I’ve got a long weekend staying just outside Exeter over Easter, and have a pass to take bike(s) with me

I’m fancying an afternoon round Haldon if it’s worth it & then a day ride on Dartmoor

So… is Haldon worth it (and what kind of bike is appropriate?)

And does anyone have any decent loops on Dartmoor from the Bovey side?

Thanks in advance!

Mark

Haldon is great.went there yesterday.my buddy and I shared his fatbike.hardwork hardcore! Any bike will go round there!

yes and yes, plenty of riding around.

Afternoon in Haldon is good
Day out on Dartmoor is better ….head for North Bovey or Lustliegh maybe the Warren House in route …maybe a bit damp on top but ok

Hey M0rk, I was at Haldon a couple of weeks back. Do the red loop, with your eyes open, and all the routes used by the Enduro a couple of weeks back are quite obvious !!

There’s quite a few nice little loops up north from Bovey, going up around Lustliegh cleave etc

Excellent!

I’ll get on strava / other to find some loops then – and a proper OS map too….

From memory it’s bridleways only – not open moorland for bikes I guess

shout when you’re about and someone will offer to guide i expect. 😉

Good Friday for Haldon, Sat or Sun for Dartmoor I suspect

Probably would be trying my luck for three days riding!

Yeah, plenty of routes online in various guises for East Dartmoor.

Weather was amazing when i was there:

😉

ah – think we met on haldon max, if that’s a c456?

Ooh could be tempted for a sat / sun ride …….Lustliegh is my fav

It is indeed Del, with gold bits….. 😉

Were you one of the two guys who i chatted to just on the 1st red route road crossing? if so, thansks for the trail tip!

Photo’s have whet my appetite there!

Rocks! None of them on the South Downs

I know what you mean about the rocks! It always takes me a couple of mins to get dialled into them…….. Usually about the time it takes to loose the front wheel down a hole and go OTB 😉

Blue sky !!

I remember the first time I rode down “the Nutcracker”, halfway down giggling like an idiot I realised Mrs Ming had only ever ridden the South Downs before. A minute or so later she arrived in a hail of swear words and rude gestures…… 😀

Nutcracker = grinfest

Max, yep, that were me. that gold will only distract people from the logo on the downtube for so long you know. 😉 give us a shout next time and we’ll show you some stuff. 🙂

It might have been a bit ambitious trying to ride UP the Nutcracker when i was there!

Where’s the Nutcracker?

Lustleigh cleave
even on the OS maps

Yer tis

Nutcracker = grinfest

Still an excellent ride down but sadly not what it was though, 12 months of pretty much non stop rain combined with the increased traffic over the last few years and its a bit of a rutted mess these days 🙁

I’ve got a .gpx of the route i did a couple of weeks back if you want it m0rk ?

That’d be ace Paul – chuck it over on email if you can mark@ seatcupra.net

Ta

Sent! 😉

The Cleave for singletrack for sure but for moorland riding take the route from Bennet’s Cross down through old Vitifer Mine workings, loop through Soussons to Challacombe and up the valley to Headland Warren. Hang a right for Grimspound then over the tops to Bowermans and Hound Tor via Jays Grave. Return via a number of options but don’t miss the ace descent off Birch Tor back to the mine. Warren House for tea and medals (or beer).

I went for a walk around the Cleave with my springer this afternoon, up the Nutcracker, over the top to Hunters Tor, down to the farm, back up towards Ravens but cutting across and back to my car at the bottom of the Nutcracker. I know there’s been some serious rain over the last couple of days so ignoring all the running water it’s not actually that bad. Just a few muddy stretches that should dry out once the rain gives us a break and summer kicks in.

The Nurcracker is pretty cut up from all the water erosion over the last 12 months. I’ve only been riding there for a couple years and its changed a lot since I first remember it. Lots of rocks and roots have appeared which adds to the challenge and keeps it fresh I suppose.

There was a guy up there on a Norco today but he didn’t look like he was making much progress through all the mud.

Fingers crossed the cold, dryish week ahead will hold out for you

I’m going to visit my mate near Haldon Forest sometime in late spring/ early summer (when we’ve sorted dates out)- those photo’s have made me smile. Alot 😀

I have a choice of two bikes, a 1992 Kona Cinder Cone (V Brakes) or a 2004 Instense Spider (full sus, Disc Brakes). Which should be my weapon of choice?

Was at Haldon today. Personally I like to rag my HT there. But out of your two bikes I would always be riding the spider 🙂

@Rossi – before you get too excited all but one of the above photos are on Dartmoor. Only the photo with the bike propped up against a trail sign with the blue sky is Haldon.

Thanks for the hints & tips (and route Paul)

Plotted some points out on the OS Map, so it should be a good ride out

Saturday or Sunday look equally cold / not rainy so that’s an easy choice (both days if I can for Dartmoor)

Just need to choose…. 100mm 29er Hardtail, or 120mm Skills Compensator (actually I want to take my SS, but I think I want to ride, not walk)

For reference my riding locally is a 60 / 40 split between a geared, rigid Karate Monkey and my singlespeed, but I’m something of a luddite!

If I’m honest I tend to pick my battles if on the 1×1 but it’s great fun. There are some routes around here where you’re going to end up pushing or carrying whatever you’re riding though, especially in the wet so a lighter, less complicated bike is sometimes a blessing.

If out for a full days riding just take whatever you’re most comfortable on.

Hope you have a good one.

Haldon was a good crack this afternoon on the SS

Really nicely made trail you guys have here

I think I’ll pop back there on the 29er which has less sketchy tyres on it, and head onto the moor on Sunday

Excellent weekends riding! I will be back for sure (May BH if the property sale hasn’t gone through!)

Popped back to Haldon on Saturday, and did two back to back laps of the Red/Black on the 29er – much easier & faster

Then a fairly short ride on Dartmoor, compared to what I expected to do today – bloody hell those rocks are hard work up hill. Quite a giggle on the way down

Nutcracker was muddy, and it started snowing on the top of Hunter Tor

maxtorque, I’m looking to head down this way next week, is it possible to send over the gpx you have of the local routes to paulinportsmouth _ at _ hotmail.com please?