[Closed] Combe Martin - what roads to ride?

There's a lovely ride from Combe Martin; head towards Blackmore Gate, then Simonsbath, across Brendon common to Hillsford Bridges then Barbrook and back to Blackmoor Gate and back into Combe Martin.

Bear in mind there are some pretty big hills in that loop and some daunting climbs. Check it out before you commit yourself.

It's a few hours and about 55-60km

Thanks Jag. Does this look about right...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1c79QLtK2X_b1qsCDs2PVQ1kStGI&usp=sharing

Quite a bit of it on the A39. Busy road?

Just explore and bring your climbing legs, all the coastal roads are good.

Heres an example

https://www.strava.com/activities/193381392#4546448912

Joses lane is a nice climb and the coastal stuff between CM and ilfracombe is nice. The toll road towards valley of the rocks/ lee abbey/ lynmouth is a lovely ride too.

Also the roads that the smuggler sportive uses are nice

http://www.thesmugglersportive.co.uk/2014/03/view-all-routes-for-the-smuggler/

Theres a nice coastal loop if ytu head via mullacott cross to braunton, turn right out past saunton, croyde then georgeham. Drop down challacombe hill into woolacombe and climb back out via mortehoe if you have the legs.

climbing challacombe hill is in the 100 best climbs

your route is ok, the bit on the a39 is a bit of a drag to be honest, the smuggler route via valley of the rocks is a good way to cut some of that out. The bit from simonsbath to barbrook is a nice road though.

Figure on 100feet of climbing for each mile ridden!

Thanks creepers, looks lumpy! I should probably make time to dig out the compact 🙂

That Smugglers 40 looks a good bet too.

There's no shame in a compact and a 28 cassette round here! Most of the climbs are short but fairly sharp

The portion of the smuggler 50 route from Brayford to Blackmore gate is good. A Long climb up kinsford hill then a fun descent into simonsbath, a picturesque run to Lynton then a lovely coastal lane climb from lee abbey past woody bay. The sections from Barnstaple to exmoor aren't worth making a special effort for.

The croyde loop I outlined above is nice too

There's a route in issue 25 of cyclist magazine that passes through Combe Martin that you could take some tips from (although it duplicates some of what I've already mentioned

Thanks again creepers. Not sure how much time I'll have to ride so may end up knitting bits of those rides together, but does all look good.

Good idea, it's all fun!

A quick hour from CM would be along the coast to ilfracombe via watermouth, turn left up the B road at the traffic lights just after hele past tescos and two Potts then left on the a3123 and back into CM via rectory road. Would ride ok either clockwise or anti clockwise.

If you fancy a challenge then ride out of CM towards ilfracombe then take (I think 2nd left signpost) to berrynarbor and climb up the sterridge valley. Wave to the llamas then "enjoy" the steep hairpins!

Is that Wood Park Lane that goes up through Sterridge? Might be able to do a nice training loop up there and back down Cross Lane. A few reps of that would do me for a quick session.

Yep. Be impressed if you fancy a "few reps" its a stiff climb, 22% in places

Shute lane off CM high street is another tester,

From there up to vellacott lane and holden down, down joses lane, coffee and cake at the hunters inn then back either the same way or via broad oak hill and the a39 would be another decent little ride.

A quick hour from CM would be along the coast to ilfracombe via watermouth, turn left up the B road at the traffic lights just after hele past tescos and two Potts then left on the a3123 and back into CM via rectory road. Would ride ok either clockwise or anti clockwise.

Did exactly that last night, a nice little ride with the sun coming down. A couple of grinds in the 39-25 along the costal bit but not too bad. Liked the nice steady climb out of Ilfracombe up to the garage turning. Though the descent back down to Combe Martin in the dark was a bit sketchy!

You've scored for weather today and yesterday, don't think the forecast is so good for tomorrow. That's one of my favourite couple of hours from my house routes. The CM descent Is fun in the dry if you can see!

I Spent yesterday afternoon on some cheeky single track near CM. Lots of climbing, some hike a bike and some fun descending

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It'd be a nice day for cruising around the beaches from Braunton to woolacombe today, I just snuck a quick cx hour in from Braunton to saunton and hack through the burrows

Ceepers - must have past you somewhere today surely. I started at Braunton and went off road up Castle Lane and then to Ossaborough. From there down to Woolacombe, across the Warren and along to Croyde. Road around Down end and then across Saunton golf course and Braunton Burrows.
Nice spin on the rough stuff bike to warm up before tomorrows Sarsen Trail on Salisbury Plain.
I live in Bratton by the way.

Possibly! I was out on the cx bike running errands but managed a quick spin to confirm the surf was rubbish!

Figure on 100feet of climbing for each mile ridden!

4,200ft in 38 miles of low cloud and drizzle last night! Like the climb out of Muddiford up towards Ilfracombe, nice and long but not that steep. The descents weren't nearly as much fun as they should have been with crap visibility and wet roads.

Sounds about right!

That's a nice steady tempo climb isn't it? I live in top of the hill to the west of muddiford a couple of miles from the wind farm.

Where else did you go yesterday?

Blimmin windy out there right now!

Probably went pretty close to your place then. I just this this as the weather was grim and didn't much fancy exploring...

https://www.strava.com/activities/562511360

May head up Exmoor way next if the weather improves and I get a bit more time.

Some nice costal roads last night past Saunton and Croyde. Rode with my uncle, me on the road bike and him on his electric mtb. It's not too quick on the flats but it just carries on at the same speed up the hills! Funny to be putting in quite a hard effort up some of the longer climbs and have him riding alongside chatting away.

Glad you tried the coast road - riding next to the sea is one of my great pleasures of living here (well that and surfing in it!)

Funnily enough I had a similar electric bike experience walking my dog yesterday watching a very "unlikely" female cyclist cruising up a hill near my house. She was fine until she had to stop for a car and start off again!

Fair play though if it lets you get out and do some exercise!

Another nice [url= https://www.strava.com/activities/566719003 ]ride last night[/url]. Pieced together a loop from Combe Martin, down through Barnstable and Barunton, then back along the coast. Enjoyed the A39 bit, nicer than it sounds, with a good steady climb and a nice little switchback surprise too. Liked the climb out of Combe Martin up past the Dinosaur place too. Want to come back on the race bike and have a proper go at some of those hills now 🙂

Oh and riding some nice roads and looking out to see the sun set over the ocean, love it 🙂

Did you go through Barnsta[b][u]p[/u][/b]le and B[b][u]ra[/u][/b]unton too?
I was born in the first and grew up in the second. 😉

Yes those too 🙂

Some of us still call it Barum.

My dad's a Barumite from Yeo Vale. 😉

You certainly picked a good week!

There's a fun singletrack descent in the woods next to that a39 switchback climb that I sampled yesterday afternoon. Pretty fun zoom into barney from the top too

Was looking at them hills and thinking there must be some cracking trails to ride round there. Next time maybe 🙂

I'll show you next time maybe!