Camping nr Paignton on Sunday for 4 nights, where should I ride? It will have to be a couple of hours at a time as it will mean leaving the missus and boy without wheels.

So what’s fun? If it helps I’m more about smiles than miles. Trail centres fine or natural if you’ve got a GPX going begging..

Camping near Gawton for nights after that.

Thanks in advance, you’ve not let me down yet 🙂

Haldon and then there is stuff for the family to do.

Lustleigh cleave for a taste of dartmoor.

In typical STW fashion I won’t answer your question, but instead suggest getting some battered chips from the chip shop just down from the station on the way to the sea front. nom nom nom.

That depends on whether they have skin on, I’m a Bradford lad and we do good Fish & Chips up here which we only eat on Fridays & never with skin (& good curry of course).

I’ve just re read that, battered chips!

Your on the edge of Dartmoor, some great routes around there but you would need more than 2 hours, half a day to a full day at least
I had a similar issue when we stayed in Paignton earlier in the year and I ended up not really getting out much
I did do a couple of laps and had a bit of an explore around Haldon Forest though whilst wife and daughter explored the Gruffalo trail. Was okay for stretching the legs but not exactly technical or that exciting

In that case, what’s the best 1/2 day in that area of Dartmoor? I’ve got a Garmin if anybody’s got a route?
1/2 day out and a play at Haldon over 4 days would be perfect 🙂

I love curry sauce and chips.

Is there an mbr classic ride on dartmoor on their website ? Or maybe on bikeradar? They usually have GPS routes to download

There’s MBR classic and local classic though.. And your right, curry sauce and chips is lovely 🙂

And, more importantly, which local real ale?

Haldon is worth a look, there is a locals ride on a Wednesday at 6:30pm starting at the Ley arms in Kenn. The ride is all on the cheeky stuff so better than the blue/red.

As for the moor, the below is about 2-3hrs

Park at the house of marbles in Bovey Tracey, ride up green lane to Haytor, follow tramway to Smallacombe rocks, down to river, up and out of valley to hound tor (ride traverse to right of the tor and up road). Follow road around to Bowermans nose, take bw over and then road to Manaton, bp to Water, then bp down into valley. from here take the path along the river and then out to old railway line back into Bovey.

It’s a pretty easy route to follow and includes a fair few good bits.

edit – Dartmoor Legend for ale.

Ta Burchy, I’ll have a look at the maps and see if I can work that out. Bw = bridleway, bp = ?

Sorry not sure what I was typing there meant to be bw

No advice on riding – I’m sure there are more knowledgeable locals who can help.
But Rockfish in Dartmouth does the most amazing pickled onion battered onion rings. Tried them last week out of curiosity. You’ll put on a couple of pounds just looking at them, but by God are they gorgeous.

FFS, best battered chips are in Exmouth – Krispies on Exeter Road!

Mugboo – burchy’s suggested Dartmoor ride is similar to the one I took you on so you know that won’t disappoint (not a quick cheeky couple of hrs blast mind). Getting someone to show you the cheeky stuff at Haldon is a good idea as there’s some decent stuff in there mate – if you can’t get a guide I’m sure the dreaded strava will show up most of the stuff.

Cheers Steve, might pack my lights then.

Thank you one and all for your ride advice and culinary delights… Looking forward to washing down my battered stuff with a pint of Legend 🙂

I went to Exeter with the family a few weeks ago. Rode haldon with the family, which was fun, but not great on the red. However I rode the mbr killer loop from Lustleigh, dartmoor one day and that was excellent! Lots of pushing to start with though.

WRT the wednesday night ride on haldon it usually gets back to the ley for 9. you could cut short fairly easily if you really needed to.
and yes, you will need lights now.

Battered chips? What the hell are you sick south-westerners doing?

PS – bring me some back please Jason. They sound epic.

https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/8035

Hows that look Birchy?

While I’m that close to Lustleigh, which BW should I push up and ride back down before resuming Birchy’s route?

No night riding, just realized that the missus and kid need the van to sleep in so I cant stay out that late!

And if you’ve not used Justgoride to create GPX routes, try it, its great. Even for a technical dunce like me 🙂

Dave, make it a mission for your new van cos I reckon they’ll be soggy by the time I get back. That’s if I survive Gawton on the way back….. Hopefully good practice for Cock Hill Enduro.

Mugboo YGM

Thanks for that 🙂

I went to Paignton yesterday.
Being a southerner through and through I was shocked. Small scale Blackpool without any class IMHO.
The best bit was the play park on the seafront.
It was great escaping the town in a steam train though.
Dartmouth is lovely BTW. Totnes is worth a visit as well.
Buy the “jubilee” travel card and get two/three days of boat/train/bus travel locally. The kids love it.

I think it has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe. It’s certainly not what I was expecting in the south west but good chips 🙂

That would be about right Rob2.
That and the top place to buy Loom bands cheap, fake cigs, sugar coated everything and tatt :O/
They still had 2p machines on the pier though. Top effort for that I guess.

Id better not showing the missus this thread now, she will book somewhere else…

Although the steam train might win her back over. If she didn’t insist on using the Sun camping vouchers!!

“sun camping vouchers” – suddenly it all becomes clear!

I think it has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe

Last I knew of that statistic, that award belonged to Honiton!

It’s a shame because I understand the comparison to Blackpool, as unfair as it may be. TQ’s poorer sister basically.

From Paignton, you can easily get to a lot of other nice places; Dartmouth as mentioned above, is a good shout.

Timbur, her Northern tightness knows no bounds! Although, in Sept all the scrotes are back at school..

& thanks Crispy

Should be nice weather this weekend though

Being a former Dorset boy I use to love Sept-March. You get the county back and the beaches are stunning in winter.
Don’t seem to struggle so much in Lewes. Brightons a nightmare all year but the SDW always offers peace and quiet.

Any places that a couple with a 3 yr old and a spaniel shouldn’t miss?

Sugary Cove, round the coastal path from Dartmouth. You can walk all the way over to Slapton on it usually, but a footbridge got swept away in the storms, apparently. Or you could try walking to the day mark from Kingsbridge via the gun emplacements and coastwatch station. Depends on how good your three year old is at walking. Sugary’s relatively short (and you can always stop at Dartmouth castle for ice cream in both directions. Day mark is a longer walk.

Daymark is at Kingswear, not Kingsbridge.

Sugary Cove to Slapton is a bloody long walk for a three year old. If you do go that way then watch out for Land Rovers reversing off nearby cliffs

Hey up Slugwash. long time no see.

The DayMark is a cracking spot on a nice day.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8ohRP]daymark 1shot[/url] by del_p, on Flickr

pretty flat, easy walk from the CP nearby, then you can go on towards the fortifications and stuff, or wonder along the cliffs.

Hey up Slugwash. long time no see.

Hang on, didn’t I see you in the toilet at Haldon only last week end?

[url=https://flic.kr/p/p4yEF2]Del[/url] by Dittisham Stickleback Breeding Station, on Flickr

😉

Digging a new patio there, Del?

I’ve got both mother-in-law and mother staying.

That’s some dodgy reversing!