Any suggestions for a 20k or so ride from Buckfastleigh, South Brent , Ivy Bridge area?

Cheers

out the back of buckfastleigh, up through hembury woods, over by venford to dartmeet. climb dartmeet, dr blackalls drive to newbridge, back up the hill to the top of hembury and down the zig-zags from the fort.

like this.

http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTU3MjI0MA==

http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTU3MjI0Nw==

Thanks guys.

Any idea if it is possible to follow the river Dart south from Dartmeet to near the bottom of Dr Blackalls? I can see a segment on Strava, but there’s no path on the OS Map.

No. That’s a kayak segment. Not rideable, just about walkable.

Hah, glad I asked!

Dr blackalls is worth the road climb out of dartmeet. It’s a beast but not that long. Bear in mind if it’s been raining a lot, the west dart crossing just before dartmeet is stepping stones and probably not safe

There are also a couple of extra loops around newbridge you can do pretty easily. Look for son of dr blackall on Strava.

This is a 20 mile loop which goes through South Brent up to Avon Dam then loops over towards Red Lake and the tramway back to Ugborough beacon.

Avon Dam loop

Winter route? I’ve never been up to the Avon dam.

Get up there before it gets too wet & boggy – deffo not a Winter route – the loop around the north side of Avon reservoir is a good technical ride with a few stream crossings, at the far end you are aiming for a granite clapper bridge, across the bridge then it’s hike-a-bike up the very steep slope to the tramway, which is a stone road back towards Ivybridge, turn off near the end & it’s a nice steep downhill to the gate.

I went to Red Lake on this ride & it’s not worth the effort as parts of the track were waterlogged 🙁