Devon Coast to Coast with children

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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hamster
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Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Devon Coast to Coast with children

Post by hamster »

I just thought I’d post up some experiences here on riding the Devon Coast to Coast as a family. Have a look here
http://www.freewebs.com/geoff_l/c2c992007.htm
for a nice report, but I couldn’t find anything else (especially for families) in preparing this trip so here goes:

Me: 42, regular rider. Two weeks earlier rode the Isle of Wight Randonnee at around 15mph average, climbing on a lowest gear of 39-23. Decide for yourself whether you consider me fit. My wife rides for utility (kids to school etc) and a few miles at weekends.

Our bikes:
Me: Dawes Kickback tandem, with 6 year old stoker (who is prepared to work up hills), with 4 year old in a Burley Bee trailer. Gearing is 12/32 (7 speed) rear, 24/34/44 front, equipped with Magura hydraulic rim brakes and semi-slick 26x1.9 tyres, mudguards. The only luggage was a pair of small panniers with waterproofs and snacks.
Total all-up weight: tandem 20kg, children 40kg, trailer and panniers 13kg...75kg! I’m glad I had those Maguras.

My wife: Kona Fire Mountain MTB, rigid forks, mudguards, semi-slick 26x2.0 tyres. She rode unladen.

Day 1: Barnstaple – Bideford (11 miles)

Easy ride on the old railway. The surface is excellent, with simple crossings of roads and no obstacles.

Day 2: Bideford – Okehampton (33 miles)

The first half on the railway track bed is very simple. East Yarde is an excellent place to stop with a great café. However, after leaving to enter the road section the climb through Petrockstowe, and two more between Sheepwash and Hatherleigh were pushes, with one more just after Jacobstowe. The A386 crossing island is not wide enough to accommodate a tandem. Fortunately the road was quiet when we crossed it.
The Fountain Hotel in Okehampton is very child-friendly with a front bar like a café.

Day 3 Okehampton-Tavistock (22 miles)

The first climb out of Okehampton to the station was another push, but afterwards the Granite Way is great fun. When it comes to exit for Lydford and drop under the Lake viaduct it is very broken with loose rock. There is a short cut which saves the drop into Bridestowe and climb out, by taking the first left after crossing the A386 onto a byway. It has two fords (with no footbridge alternatives) but we crossed them fine. This is only really a viable choice on something with fat tyres.
After the Lydford Gorge NT car park the lane is steep, necessitating another push, plus the traffic is surprisingly busy.
Tavistock is really child-friendly and has a great park and swimming pool.

Day 4 Tavistock – Plymouth (21 miles)

This appeared to be an easy section after the first 6 miles, according to the Sustrans map. WRONG! The climb out of Tavistock past Rixhill was probably the longest push of all. The section over Grenofen bridge is terrible. Devon Council are honest when they say it’s not open, but that people are free to use it. The hillside out of the gorge is very, very broken (like an MTB downhilling course) and the hairpins meant that the tandem had to be lifted round on each one. We had to relay the trailer up separately. The next section up to Yelverton is another steep climb and we ended up pushing once more.
The Plym valley path is very attractive, we did it in heavy rain and the southern sections get a little soft. Just before the A38 things go downhill rapidly in terms of the path, which is only around 12” wide and barely suitable for a trailer. We had only an inch to spare in several of the squeeze gates.
Entering Plymouth it is a string of industrial estates, traveller sites, etc, with limited width again and dodgy on-pavement paths – many so overgrown that you had to use the footway. The route is very exposed to the prevailing wind and again needs the odd short push. All in all it’s a tough and frustrating last three miles.

I hope that this doesn’t put anyone off. We were heavily loaded and still managed to keep to our plan. But I wouldn’t recommend the route on anything less than a sturdy touring bike. The kids were great, but it's certainly not a completely family-friendly route yet.
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Mick F
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Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Devon Coast to Coast with children

Post by Mick F »

Sounds like you all had a great time!

I've not tried cycling to Plymouth from Tavy other than by the A386, so I have no comment about the track by Grenofen.

However, the Granite Way, I have cycled lots! And I must warn anyone not to pay any attention to the direction signs that point you down to Bearslake under the viaduct and then to Bridestowe.

Come out of Okehampton on the old railbed as before, but when you are pointed off and under Lake Viaduct, carry straight on! It says that it's only to a picnic site, but go past that and then you'll find a No Entry sign. Turn left and follow the path up a slope and to the right. 50yds later, you'll go through a gate and onto a layby on the A386.

Turn towards Tavistock, and ride no more than a quarter of a mile to the Fox and Hounds. It's a busy road, but it's not far, it's level and there are no pinch points. Turn right at the Fox and Hounds towards Bridestowe. 200yds downhill you'll find the second part of the Granite Way on your left. Go through the gate and it will take you to the top end of Lydford. Turn right, down the hill, past The Castle Inn, and into Lydford Gorge.

Easy, simple, and no hills to climb.
Mick F. Cornwall
hamster
Posts: 4131
Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Re: Devon Coast to Coast with children

Post by hamster »

That's a useful trick to know, Mick!

The wife is already talking about next time... 8)
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MrsHJ
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Joined: 19 Aug 2010, 1:03pm
Location: Dartmouth, Devon.

Re: Devon Coast to Coast with children

Post by MrsHJ »

:D 8)
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