Saturday 22nd October 2011 Barnstaple to Simonsbath 35 km

We have seen three dead badgers on the road in the last week, which is distressing as I understand that their numbers have been diminishing in Britain.

Today was a short ride because it was uphill for most of it. We have climbed all the way up to the top of Exmoor, which is just beautiful. It feels like being on top of the world.

We were surprised to come across a fox hunt complete with baying hounds and horsemen. There were quite a few spectators who apparently follow the hunt in their four wheel drives  Fox hunting has been banned in the UK, but I'm told that there are ways of bending the rules.

The Simonsbath House Hotel built in 1654 is in a dellightful valley in the middle of the moor.  It reminds us of the "Leopard Rock Hotel" in the Vumba in Zimbabwe.  Very nice.  On the river bank opposite the hotel were two people camping with an old fashioned horse carriage and 2 horses grazing near by.  Our host told us that they come up the valley every year by horse cart and camp for a day or two and then head off towads Barnstaple