A39 Road - Porlock Hill

Porlock Hill

Porlock Hill is a section of the A39 west of the village of Porlock. The road climbs approximately 1,300 ft (400 m) in less than 2 miles (3.2 km) up onto Exmoor: a very steep hill with gradients of up to 1 in 4 and hairpin bends. The hill must be driven slowly and with great care. As you walk near the bottom of the hill you will often smell wonderful daffodils from the apple orchard. On the corner of Porlock Hill you will see a wonderful house ( Glen Halse ), many years ago the chalet next to it was the well known Porlock Hill Tearoom, This was built before the house.When Alfred Slade,the owner, got tired of lugging all the tea urns up the hill daily for five years,he built the house next to it in 1925.

On 12 January 1899, during a storm, the 10 ton Lynmouth lifeboat was launched but because of the ferocity of the storm could not put out to sea, and was hauled by men and 20 horses over Countisbury and Porlock hills to Porlock Weir where the water in the bay was less rough. The endeavour enabled 13 seamen to be rescued.

There is a less steep toll road that small vehicles and cyclists can take as an alternative route. It formed part of the route in the 2007 Tour of Britain cycle race. Another alternative for cyclists, avoiding tolls, is provided by part of Regional Cycle Route 51 (Minehead to Ilfracombe).