remain, even in the summer months. Away from the larger towns the traffic drops away quickly, leaving long stretches of countryside where the riding feels calm and unhurried.
Looking Back
By the end of the week the trip had settled into a rhythm that felt completely natural. Days were spent riding the west country winding back roads across Devon, Somerset and Dorset, occasionally stopping in small villages or viewpoints before continuing along whichever road happened to look interesting next.
Evenings were spent back at the campsite, relaxing after the day’s riding and enjoying the atmosphere that makes touring through the West Country so enjoyable. Looking back, the week turned out to be a perfect reminder that some of the best motorcycle roads are often the ones closest to home.
Somerset and Dorset may not have the dramatic alpine passes of Europe, but what they do offer is a network of beautiful, winding countryside roads, welcoming places to stay and the sort of relaxed atmosphere that makes a week on the bike feel effortless.
Take the long road home — miles today, stories tomorrow.
