Whilst plodding up the hill out of Merrivale up to 1500ft and turning off for Princetown, I decided to explore the old rail-bed of the Yelverton to Princetown Railway.
The railway was pulled up in 1956, long before Beeching, and is now a walking/cycling/horse-riding track. It winds its way round and round the contours, goes right round the back of Kings Tor and over deserted moorland.
I had no idea whether the surface was good enough for my skinny 20mm tyres or my Campag 10sp road gears, but I thought is it's no good, I can always turn round and go back! So off I went.
The rail-bed was stony and hard, not loose but quite compacted, so I felt quite happy. The gradient was very gently downhill and the bed curved out of sight into the distance. I'd been going 5 minutes or so and spied a couple of walkers and I asked them if they knew where the track came out. They had no idea really, and no idea if the surface continued to be any good. I rode on and on and on.
Eventually, the surface became strewn with huge rocks and rubble, still compacted, but I had to pick my way very gingerly. I also felt that I'd come so far, it would be a long way back if I couldn't get through. The surface improved again round the back of Kings Tor, and I felt better.
Down and down I went, twisting this way and that, under and over bridges, past quarries and the remains of railway huts, sheep, and Dartmoor Ponies.
Then I came to my first obstacle. I reckoned I wasn't far from where I could get out onto the Yelverton road near Dousland, but I was confronted by a stile! On a cycle track! Anyway, I hauled me and Bike over - me with road shoes on a slippy stile! Off I went again, but the track was turning into farmland. Gates and more gates, and cow fields and mud, cow poo, more mud, and still more mud! I was caked! So was Bike! The mud got stuck inside my mudguards and slowed the wheels. When I had to get off, my cleats clogged too, and wouldn't engage with my pedals. I was in an awful state!
I found a large puddle and rinsed my wheels and shoes, and carried on.
Finally, the track finished at a disused road bridge, and I was expected to ride down a 45 degree slope to the gated area by the road. No way! So I had to dismount and pick my way down a rock-strewn path, slipping and sliding in my little shoes. I was a mess!
Anyway, off I pedaled, feeling totally ashamed of me and Bike caked in mud and crud - me, usually with a shiny glistening Mercian! I rode the 10 miles home, finding puddles to rinse my wheels as I went along!
Bike is ready today for a good clean!
Why not get a mountain bike? Then you can really enjoy Dartmoor.