MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Hi going for a 5 dayer camping near Tavistock, with the Mrs, 2 kids (10 & 12 years old) and dog. Not an area I know well, so would really benefit from some advice on things to do and see whilst in the area.
Things to do which involve riding a bike?
Whereabouts near Tavistock - I grew up near Yelverton so know the area pretty well.
There's loads of biking and walking, it all depends on what you like doing.
For riding? Gawton, tavistock woodlands, grenofen woods, dartmoor, . Loads of great road riding as well. Drakes trail is a nice easy ride for the family with a good adventure playground at yelverton.
If you go north of Tavistock the Granite Way is a nice traffic free cycle path with great views of Dartmoor, not too challenging & you can always detour to Meldon reservoir for a bimble. You can start from Okehampton or Sourton or Bridestowe. A ride around Burrator reservoir near Yelverton is nice but there maybe traffic too on the road. Tavistock Woodlands is nice, off road trails, tree surfing, great walks in the Tamar valley 🙂
As above, more great riding than you can shake a muddy stick at...another good family route is the one out of Princetown to Burrator on the old railway line.
If you get the weather generally it's a fab area for kids if they like simple outdoorsy stuff. Some suggestions:
Bellever Woods. FC car park near the river is great for picnics, paddling etc. Forest roads also good for a family bike ride, and loads of spots to build dens etc.
Some fab spots downstream of Dartmeet for river swimming. Loads of other spots around the moor for a dip if that's your thing. Shilley Pool and the salmon leaps below Castle Drogo both really nice. Teign Gorge as a whole is worth a visit. Fingle Bridge gets rammed at weekends but you can easily escape the crowds.
Kids generally love scrambling around the tors. Combestone Tor, Hound Tor and Bonehill Rocks are all good spots if your kids like climbing stuff.
Steam train ride from Buckfastleigh to Totnes is worth a trip. Canoeing and Kayaking on the river and other fun stuff at Dart River Country park.
Minature Pony Centre is a hit for younger kids.
Off the moor, Dartmouth is lovely and well worth a visit. Loads of nice beaches nearby too - either North Cornwall or South Devon coasts both easy to get to. Morwellham Quay is worth a visit (do the train ride into the mine), and if it rains the aquarium in Plymouth is great - loads of other stuff to do there too. Paignton Zoo also very good.
I've got a load of info I put together for people doing house exchanges with us. If you drop me a pm with your email, I'll be happy to email you a copy.
When it's raining, the fairground museum at [url= http://fairground-heritage.org.uk/ ]Dingles[/url]
There's an old railway bed that runs from Dartmoor so you can do the prison then go for a traffic free ride.
Lydford Gorge is a nice walk.
Castle Drogo is also worth a visit - a nice castle built around the time of WW I with lovely grounds.
If you head out of Yelverton towards Princetown it's a nice drive on a sunny day. Ponies and ice-creams along the way which your 10&12 (girl or boys?) might be interested in.
In Princetown there's the Prison Museum, Dartmoor Visitor Center (i've been to neither) and you can go for a walk heading SE along a very obvious path to at least South Hessary Tor for some more nice views. You can ride along the track to see more but the drainage channels & rocks might be challenging for a beginner or a small wheeled bike. There's plenty of pub food and cafe's in Princetown for afterwards.
There's a steam fair in Tavy on the 1st July IIRC it can get v'busy when that's on. Also there's a pretty cool (for a kid) swimming pool in Tavistock, at least if it's still there.
at least if it's still there.
It's still here.
It's still here.
Good to know, not been there since a lad.
Oh yeah, I forgot about Meadowlands 🙂
Oh yeah, I forgot about Meadowlands
And similarly we've all forgotten Sparkwell. Admittedly it's not that near Tavistock but it does take you through some nice spots if you avoid Plymouth i.e Cadover Bridge
Thats all great stuff. Thanks all. No the bike is staying at home this time. Simply a camping trip to spend some time with the wife, kids and the spaniel 🙂 Thats offer of some info is very kind SprocketJockey I will Email you. Thanks
In that case wistmans wood is worth a walk.
Pew tor is a nice spot nr to tavistock.
The market in town is alway worth a nose around on a Friday/Saturday.