I have a yearning to ride to do a long distance multiday ride. As I live in Bournemouth the obvious (to me) choice is a coast to coast going through Dartmoor and Exmoor.
The only decisions I have made so far is that it will go South to North to get a following wind, it will take two days (Bivi or B&B somewhere) and it will end in Minehead.
There is a place in Devon called Start Point, there isn't a lot there except a lighthouse but it would be a great place to begin. Public transport means that this isn't really feasible.
Does anyone have any suggestions or tips about planning a route and preparing myself?

Ta

Council website
http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/transport/cycling/leisure_cycle_routes/devon_coast_to_coast.htm
Charity ride from June
http://www.coast-coast.co.uk/
Radio presenter did it here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/outdoors/cycling/coast_part1.shtml
I'm sure Sustrans had details as well.
Try getting hold of dibbs from here, I'm sure he did a route from Plymouth to Minehead

Yep, did this a few years ago – Plymouth to Minehead offroad. Unseasonal weather for August meant floods so we ended up riding on the road. B & B/youth hostels were used, would never ride offroad with panniers again.

To be honest, we got absolutely sick of riding every day in torrential rain, strong winds and freezing cold. It was only at the pub in the evening that we could laugh about it.

Let me know if you need any more info 🙂

plymouth to minehead surely won't take more than one day?

plymouth to minehead surely won't take more than one day?

We did it in 20 hours, (left Plymouth Hoe at midnight got to Minehead seafront at 20:00hrs).
We followed the route below (didn't do the Quantocks extension because we ride that all the time anyway), it was about 112 miles.
WestcountryWay
BTW Minehead to Plymouth may be the better way to do it as you get the hard bit (Exmoor) out of the way first.

thats about what i thought.

Thanks everyone.
I think doing it one day would be a bit much, i want to enjoy myself and that means taking my time, having a bit of an explore and not going to Plymouth.

Dibbs – Would you recommend the route you took as being a good taste of Dartmoor/Exmoor?
CG – It sounds like you took a more leisurely approach. How long did it take you?

A few years ago i started in Instow and rode across Dartmoor.Stayed in the Youth Hostel at Bellever overnight .Then the next day rode on down to Salcombe and stayed at the hostel at Overbecks .Seem to remember it was good apart from a puncture in the middle of nowhere!

Thanks oldfart that really helps. I will avoid punctures

I know Start Point. Used to holiday at Beesands just along the coast. I'm sure you could get public transport to Kingsbridge, then down to Hallsands to make a proper start there. I'm pretty sure there's accomodation around there, or you could just bivvi near the lighthouse, there's lots of quiet places around the beaches and clifftops, and Beesands has a good pub, the Cricket Inn, which does B&B. I'm sure you could sort something out along those lines. Lovely countryside and coast down there, very fond memories of the area, planning on visiting again soon.

We caught the train to Plymouth so probably arrived there mid-afternoon, overnight at Princetown, overnight at Cheriton Bishop, overnight at Exford. But we did a little detour by train to avoid a busy road.

Cream tea in Minehead, oh yes 8)

Oh CG, that looks quite rough going.

Dibbs – Would you recommend the route you took as being a good taste of Dartmoor/Exmoor?

Yes, I wouldn't write off Plymouth, apart from a few miles right at the start its mostly off road up onto the moor, it you start from somewhere like Start Point you'll end up using country lanes for a large part and you'll miss a fair bit of Dartmoor.

If you start from Laira bridge in Plymouth, you can follow the Plym valley cycleway past Saltrams house & up to Yelverton on the edge of Dartmoor all offroad – http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=250258&y=54260&z=120&sv=250258,54260&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=647&ax=250258&ay=54260&lm=0