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I did it in my Bambi in October, was a bit hairy to say the least at one point thought I'd have to get out & push, but made it!  wouldn't advise using the toll road from Lynmouth though, it gets very narrow and at one point I thought it was going through someone's garden!

Debbym

I often gp through Porlock as its only a few minutes drive from here..well, about 15 minutes anyway. Before I moved here from Norfolk I used to visit and once took a long wheel base transit with a 22 foot caravan on the back up there, it was real hairy but we made it. My friend followed with a similar caravan but using landrover to tow. His wife was driving and she managed to stall it on the bend on Porlock hill. The air was blue with curses and I have only heard language like it since then when people pitch tents!!

Motorhome should be no problem though if you remember to keep the revs up. If you know the hill is there its not so bad really..

We have been up and down it in an Autosleeper Duetto with a non turbo engine.  Given the choice I would rather go up it than down it because coming down we suffered from Brake fade as it was December I would think they would have been glowing red.

Next time I think we would try the toll road.

Going down was definately worse - could smell the brakes at the bottom, and as for that bend - don't even like Porlock Hill in the car although its not so bad if you can get a run at it first!

Debbym

we went up and down in our ole mk 2 ford transit diesil advantura no problems,low gear up n down,pulled up there a treat,coming down was ok with low gear and cadence style of braking ........................very best wishes billy in brum :-)

Went up last year and had the misfortune to meet someone just coming down as we started. Hairy reverse to allow them to pass but then completed the climb. I wasn't familiar with the road but now I know what to expect it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

Don

AJ,

If you are worried, try using the road from Exford to Porlock - I was worried we wouldn't make Porlock, so found a 'roundabout' route using what looks like a tiny road on the map.

Having 'discovered' it, I now would go 20 miles out of way JUST to use this road - the scenery is amongst the best on Exmoor, and worth the journey alone.

Roi - couple of absolutely brilliant 'wild' spots too, in a severe dip half way between Exford & Porlock- very sheltered, and level, next to a stream.

Barney

I was there a few weeks ago. I have driven up Porlock in my 1992 Renault Master: I made the mistake of ignoring the 'Engage Lowest Gear Now' warning just before the first bend; I attempted it in second ... bad mistake; the first bend was ok but then the road gets *steep* a quick shift down to first was a bit fraught as the van stopped dead mid change and there is always some goon driving six feet behind isn't there .....

....well I didn't go up there this time because my wife was adamant that she didn't want to but we did walk part way up .... and there is this mid 1950's Bristol Loddeka open top bus coming down ..... so if *that* can, so can you. I think this is a regular service from Minehead to Lynmouth so if yous scared of driving your 'van up there you could go on that.

I don't have any sense of smell at the moment but my wife told me that the whole of Porlock village stank of hot brake linings: can't be too healthy living there ....

Harvey

Back in the early 50's I built a Ford 8 from S/H bits but starting with a new chassis and I took it down to Porlock to try it out. With only a 3 speed box, first was more than essential. Half way between the 2 hairpins the A30 in front stopped (SHE had tried to go up in second) then it started to roll backwards and with the down lane solid with traffic I too was forced to retreat. Just before the btm. Hairpin there was what looked like a bit of a grass verge ( now a part of the road) and the A30 was catching up FAST so I aimed for the grass. BIIIIIG mistake the council had mowed it level but it contained the the drainage ditch, in went my N/S back wheel and up came the bonnet like something out of NASA. Fortunately the crowd that always collected at the bottom (an early version of a stock car audience) raced up got out my passengers and lugged the front bumper down, then with a lot of heaving and shoving got the car back on the road. The A30 finished up neatly parked in the old wooden Garage at the bottom (although the the the doors were still shut at the time).  My old lady got so hot in the extrication process that it knackered 2 exhaust valves and we came back to Leicester on 2 cylinders. Each and every hill no matter how slight had to be taken in reverse (lowest ratio). As if this wasn't bad enough the rollocking I got from the girlfriends Dad 'cos we were obviously rather late home was worse than any I had on the Drill Square.

Happy Days.

Oh on another occasion I witnessed a Bedford Duple 29 seater with its bonnet locked firmly in the boot of an AEC bus after brake failure. The AEC driver had brought both busses of passengers down most of the hill locked into each other. At the bottom he could hold it no longer and ran them both into the sand.The only injuries, a number of the passegers who had fainted. Then Plod arrived all bluster and started to berate the hero driver until of the passengers, weedy looking little guy sauntered over and hit the copper so hard on the nose that he was out for the count. There were no witnesses. He must have had a nose bleed.

Some of 'em never change. 

The hill is a doddle today.