Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross.. - Bike Forum

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

kaiser — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 22:59:49 +0000

As Yunki was told ......Isn't it left at higher thornton farm up the bridleway and NOT as shown on the maps above? I wasn't aware there was another route joining half way up holloway lane ...think that's the name (of course I may be wrong!)

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

Anonymous — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:28:01 +0000

Saw the Haldon to Powerham route and wondered if this option could turn it into a loop. Any suggestions would be welcome (the last part is my attempt at creating the end of the red route)

http://www.corbetteer.co.uk/public/drawmap.php?un=focusrider&rn=HaldonPowderhamLoop

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

yunki — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:24:16 +0000

Not really no.. I lived there between the ages of three and eight though..

My family were a band of wandering minstrels and we always had to move on whenever my dad inevitably got one of the village girls up the duff or when my mum inevitably got caught in a comprimising act behind the church with the local constable..

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

bassspine — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:39:31 +0000

I'm pleased it worked out well :-) You a Ken'on boy?

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

yunki — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:41:44 +0000

Well that were a grand day out...

I met some gnarly young youfs on DH bikes at the top of St Andrews and they tried to tempt me to play on the trails there for a bit but I grudgingly declined on account of my wussyness and my overwhelming desire to keep my tyres in contact with the ground..

This desire was soon alleviated however while gleefully leaping and frolicking like a week old fawn as I headed down the lane... ace

I got turned back by two old boys in a landrover a couple of miles furthur on.. 'there's nuffin up 'ere boey.. you want's to go back to Higher Thornton farm and take the broidleway up there..'
Not wanting to explain as they were already shaking their heads and laughing at my peculiar clothes and hobby I turned around and followed their directions..

Before I had time to be upset with myself for bowing to peer pressure though.. my self-defeat turned to relief as a cataclysmic and bewildering barrage of shotgunfire was unleashed from the direction that I had been heading towards previously.. it lasted all the way past Haydon Common where I almost literally stumbled upon a group of very dark grey.. quite small Deer.. A welcome break from the gunshots.. which I have an aversion to due to the people I owe money to and the hearts I have broken over the years.. (not really.. I'm just paranoid..)

The rest of the journey home was pretty uneventful but enjoyable and taken leisurely.. and it was a nice feeling returning to Kenton after 30 years.. the carpark at the triangle was where I first ever rode a bike without stabilisers!

I got home pretty tired and that's just the way that I like it..

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

yunki — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:44:14 +0000

That's brilliant.. that route also passes within a gnats chuff of the place where my folks are staying at the moment so I can pop in for a cuppa..
thanks mate

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

bassspine — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:21:20 +0000

I was thinking about this.

As you come down through the Holly wood below Hayden lodge, the path crosses a bridal path. Go along that, take a left onto another bridal path and when it comes out on the road, cross and go along the sandy track, then right towards Kenton.

http://i52.tinypic.com/1pwmdw.jpg

swift hacknslash but should give you the gist

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

eviljoe — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:04:55 +0000

Excellent. I must try this :-)

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

yunki — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:28:14 +0000

well.. I'll let you know when I'm planning similar again.. I may even try to make it a bit of a regular thing as it's quite a convenient area for family commitments..

Maybe with some more exploration I'd like to try and incorporate a few local landmarks such as the obelisk..

Re: Haldon.. Ashcombe.. Mamhead.. Starcross..

bassspine — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 22:33:52 +0000

I'd be happy to join you, but I'm working in Exmouth cycle training.My last cycling work this year.