The sun is well and truly out here in Somerset. We decided to strap the bikes on to the car and head off to the picturesque Wimbleball Lake. On Exmoor, this is just over 20 minutes away from The Old Quarry and another reason to stay. Wimbleball Lake is actually a large reservoir, created in the 1970s by stemming the natural flow of the River Haddeo. At the Activity Centre on site, we learnt it covers 374 acres and is the deepest in the South West. All in all, it has a capacity of around 21,320 megalitres, enough for over 90 billion cups of tea! It’s certainly an impressive size, with a 8.5 mile walking route around the edge.
Our focus today was cycling. There are a variety of recognised routes to choose from, covering a range of distances and abilities. With a nine year-old having his first real experience of off-road cycling, we opted for the easiest Green route after having a quick bite at the onsite café. The onsite maps aren’t perhaps the most helpful and we ended up going completely the wrong direction and very off-road. Once back where we started and revived with the help of an ice-cream, we decided to cycle the other way to Wimbleball Lake dam, only learning later that this was the route we were meant to have taken all along!
Dropping down to the lakeside, plenty of adults, children and even dogs were trying their hand at paddle-boarding and canoeing. From there, we took the loose stone path south to the dam, some 1.3 miles away. The path dips and rises a little, but is generally fairly level and our son generally coped well. Sometimes the views are open and expansive, sometimes we got to enjoy the coolness of woodland shade. All along, we were accompanied by copious amounts of wild flowers, butterflies and even passed rabbits sunbathing in a meadow. And, on the left, our constant companion was the lake itself, glistening in the afternoon sun.
At the dam, we left our bikes to explore and admire the impressive feat of engineering on foot. Standing 49m high, peering over the side of the dam is not recommended for those with vertigo. The massive angled wall is strengthened by giant concrete buttresses, with a series of terraced pools adding interest. The views from the top over the valley below are the real spectacle though.
Back in the saddle, we retraced the path back to paddle-boarders and canoeists. Stopping in at the Wimbleball Lake Activity Centre, we learnt about what else the lake has to offer. As well as cycling and walking routes, there’s a children’s play area, nature safaris and activity sheets for the little ones. There’s trout fishing, archery and a high ropes course. There’s also instructor-led sessions available for windsurfing, kayaking, paddle-boarding and raft-building. And you can hire equipment, wet-suits and buoyancy aids and have a go yourself. I think we may be heading back!
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