A sunny Thursday.... that must mean a breakfast run, so, where to?
I did fancy a trip over to the Owls Nest, then a run over the Black Mountains, but the Nest is closed this week, unsurprising when you see the pictures of the queues on Monday, so, let's try Exmoor.
After a bit of research I settled on the Exford Bridge Tea Rooms... yup sounds like a right biker cafe doesn't it! Well, pictures on line showed a breakfast that seemed worth travelling for and that was good enough for me.
A two junction blast down the now much quieter M5 to Bridgwater, then over the edge of the Quantocks through Enmore to Bishops Lydeard, then headed for Raleigh Cross and from there towards Wheddon Cross (B3224 for anyone interested), straight across the A396 and on to Exford.
The sun was out, the roads were all but deserted, the 650 was purring along... life don't get much better.
The Tea Rooms are on the right with an empty car park opposite and the entrance in the garden / outdoor seating area to the left. As I walked in, I was the only customer. I ordered a tea, looked at the menu and chose the Full Monty... two of everything. It turned up promptly and with a flourish of style and service from the owner... who has an accent somewhere between Devon and the USA that I can't quite get my ear around.... don't matter, the bloke can cook.
(I tried to post a resized photo here, but.... I failed... again)
By the time I was well into my outstanding breakfast the place was filling up, including four gents of a similar age to me obviously out for a ride, a cuppa and a nice piece of cake.
I left Exford intending to turn left towards Bampton, but missed my turn and ended up riding up and over Exmoor to South Molton, which was a spanking good ride. Before I got to the town I hit the humdrum A361 link road, but as the traffic was very light it didn't feel like to motorway it sometimes turns into. And then after a few miles I spotted a sign for Bampton and swung off the 361 and onto a road which was a LOT more fun (B3227 as it turns out).
From Bampton it was over to Wivvy, then a departure from my usual home run and instead I turned left towards Williton, then a right down some tiny lanes through Tolland to retrace my morning steps back to Bishops Lydeard, Enmore, Bridgwater and home.
145 miles of dry, mostly empty roads, sunshine and an amazing breakfast.... nuff sed.