Old A30

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Mick F
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Old A30

Post by Mick F »

I think I've cycled the whole of the Old A30 (where it still exists) all the way from Exeter to LE, and I have a great fondness for this road.

Most of it is now B roads or even Unclassified, and much of it is a delight to cycle on. The old villages and towns now by-passed are quiet and peaceful and no doubt a better place to live. Between Exeter and Penzance bypassed in order are:
Tedburn St Mary
Cheriton Bishop
Crockernwell
Whiddon Down
South Zeal
Sticklepath
Okehamptom
Sourton
Bridestowe
Lewdown
Portgate
Tinhay
Lifton
Launceston
Tregadillet
Fivelanes
Trewint
Bolventor
Temple
Bodmin
Lanivet
Victoria
Indian Queens
Fraddon
St Enoder
Mitchell
Zelah
Blackwater
Chacewater
Scorrier
Redruth
Camborne
Connor Downs
Hayle
Penzance

And this has all happened in the last 30odd years.

The A30 was originally the main route from LE/Penzance to London, and it's only comparatively recently that the A303 has come into its own. There isn't a direct motorway link down to Cornwall but the modern A30 dual carriageway fulfills the need somewhat. Even as I type, the last section of single carriageway over Bodmin Moor is being dualled, and that will make it dual carriageway all the way to Penzance.

The other day, I was on the Old A30 beyond Indian Queens and Victoria on Goss Moor. The old road at that point is a cycle track and traffic free pedestrian way. There's a plaque on a stone plinth that sums it up quite well.
Old A30 1.jpeg
Zoom in to read.
Old A30 2.jpeg
Mick F. Cornwall
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fossala
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Re: Old A30

Post by fossala »

I was on goss moor between Victoria and Indian Queens yesterday :)

Living in Cornwall I love the old a30 and use it all the time.
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Mick F
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Re: Old A30

Post by Mick F »

fossala wrote:I was on goss moor between Victoria and Indian Queens yesterday :)
I was there Friday! :D

Mrs Mick F does a course from time-to-time down at Roche and I drive us down there with Bike in the back.
I can get 50odd miles in, plus have a lunch, then be back at the car for when she finishes.

I'm still trying to ride all the roads in Cornwall, and Friday saw me get up through Winnards Perch and Tredinnick, out towards St Merryn and turn south near Porthcothan Bay and back through St Columb Major, St Columb Road, Quintrell Downs, Goonhavern, Mitchell (for lunch at the Plume of Feathers) and St Enoder, Summercourt, Fraddon, Indian Queens, Goss Moor and back to Roche.

Complicated, I know, but needs must when I'm trying to get "new roads". Quite a bit of that ride was over old ground, but in order to bag the new roads, some backtracking in inevitable. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
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Mick F
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Re: Old A30

Post by Mick F »

PS:
This is West Cornwall done so far:
West Cornwall.png
I really need to get down to Penzance a couple of times and bag all the roads down there. Maybe me and Mrs Mick F could drive there for a weekend away and she can go shopping, and I can go cycling! :lol:
Mick F. Cornwall
pete75
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Re: Old A30

Post by pete75 »

My dad had an old A30 when I was at primary school. It was green just like this one.

Image
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
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Mick F
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Re: Old A30

Post by Mick F »

Was this your mum?
She was quite a looker!
Austin.jpg
Mick F. Cornwall
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Re: Old A30

Post by PDQ Mobile »

Only Mick's picture is an A30. The green one is an A35- larger rear window. My first car was the estate/van version.
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Re: Old A30

Post by ChrisF »

Mick F wrote:I think I've cycled the whole of the Old A30 (where it still exists) all the way from Exeter to LE, and I have a great fondness for this road.

Most of it is now B roads or even Unclassified, and much of it is a delight to cycle on. The old villages and towns now by-passed are quiet and peaceful and no doubt a better place to live. Between Exeter and Penzance bypassed in order are:
[.....]
Tregadillet
[.....]
Bodmin


[Zelah]
.....
[Blackwater]


Mick, do you know some roads near to me that I don't know? I'd be interested in your route between Tregadillet and Bodmin without going on very busy bits of the A30. Also between Zelah and Blackwater.
After the dualling of the Bodmin Moor section, there's still non-dual-carriageway between Mitchell and Blackwater, although this is due to be dualled later (and the council have asked local cycle groups for their input to the design; there's a special meeting next month. Hurrah :D
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Mick F
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Re: Old A30

Post by Mick F »

quilkin wrote:Mick, do you know some roads near to me that I don't know? I'd be interested in your route between Tregadillet and Bodmin without going on very busy bits of the A30. Also between Zelah and Blackwater.
Sorry, maybe I wasn't being clear.

The Old A30 exists, but not completely. My list of towns and villages are of the places by-passed by the New A30. You can go through each of them on the Old A30, but not necessarily get between them on it.

Tregadillet is almost an island, and so is Five Lanes, and Bodmin is a pig to get in and out of by bike. Mitchell is an island too.
Zelah/Blackwater you need to use the A30 - and yes of course it's not dualled yet - my mistake! :oops:
However, it's not very busy there IME.

As it happens, my ride on Friday saw me coming along the B3285 through Goonhavern to the A30. I peeled off only a mile later BEFORE Carland Cross. Awful roundabout! :shock:
I took the minor road which turned out to be a bit of old main road (Old A30?). I came out on the New A39, crossed it, then onto the Old 39 Truro/Carland Cross road - now a bridal way. You can follow the back lanes into Mitchell from there.

After lunch, I went along the back lanes and bits of Old A30 through Sumercourt but had to go back on minor roads through St Enoder before getting back on it at Penhale/Fraddon.
Screen Shot 2015-10-19 at 08.50.17.png
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Re: Old A30

Post by LollyKat »

I often see Mick F and others refer to the Old A30. Funnily enough I can't find a road marked Old A30 on any map, even though some mark General Wade's military roads. :wink:

I still have dreams of doing LeJog and would love to follow the recommendations but am stymied when I try.

So Mick, when you have a moment please put me out of my misery and post a real, actual route that I can trace out on a map! :D
whoof
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Re: Old A30

Post by whoof »

Since the Goss Moor section has been turned into a dual carriageway you get to ride past the Owl Sanctuary!

I am surprised at the number of people that don't use it. Someone at works son was riding LeJoG this summer and asked for advice on the route, which I gave. He didn't take it and rode from Exeter to Penzance on the dual carriage way. I've road raced and time-trialed on sections of the dual carriage way I can't think of a more miserable place to go just for a ride.
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Mick F
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Re: Old A30

Post by Mick F »

LollyKat wrote:I often see Mick F and others refer to the Old A30. Funnily enough I can't find a road marked Old A30 on any map, even though some mark General Wade's military roads. :wink:

I still have dreams of doing LeJog and would love to follow the recommendations but am stymied when I try.

So Mick, when you have a moment please put me out of my misery and post a real, actual route that I can trace out on a map! :D
:D :D
Do you want it verbally or a GPX?

Roughly, verbally ............
LE to Penzance on the A30 and then through the town.
A30 to Hayle and through the town to the roundabout.
Cross over through Connor Downs to Camborne (Old A30)
Through the town and on to Redruth, through the town up the hill past the railway station and out on the Old A30 to Blackwater.
From there, you need to get on the New A30 and minor roads and through Zelah and minor roads again through St Newlyn East, then St Columb Road, St Columb Major, and then onto the A39 for Wadebridge.
Either go through the town or stay on the A39 past Royal Cornwall Showground. Going into the town is good, but it's a climb back out.
Follow A39 to Camelford and straight through and up to Davidstow. Turn off right onto the A395 and keep going through Hallworthy.
Turn off to Egloskerry on a minor road, and follow this straight on at Tresmeer and through Egloskerry past the school and the church.
This road eventually comes out at St Stephens just north of Launceston.
Out at the T junction by the church, turn right, then first left and down the hill to the Spar shop.
Turn left at the mini roundabout and first right. This is a sort of by-pass around the hills. :D See Launceston Castle over on you right way up on the hill.
At the T junction, turn right and fallow this past the equestrian centre and out onto the Old A30 by Launceston Rugby Club.
Turn left, cross the River Tamar into England, and carry on on this Old A30 for mile after mile.
Eventually, at Sourton, turn left on the A386 and go under the New A30 and past the service area and past the slip road.
About a mile later, turn right down a tiny road signposted Meldon.
Bottom of the hill is then the Old A30 again and this bit tapers in to the main part of the Old A30 into Okehampton.
Straight through the town and turn left at the traffic lights down to a mini roundabout and turn up the hill to the right.
Follow this road B3215 and then A3072 and A377 into Crediton.
Turn left in the town onto the A3072 for Bickleigh. ******
Head for Tiverton and then Halberton and Samford Peverell to J27 M5 to join A38 and follow that as far as you want ...........

From here, you need to make decisions because there are a variety of ways of getting north.
Pinch points are River Severn - cross it or not ........... then River Mersey - Warrington if you want, then River Ribble at Preston.
Next is Carlisle, but you can go via the middle, Glasgow or Edinburgh but you have to cross the River Clyde or the River Forth.
Next pinch point is Inverness and there are basically two ways to get there. Up Loch Ness or up the A9 corridor via Pitlochry.
From Inverness, you can either go up the middle to the North Coast and turn right, or follow the East Coast.


******
Rob's Passage is a good way of avoiding the hills on the A3072.
Search on this forum for the route! :D
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Mick F
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Re: Old A30

Post by Mick F »

whoof wrote:Since the Goss Moor section has been turned into a dual carriageway you get to ride past the Owl Sanctuary!

I am surprised at the number of people that don't use it. Someone at works son was riding LeJoG this summer and asked for advice on the route, which I gave. He didn't take it and rode from Exeter to Penzance on the dual carriage way. I've road raced and time-trialed on sections of the dual carriage way I can't think of a more miserable place to go just for a ride.
The problem with the Old A30 through Goss Moor etc is Bodmin. Easy to get there, hard to get out.

Just say you go along Goss Moor, Fraddon. Indian Queens, Victoria, Laddock, Old Coach Road into Bodmin.

Then what?

You can aim at the A38 at Carminow Cross and then turn off past the Crematorium and head out via Fletchers Bridge and St Neot. From there it's out to Minions and Upton Cross and Launceston.
This is VERY VERY VERY hilly.
There are other ways out, but they are a bit convoluted over Bodmin Moor but you'll still end up at Camelford.
Far easier, is the route I described,

EDIT> :shock:
I said LADDOCK.

I meant LANIVET. (on the Old A30).
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Re: Old A30

Post by LollyKat »

Hi Mick - very many thanks for that! I'll try plotting it on Bikehike - if I get stuck I'll ask for a gpx.
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Mick F
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Re: Old A30

Post by Mick F »

:D :D
Most of the fun is in the PLAN and the "recipe".
The ride is the icing on the cake.

Better to have Home Made, than "shop bought" perhaps? :wink:
Mick F. Cornwall
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