A39 Atlantic Highway
Somerset to Cornwall
- Distance
- Around 70 miles from the Minehead area to Bude
- Difficulty
- Easy to moderate. Sweeping coastal A-road
The A39, known as the Atlantic Highway, runs from the edge of Somerset along the coasts of Exmoor and North Devon before crossing into Cornwall. It's one of the great coastal rides in the south west, mixing open moorland, deep wooded valleys and long stretches with the Atlantic never far away.
Conditions and casualty record
Live conditions
Right now at Bideford, mid route, 40 metres above sea level
Weather from Open-Meteo, measured near Bideford, mid route rather than on the road itself. Mountain roads make their own weather.
The casualty record
1.05 times the national casualty rate
motorcyclist KSI per billion vehicle miles
146 casualties, 65 killed or seriously injured, 6 riders killed. 2,283 KSI per billion miles ridden, ranked 958 of 1,710 roads by rate.
Casualties are for the whole numbered road across Great Britain from 2021 to 2025, not only the stretch described on this page. Source: DfT STATS19 and DfT traffic counts. Places: OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database Licence.
How we measure road dangerThe ride
The road is mostly good, sweeping A-road tarmac, with enough bends to keep you interested and enough straights to relax on. The section over Exmoor is the highlight for many riders, climbing onto open moor before dropping towards the sea.
It's a friendly road rather than a demanding one, well suited to cruisers and tourers and to riders who want scenery without white knuckles. In summer it can be busy; midweek and out of season it's a different, quieter world.
Know before you go
- Summer traffic can be heavy, especially around the coastal towns, so an early start or a shoulder-season visit pays off.
- Some of the dips and climbs through the wooded valleys can hold damp and leaf mulch into autumn, so watch your grip on the shaded sections.
- Fuel is available in the towns along the way, but stretches between them can be longer than they look on the map. Check our Fuel Finder before you set off.
Make a day of it
The route passes close to Clovelly, one of the most famous villages in the west country, and links easily with rides into Exmoor, along the North Devon coast or onwards into Cornwall.
It also works well as one leg of a bigger south west tour, connecting naturally with the coast roads of Devon and Cornwall in either direction.
Places along the way
Places within a few kilometres of the route, from OpenStreetMap. The ones marked have a Wikipedia entry, which is how we picked them rather than by opinion.
Loading map
Castle
Wikipedia
Castle · 2.1 km from the route
Archaeological site
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · on the route
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · on the route · Wikipedia entry
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · on the route
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · on the route
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · 0.2 km from the route
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · 0.2 km from the route
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · 0.2 km from the route
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · 0.2 km from the route · Wikipedia entry
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · 0.2 km from the route
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · 0.2 km from the route
Wikipedia
Archaeological site · 0.3 km from the route
Lighthouse
Wikipedia
Lighthouse · 0.7 km from the route
Wikipedia
Lighthouse · 1.9 km from the route
Cafe
Wikipedia
Cafe · on the route
Wikipedia
Cafe · on the route · Website
Riding it responsibly
The A39 runs through a string of villages and small towns. Keep the speed and the exhaust note down where people live, and be patient with holiday traffic.
Exmoor is a national park with livestock on and near the road in places. Ease off on the open moor and give animals a wide berth.
Ride within your limits and the law. Roads and trails change; check conditions before you travel.
More routes to explore
Back to all routes