Anyone got a bridle way route for Devn coast to coast – essentially, across Dartmoor and Exmoor? As little road as possible really. I know there’s a footpath, but thats definitely not (officially) rideable, and there must be some interesting routes? Finishing Start Point lighthouse would be ideal, but ideas/gpx files welcome!

Are you just looking for traffic free or is the quality of the riding more important?

The offical route is mostly traffic free but is very casual as it’s on old railway lines. It’s a nice route to do with any the family/ less active cyclists. That here – http://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/national-cycle-network/long-distance-rides/england/devon-coast-to-coast

For a more off-road challenge then I think a quality evening with the OS maps is in order! I can certainly imagine there must be a fantastic route taking in the best parts of Dartmoor & Exmoor you could plot.

There’s a couple of routes in the Rough Ride Guide to the South West-
good price here

Planning to do one myself soon, esp as I live at the 1/2 way point!

*watching with interest as have thought about this this summer*

Also watching with interest 🙂

would love to do a good off road c2c in devon

IIRC Dibbs off here has done this but he started very early from Plymouth & finished at Minehead at silly o’clock, he also did it a fair few years ago so not sure if he had/used a GPS for the route.

I’ve done the Sustrans route 27 C2C in a day, 115 miles & 10 hrs riding on a great cyclepath/bw route. If you’re gonna go all off road then I would probably allow 2 easyish days or one full on v.hard day in the saddle.

I’ve looked at this a few times & I’ve yet to find a doable route that floats my boat.

Am looking for a decent route that has good quality riding, interesting paths/moorland routes, and traffic free as much as possible. Thanks for the input so far – seems like some interest and maybe a couple of ideas. OS maps here I come. Will probably look to do iron 2 days, mostly on account of my fitness…..

do you know (well) any of the areas you will be going through ?
It maybe worth asking here for local knowledge of specific areas and then link together trails…
south devon based here if you need any help, but its fairly obvious (but a bit dull) to use the cycle path (sustrans route 27) to tavistock from plymouth. could detour a few twiddly bits here and there on the way though..

xcentric, easygirl et al, I have spent many days over the winter perfecting just what you are looking for, resulting in a South West Summits Coast to Coast route! Plymouth to Minehead via the summits of Dartmoor and Exmoor and some of the best bits of both,with singletrack, exposed moorland, woodland trails, old railway lines, beaches etc. totals 230km and 2650m of climbing, 85% off road and 99% rideable. An awesome route with real mix of terrain and trails. Take a closer look at http://www.wildbike.co.uk/south_west_summits_coast_to_coast.html This is a new one for us at WildBike but something I’ve been polishing to perfection over the last few years. Choice of cool camping/bunkhouses or B&B/hotels.

ah dammit I dont have a 29er or a ht.. 🙁

Really fancy doing something like this. Like other previous posters I live en route (Dartmoor) so sure we could string together a good route if we put our heads together. Maybe do a SW version of the Welsh Ride Thing even?

Wild bike sounds excellent,four days is more time than I can spare though..
Sounds like a summer of fun for me to plan… 😀
Easygirl those Pro 3 wheels have been fab 🙂 thanks

robbieclay – thanks for the link. I’d join you if I wanted a group trip, but am wanting 2 long days really. Maybe 3. Osince its your business, ill not ask you to post up the gpx file 🙂 Will start on the OS maps – am often down near start point so may start from there and head N. will post a route on here if/when I sort one, and get specific suggestions for bits to improve – have only ridden on Dartmoor once recently,around haytor, and once on exmoor many years ago, so some specialist advice will be welcomed.

Robbie, looks fantastic
Don’t want to,be guided, but looks great for someone who does
You can’t mail me the gpx file,can you?

You might want to have a look at the first bit of EWE.

Starts in Plymouth, goes through Dartmoor, then takes the Sustrans route over to Exmoor.

Details and GPX file here:

Route

Thanks Aidan 😀

Aidan – thanks for this – can see from your blog that you’ve ridden chunks of it too. How does it ride- interesting, challenging singletrack with great views and descents? or bit of a grind it out route? Followed some of it over Dartmoor so far using Google Earth, which looks interesting, but I’ve not ridden that area enough to know whether this is a great way to go. Guess this is all helping me refine my requirements – am not looking for the quickest way, nor the hardest way, but the way that is, without too many meanders, the one that takes in the best bits of riding along the way – so detours to the best tracks are worthwhile. but large meanders and loops just to fit them in are probably out….. Would hope to do it in three days, and reckon I’d try b&b on the route and take very little gear. Might bivvy out, but that’s a whole load more kit (compared to a long day ride at least).

Resurrecting this topic as I am keen to ride a Devon C2C with a few mates must be mainly off road, it will be in May, looking at Aidans EWE is really interesting Is this mainly off road ? Has anyone got any gps routes they tried this year they are proud of? We have all done the South Downs Way and are looking for a similar 2-3 day ride any other suggestions?

Have a look at Tim Woodcock westcountry way, search on Amazon for the book. Starts in Plymouth and ends in Minehead with extra loop across quantocks to link back to Taunton

The Westcountry Way book is long out of print but a version is available from Tim Woodcock’s website http://www.mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_WestcountryWay_details.htm £8.50.
I do have a GPS tracklog somewhere but it may not follow the route totally accurately at the Minehead end because we where pretty tired by then (it had been a long day).
I can’t believe it was back 0n 16th May 2002 we did that.

Thanks Mendippete and Dibbs, book ordered, I have also just seen the Cambrian way, I will have to do both!

We did the ride in Summer a few years ago:

Girlie bike with panniers half empty:

Edit: we had to change our route due to the amount of rain that had been coming down even before we started. Every day it bloomin’ rained and we had one day where two of our group were on the verge of hypothermia, that was scary. This was in August.

I have a gpx somewhere I’ll fish it out.

I’ve always thought it would be better to start at Minehead and go to Plymouth, getting the harder riding out of the way first. I’ve only ever tried Plymouth to Minehead because I’m heading towards home.

I’d be interested in a gpx of this route too. I’m planning a weekend to do Minehead->Plymouth late spring/early summer.

Ta!

Liking the look of the Devon coast to coast :0) … did a similar thing over Christmas, Aberystwyth to Birmingham over 3 days

I just moved to within 100 metres of the Barnstaple area bit that I used for EWE, so I’ll be honing it to perfection over the next few months. There are a couple of really good ones that I’ve discovered within close reach of home!

The existing route is:

Sustrans from Plymouth to Dartmoor, off-road to Okehampton, Sustrans to Barnstaple, some road to get into Exmoor, then off-road through Exmoor and into the Quantocks.

Best time of year for a crossing of Dartmoor is Easter/spring – you want nice weather, but preferably frozen/hard ground.
Ontor and myself did a north to south offroad crossing of Dartmoor earlier this year, and the plan is to link that to an Exmoor crossing for a C2C at some point.

#ajantom#, what was your dartmoor route? Oke – Plymouth, be interested to know which way you went. definitely a weekend trip that’s on the cards for this year sometime. don’t fancy it for a while though, it’s proper boggin up there at the moment..

This was our route – http://app.strava.com/activities/47001919 – ended up in Ivybridge via the old mining railway route. It’s a nice 5 mile downhill to finish with 😉
Hoping to do it again this year at some point, adding in the top half via Exmoor, and an overnight bivi somewhere in the middle.

Hi
Just seen this post.
We did it a few years ago started at Porlock headed towards Tar Steps then across to dartmoor postbridge and finished at Start Point. Don’t remember the exact route but buy the 1:25000 OS maps mark them up the bridleways and permitted routes, pick off a few good pubs to stay along the route. Most will let you drop a night bag leave a car at either end and Bob’s yer Uncle. You could do it in two days but two and a half is more enjoyable! The bigger the group the longer it will take. 4 is a good number!
Cheers