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A39 road



 
 
The A39 is an A road in south west England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset
Somerset

Somerset is a Counties of England in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset borders the counties of Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west....
 through Wells
Wells

Wells is a small cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills.The name Wells derives from the three Water well dedicated to Saint Andrew, one in the market place and two within the grounds of the Bishop's Palace, Wells and Wells Cathedral....
, Glastonbury
Glastonbury

Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town has a population of 8,800....
, Street
Street, Somerset

Street is a village and civil parish in the county of Somerset, England, situated on a dry spot in the Somerset Levels, at the end of the Polden Hills, two miles south-west of Glastonbury....
 and Bridgwater
Bridgwater

Bridgwater in Somerset, England, is a market town, the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor Districts of England, and the leading industrial town in the Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England....
. It then follows the north coast of Somerset and Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
 through Williton
Williton

Williton is a medium-sized village and civil parish in West Somerset, England. It has many of the facilities of a small town, being the administrative centre for the district....
, Minehead
Minehead

Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in the west of the the England Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset. It has a population of approximately 10,000....
, Porlock
Porlock

Porlock is a coastal village in Somerset, England, situated in a deep hollow below Exmoor, west of Minehead. The village has a population of 1,377 ....
, Lynmouth
Lynmouth

Lynmouth is a village in Devon, England, on the north edge of Exmoor.The village straddles the confluence of the West Lyn River and East Lyn River rivers, in a gorge below Lynton, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway....
, Barnstaple
Barnstaple

Barnstaple is a town in the in the Districts of England of North Devon in the county of Devon in the South West England. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter....
, Bideford
Bideford

Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, South West England England. It is also the main town of the Torridge Districts of England....
, Stratton
Stratton, Cornwall

Stratton is a small town situated near the coastal resort of Bude in North Cornwall, UK. It was also the name of one of ten ancient administrative shires of Cornwall - see "Hundreds of Cornwall"....
, Camelford
Camelford

Camelford is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.The town lies on the River Camel, and a few miles north-west of the highest part of Bodmin Moor....
, Wadebridge
Wadebridge

Wadebridge is a town in North Cornwall, England, UK, located on the River Camel Estuary some 5 miles upstream from Padstow. For many years Wadebridge was a traffic congested town but in 1991 the Wadebridge bypass was opened together with the Egloshayle bypass causing the two settlements to regain much of their former charm....
 and St Columb Major
St Columb Major

St Columb Major , often simply called St Columb, is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, to the south west of Wadebridge and east of Newquay....
. It then joins the route of
Concurrency (road)

A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other road number....
 the A30 road
A30 road

The A30 is an old trunk road which runs from central London to Land's End, the westernmost point of the mainland of southern Great Britain , and is sometimes called the Great South West Road....
 for around five miles, re-emerging near Zelah
Zelah, Cornwall

Zelah is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is approx 5 miles north of Truro.Zelah is the largest settlement in the civil parish of St Allen....
 to head for the south Cornish
Cornwall

Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
 coast via Truro
Truro

Truro is a City status in the United Kingdom in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, and is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population of 20,920....
 and Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall

Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port in the Carrick, Cornwall District on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, UK. It has a total resident population of 21,635....
.

In Cornwall and North Devon (until the junction with the A361 "North Devon Link Road"
A361 road

The A361 is a major road in England and at 195 miles is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK. It runs south from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast to Barnstaple, turning south-east to Tiverton, Devon then, after a break , north east from Taunton in Somerset through Street, Somerset and Glastonbury, past Frome, Somerset and then into Wiltsh...
), the road is known as the Atlantic Highway, and was classified as a trunk road
Trunk road

A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more city, ports, airports, etc.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic....
 until 2002.

ock Hill is a section of the A39 west of the village of Porlock
Porlock

Porlock is a coastal village in Somerset, England, situated in a deep hollow below Exmoor, west of Minehead. The village has a population of 1,377 ....
.






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The A39 is an A road in south west England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset
Somerset

Somerset is a Counties of England in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset borders the counties of Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west....
 through Wells
Wells

Wells is a small cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills.The name Wells derives from the three Water well dedicated to Saint Andrew, one in the market place and two within the grounds of the Bishop's Palace, Wells and Wells Cathedral....
, Glastonbury
Glastonbury

Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town has a population of 8,800....
, Street
Street, Somerset

Street is a village and civil parish in the county of Somerset, England, situated on a dry spot in the Somerset Levels, at the end of the Polden Hills, two miles south-west of Glastonbury....
 and Bridgwater
Bridgwater

Bridgwater in Somerset, England, is a market town, the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor Districts of England, and the leading industrial town in the Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England....
. It then follows the north coast of Somerset and Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
 through Williton
Williton

Williton is a medium-sized village and civil parish in West Somerset, England. It has many of the facilities of a small town, being the administrative centre for the district....
, Minehead
Minehead

Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in the west of the the England Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset. It has a population of approximately 10,000....
, Porlock
Porlock

Porlock is a coastal village in Somerset, England, situated in a deep hollow below Exmoor, west of Minehead. The village has a population of 1,377 ....
, Lynmouth
Lynmouth

Lynmouth is a village in Devon, England, on the north edge of Exmoor.The village straddles the confluence of the West Lyn River and East Lyn River rivers, in a gorge below Lynton, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway....
, Barnstaple
Barnstaple

Barnstaple is a town in the in the Districts of England of North Devon in the county of Devon in the South West England. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter....
, Bideford
Bideford

Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, South West England England. It is also the main town of the Torridge Districts of England....
, Stratton
Stratton, Cornwall

Stratton is a small town situated near the coastal resort of Bude in North Cornwall, UK. It was also the name of one of ten ancient administrative shires of Cornwall - see "Hundreds of Cornwall"....
, Camelford
Camelford

Camelford is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.The town lies on the River Camel, and a few miles north-west of the highest part of Bodmin Moor....
, Wadebridge
Wadebridge

Wadebridge is a town in North Cornwall, England, UK, located on the River Camel Estuary some 5 miles upstream from Padstow. For many years Wadebridge was a traffic congested town but in 1991 the Wadebridge bypass was opened together with the Egloshayle bypass causing the two settlements to regain much of their former charm....
 and St Columb Major
St Columb Major

St Columb Major , often simply called St Columb, is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, to the south west of Wadebridge and east of Newquay....
. It then joins the route of
Concurrency (road)

A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other road number....
 the A30 road
A30 road

The A30 is an old trunk road which runs from central London to Land's End, the westernmost point of the mainland of southern Great Britain , and is sometimes called the Great South West Road....
 for around five miles, re-emerging near Zelah
Zelah, Cornwall

Zelah is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is approx 5 miles north of Truro.Zelah is the largest settlement in the civil parish of St Allen....
 to head for the south Cornish
Cornwall

Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
 coast via Truro
Truro

Truro is a City status in the United Kingdom in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, and is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population of 20,920....
 and Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall

Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port in the Carrick, Cornwall District on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, UK. It has a total resident population of 21,635....
.

In Cornwall and North Devon (until the junction with the A361 "North Devon Link Road"
A361 road

The A361 is a major road in England and at 195 miles is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK. It runs south from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast to Barnstaple, turning south-east to Tiverton, Devon then, after a break , north east from Taunton in Somerset through Street, Somerset and Glastonbury, past Frome, Somerset and then into Wiltsh...
), the road is known as the Atlantic Highway, and was classified as a trunk road
Trunk road

A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more city, ports, airports, etc.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic....
 until 2002.

Porlock Hill

Porlock Hill is a section of the A39 west of the village of Porlock
Porlock

Porlock is a coastal village in Somerset, England, situated in a deep hollow below Exmoor, west of Minehead. The village has a population of 1,377 ....
. The road climbs approximately 400 metres in under 2 miles up onto Exmoor
Exmoor

Exmoor is a National Parks of England and Wales situated on the Bristol Channel coast of South West England England. The park straddles two counties, with 71% of the park located in Somerset and 29% located in Devon....
: 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. At the bottom of the hill there have been numerous accidents when coaches have crashed into walls as their brakes failed.

In 1899 a 10 ton lifeboat was somehow manoeuvred down this hill using 20 horses, after an epic overland journey from Lynmouth. Porlock was the only safe harbour from which to launch, such were the storm conditions, and the endeavour enabled 13 seamen to be rescued.

There is a less steep toll road
Toll road

A toll road, , is a road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels....
 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.

Woody Bay

At Martinhoe Cross in Devon — about five miles west of Lynton
Lynton

Lynton is a small village in Devon, England. It lies on the northern edge of Exmoor and is located at the top of a gorge above Lynmouth, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway....
 and two miles east of Parracombe
Parracombe

Parracombe is a very small village near Lynton, in Devon, England. It is situated in the River Heddon Valley, a fold of Exmoor, which rises to 1,575 ft....
 — on the north side of the A39 lies a once disused but, in 2004, restored and reopened railway station
Woody Bay railway station

Woody Bay, within the Exmoor National Park, is a station on the former Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, a famously scenic narrow gauge railway line that ran through Exmoor from Barnstaple to Lynton and Lynmouth in North Devon....
. Woody Bay was once an intermediate stop on, and is now the main operating centre of, the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track narrow gauge railway just over 19 miles long running through the rugged and picturesque area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England....
 a narrow-gauge line built in 1898, which closed in 1935. Over- and under-bridges and other traces of the line can be seen at various locations along this stretch of the road.

Atlantic Highway

Atlantic Highway is the name given to a section of the A39, as it passes from the North Devon Link Road
A361 road

The A361 is a major road in England and at 195 miles is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK. It runs south from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast to Barnstaple, turning south-east to Tiverton, Devon then, after a break , north east from Taunton in Somerset through Street, Somerset and Glastonbury, past Frome, Somerset and then into Wiltsh...
 in Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
 until it reaches the A30
A30 road

The A30 is an old trunk road which runs from central London to Land's End, the westernmost point of the mainland of southern Great Britain , and is sometimes called the Great South West Road....
 at Fraddon
Fraddon

Fraddon is a village in central Cornwall, United Kingdom. It was situated on the course of the A30 road road which is now re-routed south of the village as a dual carriageway Bypass )....
 in Cornwall
Cornwall

Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
, England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
.

It is so called, as it is the main road (it was a trunk road until 2002) from mid-Cornwall to North Devon and follows the line of the Atlantic Ocean's coast. It is also named thus due to the former Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)

The Southern Railway , was a British railway company established in the Railways Act 1921. It linked London with the English Channel ports, South West England and Kent....
 express that ran in this part of North Devon and North Cornwall (the Atlantic Coast Express
Atlantic Coast Express

The Atlantic Coast Express was an express passenger train in England between Waterloo station, London and seaside resorts in the south west. It ran between 1926 and 1964: at its peak it included coaches for nine separate destinations....
). Views of the Atlantic can be seen along its length, although the road does not approach very close to the coastline itself.

The road is signified as the Atlantic Highway by road signs indicating the route mileage throughout its length, in both directions, in white on brown above the green background of the route mileage boards.

It passes by Wadebridge
Wadebridge

Wadebridge is a town in North Cornwall, England, UK, located on the River Camel Estuary some 5 miles upstream from Padstow. For many years Wadebridge was a traffic congested town but in 1991 the Wadebridge bypass was opened together with the Egloshayle bypass causing the two settlements to regain much of their former charm....
, Bude
Bude

Bude is a small seaside resort town in North Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, at the mouth of the River Neet. Bude is twinned with Ergué-Gabéric, France....
 and Bideford
Bideford

Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, South West England England. It is also the main town of the Torridge Districts of England....
, and directly through Camelford
Camelford

Camelford is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.The town lies on the River Camel, and a few miles north-west of the highest part of Bodmin Moor....
.

See also

  • L&B Railway Project
    Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Company Limited

    The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Company Limited is a private company, limited by guarantee, with no share capital.Incorporated on 11 August 1993 as The Lynton & Barnstaple Light Railway Company Limited , the company is registered at Companies House in Great Britain...


External links