Dartmoor

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Bodhbh

Guru
Only been once - across the middle and back round the North side. It's lumpy, but I didn't think it's was *that* bad once you reach the tops. Had a go at some off-road stuff. Take the bridlepaths with a pinch of salt, there can be no visible route and your walking your bike across bog. Perhaps my navigation. Love to go again, but it's 2.5hrs on the train and then onwards from Exeter, even down here from Salisbury. Not really an excuse.
 

briantrumpet

Legendary Member
Location
Devon & Die
Only been once - across the middle and back round the North side. It's lumpy, but I didn't think it's was *that* bad once you reach the tops.
One of my favourite rides on a nice day. Yes, hilly, but not silly hilly.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1340899

Ignore the tag at the end in Tavistock - that's a diversion to see some friends there.
 
OP
OP
ozboz

ozboz

Guru
Location
Richmond ,Surrey
As said , I have spent time there , i just remember it was quite hill bound , now I'm not a whimp , but I do have a perineal nerve/muscle problem , so left leg not firing on all cylinders at the mo , but , it is improving slightly, plus my bike has got an 11-25 10 speed cassette , which I am going to have changed to 30 or even 34 if I go with a 105 rear dr tomake things a bit bit easier , so , I am keeping with the flatish and narrow fir a while , Ive got my sights set on the Nortumbria , coast road ride ,
 

Archeress

Veteran
Location
Bristol
Having lived in Devon for a significant part of my life I have been up on Dartmoor many times. As people have said, it is very hilly, but generally more so in the north part of the moor. One suggestion I have for a ride is to start at Burrator reservoir and follow the dismantled railway line towards Princetown. I have only ever walked it, the path back then was just grassed over if I remember rightly. En route you'll pass an old quarry that is now flooded, think it's called Foggintor Quarry. Once in Princetown there is an excellent pub for lunch. Then follow a track that goes out onto the moor again behind the pub, gentle climb, looking out for a path on the right that will lead you back towards Burrator, passing close to Crazy Well Pool. The latter stages will be a bit rough so MTB would be recommended. All told will probably be about 15 miles.

However there are many old tramways across the moor, and there is also an old carriage drive Dr Blackalls Drive that is again off road, but a bit gnarly, has a good drop on it too for those that like downhill riding.

Hugs
Archeress x
 
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OP
ozboz

ozboz

Guru
Location
Richmond ,Surrey
Having lived in Devon for a significant part of my life I have been up on Dartmoor many times. As people have said, it is very hilly, but generally more so in the north part of the moor. One suggestion I have for a ride is to start at Burrator reservoir and follow the dismantled railway line towards Princetown. I have only ever walked it, the path back then was just grassed over if I remember rightly. En route you'll pass an old quarry that is now flooded, think it's called Foggintor Quarry. Once in Princetown there is an excellent pub for lunch. Then follow a track that goes out onto the moor again behind the pub, gentle climb, looking out for a path on the right that will lead you back towards Burrator, passing close to Crazy Well Pool. The latter stages will be a bit rough so MTB would be recommended. All told will probably be about 15 miles.

However there are many old tramways across the moor, and there is also an old carriage drive Dr Blackalls Drive that is again off road, but a bit gnarly, has a good drop on it too for those that like downhill riding.

Hugs
Archeress x
Burrator is where I stayed , in the Burrator pub , had a nice time ,
Thanks for the info , maybe later or next year we will go there
 

Lee-M

Active Member
I did the Dartmoor Way a week or so ago . It was the Thursday/ Friday of really bad rain . The rain aside it was a very good ride from Okehampton going anti clockwise . Although it is marked as Dartmoor Way it follows three different NCN routes to do the full circle although just around the southern part they have a specific joining up route .
There are a couple of points that are a bit ambiguous with signs ( if you are doing it the old fashioned way with GPS). The first is just after Lydford and the other is Bovey Tracey . Knock on a door and you will soon be put right . The BT one will probably be ok soon as I think the signs had been taken down due to road and park works .
Another cyclist came to me at Lydford when I looked a bit lost and suggested I get to Ivybridge via Plymouth but even with my scant knowledge of the area I thought Plymouth was a few miles out of the way .I followed him for a while past Tavistock but had to make my excuses soon after . People can be very helpful and indeed he was but perhaps there is such a thing as too much help.
The ride can be done in two days without much bother.
 

Bodhbh

Guru
One of my favourite rides on a nice day. Yes, hilly, but not silly hilly.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1340899

Ignore the tag at the end in Tavistock - that's a diversion to see some friends there.

That's pretty much the route I took. The differences were that I took the climb from Chagford >> Fenworthy Reservoir and headed x-country to Postbridge and camped at Princetown. Next day I had thd bright idea of of cutting out that dogleg around Tavistock by heading NW x-country again. A 'shortcut' which took us 3-4hrs. I'd say it was a nice ride despite that, but it was mostly pushing!
 
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