PORLOCK HILL THROUGH THE VILLAGE AND THE CLIMB

VIEWED FROM A DOUBLE DECKER BUS IN MAY 2008

[@Nnnuuk]

I first travelled this way in 1964 in a 1937 Morris 8 that my mother was driving on our way down to Cornwall. It was the first of many hills where we wondered if we would reach the top. I found this video as I am planning to ride along the same route on my Honda scooter in a few days time.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

I hope all goes well with your journey. Modern engines are much better able to climb long steep hills. Let us know how you get on!

[@clairsparkles]

My little 2004 Hyundai needed a long break after climbing this yesterday, I've never known a hill like it! It was worth it once we got to Lynmouth, a beautiful village.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

It certainly can be a challenge for older vehicles! I believe years ago one manufacturer was so proud its new car could climb that hill, they brought out a a Porlock special edition!

[@raylooney1788]

My dad use to drive an arctic through here in the 1970s and had a nightmare especially on the upward trip as you can imagine.Gladly they have stopped them now.Excellent vid!!

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

It really is a unique place! We still often hear that it has been temporarily closed due to an accident.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

It is a shame that the double decker bus no longer runs on that route!

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

And no more arctics then! People living close must have witnessed some exciting events!

[@raylooney1788]

ADMIRALSCORNER And a shame they stopped you filming and driving at the same time too!!(joke!)as below.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

shane turdytwat Ha Ha! As you realise I was not driving in this video but enjoying the front upstairs view in a double decker bus!

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

Thanks for that information. I take my hat off to bus drivers of old and today! Its great that so many of the old bus models still survive and can tackle the hill!

[@concretejockey]

Hi Great video.I have traveled this road many times but never on a bus.I very much enjoyed the trip.Thank you very much. Kind regards Concretejockey.

[@howells1904]

Many thanks for video,We live in the Cotswolds but spend a lot of time in Lynmoth,we call it our second home. Will be there in 2 weeks time.Its nice to see your videos because it reminds us what a beautiful place it is.Keep up the good work.Many thanks.

[@Titot182]

Man i remember coming up this hill on my ZXR250 in the wet and whilst it was windy! I had no idea what this monstrosity was and i ws fortunate to go through it unhampered. Difficult to get up the hill due to the peaky power deliery of my bike especially in the wet.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

I'm glad you are safe!That hill has been the venue for many accidents over the years as it turns out steeper than it looks once you are committed!

[@MrDaiseymay]

This is always a lovely drive, and I enjoyed this video, especially through the village. I'm afraid the sense of danger and scary incline was lost from the view of the elevated camera position. There is also much more foliage from mature trees to hide the impact. As a 18 year old in the mid 1950's, just passed my test, I had the bright idea of driving to Lynmouth. 'The Disaster' there was only a few years before. My brother came with me. I had NO IDEA about Porlock Hill, and as I was driving a clapped out 1935 Morris 8, with only 3 gears, the first amazing bend and steep section seemed like a wall, silhouetted against the sky. As the engine almost died, my brother said-'put it in first gear' It already was, and we came to a halt.. A man driving a huge Humber Snipe, stopped by and said, you'll never get up here with that sonny. reverse back to a 'sand Trap' and take the 'Toll road' to Lynmouth which is much lower. This we did. 'Sand Traps', where short off -road sections ,for cars which lose braking ability, so they run into them so as to stop. A few weeks after this episode, the brakes on my car completely failed while driving down a modest slope.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

+Philip Croft It certainly is a test for any vehicle! I have recently uploaded a video climbing that same hill from a car's point of view. You may find that interesting!

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

In the days of my youth I rode up Porlock hill on a scooter and was amazed as it seemed to need an even lower gear to proceed!

[@laureetilton-weaver2258]

We did this in a motorhome and I have rarely felt more scared... cannot imagine a double decker...

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

It sure is a test of driving skill and hope nothing suddenly comes around that steepest bend when you are doing so!

[@MrDaiseymay]

Two issues not mentioned here, in the discussions; HOW ON EARTH, does traffic cope in icey conditions and deep snow ? AND , How on earth, did they cope before motorised haulage, and in such isolated areas?

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

Where there is a will there's a way! I do expect at times they just didn't attempt to climb that hill.

[@TJLR9]

That is probably the case, however on many occasions I have heard stories of heavy vehicles crashing on steep hills when driving up due to brakes etc not working. I think what I was trying to emphasise was it was a very foolish decision to take a bus up that route, as the Gentleman on the video explains; with the bus taking such a wide birth and using the other side of the road on blind bends - making it extremely dangerous for other road users.

[@brizzleboi]

I believe there has never been a problem with buses and coaches going up Porlock Hill. The crashes have happened with brake failure coming down the hill and the wall outside "Glen Halse" has been demolished on several occasions.

[@clemstevenson]

The toll road might have a shallower average gradient, but its got even tighter hairpin bends on it. I believe that the Porlock toll road was built as a bypass in the post-Napoleonic period, so the original Porlock Hill road must be of a considerable age. As it was obviously built long before motor transport, the idea of a long wheelbase bus going up Porlock Hill would have been pure science-fiction.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

I remember being surprised when i heard a bus would take you up there. Years ago they would have had a very hard struggle but modern buses have a lot more power to spare!

[@MrEngelchen]

LOL! - I've only been up that road once and that was on a PUSHBIKE! I don't think that the traffic queueing up behind me was overly impressed with the hold up, but there was no way that I was going to stop to let them pass - It had to be done in one go ;-) No horns were tooted and no-one complained when they eventually had the visibility to overtake me after the steepest bits. I suppose many drivers were amazed that a cyclist could get all the way up!

[@clemstevenson]

I remember that they even had a supply radiator water on the hill, back in 1977. It seemed somewhat anachronistic for 1977, but I presume that this was chiefly for vintage car enthusiasts in knackered old side-valve jeloppies, or run-down 1961 Morris Minors with slipping fan belts.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

It just goes to demonsrate how well modern engines and braking systems have been developed

[@shrivel1]

Next time I'm going the other way to Lynton and Lynmouth. The view once you're up there is breathtaking though.....

[@Mravenueroad]

My mum was warned about Porlock Hill before she even drove through it for the first time. She has vowed never to drive through it again!

[@clemstevenson]

Oh yeah, I met up with the bus on the most dangerous Porlock Hill corner, back in October 2010. That bend is simply too sharp for a long wheelbase vehicle, such as a bus, to negotiate. As I drove down the hill, I had anticipated the danger. I duly stopped for the bus, which was obviously on its way up.

[@brizzleboi]

True but it is the only way for them to go being the major road - the alternative toll road is too narrow. This bus seemed to cope rather will I thought!! Excellent driving skills!

[@psvdrive]

Have driven both ways on this hill many times with coaches, and with care, it is not a bad drive. Biggest trouble is with car drivers who do not think to give way or slow down when faced with a 8ft wide coach on the narrow bits or on the 1 in 4 bend.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

It certainly needs care from everyone . It is not always possible to know what is coming around the corner or on what side it needs to be!

[@hjp1hjp22]

It is not much fun driving a car from Minehead to Lynmouth through the narrow bottleneck village of Porlock, let alone a big bus or coach, before the steep winding hill starts. A bypass is a matter of urgency, that will take traffic away from the village and hill, even if it means fields and a few pretty cottages have to go. Even the possibility of a tunnel. About 30 years ago I passed a three wheel Reliant Robin that might have come from Lynmouth that would have struggled up the Countisbury Hill, entering Porlock with an irritable, frustrated old lady driving.

[@mushboy88]

very steep this with some very tight bends that are even tighter when on a fully loaded up yamaha R1 i nearly crashed yesterday on the tightest bend on the hill in the wet... nasty!

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

@MrEngelchen Well done ! I have just been videoing the Tour Of Britain through Watchet Somerset and its amazing what performances are possible on bicycles!

[@TJLR9]

Great video, thanks for posting. Bit foolish though on the bus company's behalf to take a double decker up the hill. A number of coaches have crashed because of brakes failing and clutches going etc.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

@howells1904 The driver has to be careful and skillful! You may also be interested to see a slide show of photos which includes the decent into Porlock, in the video titled OPEN TOP BUS AROUND EXMOOR.

[@ZodysRails]

how these buses get up that hill even with a full load i shall never know

[@david-lt9wj]

You need a furnicular railway here....or some cart horses.... I wonder how the electric cars and lorries of the future will fare? Diesel engines are providing torque today...

[@ZodysRails]

@@david-lt9wj Thankfully there is a toll road to aviod the hill its self, but campervans seem to get up no problem most of the time

[@david-lt9wj]

@@ZodysRails has a 4 berth caravan ever gone up or a twin axle caravan?

[@ZodysRails]

@@david-lt9wj Ive seen both try

[@david-lt9wj]

@@ZodysRails what happened?

[@NewFrontier90]

Why theres not a 5 ton weight and 7" wigth limit on that road surprises me.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

Very wise! I fear one day there will be a serious accident there. Not everyone realises that a bus on that bend needs to use both sides of the road.

[@david-lt9wj]

What's it like to tow a caravan through here?..they need traffic lights ... I saw a reliant trike cooking on the tarmac up here..there was a triangular bubbling on the floor. I'll never go there again..

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

The longer but less steep toll road which branches off at the base is available if you think the original road is too much to tackle.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

@shrivel1 It is well worth the visit!

[@starfoxkelspark6128]

I'm about to take an urban Arctic down that way😅

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

I wish you the best! it can be quite a challenge especially on that tight bend where you cant see what is coming.

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

@Mravenueroad It sure is a challenge even for modern vehicles!

[@pauleastwood5618]

A lot of these comments make me laugh, we go upthis hill on a BSA M21 sidecar outfit every year since 83, 15 hp, with about 43 stone of rider / passenger / kit, ...no drama just a bit of stick in places, worry more about going down countisbury hill later

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

Neither is a location recommended for novice drivers!

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

I bet that was a challenge!

[@clivebryan1543]

What bs. When was Watchet a terminus?

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

When the railway was constructed back in the 1860s its destination was Watchet and its harbour and it terminated there.. It was only thought useful to extend on to Minehead some five years later

[@howells1904]

see he has to go right over the other side of the road.

[@gamingwithcharlie1510]

You drove past my house

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

Thats a good place to live!

[@howells1904]

see he has to go right over the other side of the road