finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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rogerwilco
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Joined: 12 Oct 2014, 1:06pm

finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Post by rogerwilco »

Hello!

New to the boards, and new to the UK (from Melbourne Australia).

I've taken a few hours searching the forums and looking at the various route planning websites (bike hike, strava, cycle.travel) but am having some difficulty finding something that's going to work for us.

Looking for a single day, round-trip, roughly 70-100 km total and with limited total elevation (less than 1000m).
We'll be travelling with a car from London through Somerset and Devon to Cornwall (google maps route http://bit.ly/1vYHkiG)

From my initial searching, it seems like Cornwall/Devon and Dartmoor are all pretty hilly. We're not unfit, but it's been a while, and I'll be on a Brompton, with the wife likely on a hired hybrid, so want to keep it fairly easy riding, ideally between smaller towns on quiet(ish) roads.

If anyone could point me in the right direction for some recommended options, I'd be very appreciative!

Cheers, -Jonny
rogerwilco
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Joined: 12 Oct 2014, 1:06pm

Re: finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Post by rogerwilco »

Given our plans, it looks like Padstow - St. Austell circular route would be a good option...
http://cycle.travel/map/journey/9250
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Mick F
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Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Post by Mick F »

Hi Roger, allow me to convert your metric into imperial please.
Sorry, but I can't think in metric. :oops:

Single day, 44miles to 62miles ...... let's say that's 45miles to 65miles.
1,000metres is 3,380ft ...... let's call that 3,400ft.

Devon and Cornwall, you need to be thinking in the region of 100ft per mile. Therefore your "limit" of 1,000m = 3,400ft is a rather optimistic to say the least. ie it can't be done.

44miles will be in the region of 4,400ft = 70km - 1,341mtrs ascent
65miles will be in the region of 6,500ft = 100km - 1,981mtrs ascent.

Today, I rode 44miles and did 4,300ft of ascent and thought it was easy. :wink:
Mick F. Cornwall
robing
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Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Post by robing »

You might be better off sticking to Somerset as it's much flatter. They're not called the Somerset Levels for nothing :)
Penfolds11
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Joined: 9 Jan 2013, 12:08pm

Re: finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Post by Penfolds11 »

robing wrote:You might be better off sticking to Somerset as it's much flatter. They're not called the Somerset Levels for nothing :)


And it very much depends on the time of year as for the early part of 2014 they were known as the Somerset flood-plains...
Penfolds11
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Joined: 9 Jan 2013, 12:08pm

Re: finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Post by Penfolds11 »

rogerwilco wrote:Looking for a single day, round-trip, roughly 70-100 km total and with limited total elevation (less than 1000m).
We'll be travelling with a car from London through Somerset and Devon to Cornwall (google maps route http://bit.ly/1vYHkiG)

As you'll be going through Okehampton, have you though of riding parts of the Coast 2 Coast? Not all of it in one day, obviously but there are more ideas on parts in this thread:
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=89435

There is a route guide for the C2C which give you more ideas on what you'll find there: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/devon-coast-to-coast and you can even buy the t-shirt.

Alternatively, there might be a small chance that Mick F is available to hire as a local cycling tour guide! :wink:
jgurney
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Joined: 10 May 2009, 8:34am

Re: finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Post by jgurney »

Do you mean that you want to do that 300 mile drive and a 60-mile (~100km) ride in the same day? You may not have time.

If you do have time to fit it all in, as already said Somerset will be easier riding territory than Devon. If you break the car journey between Weston-Super-Mare and Bridgewater, you could ride inland to places like Glastonbury (perhaps a good combination with your Avebury visit) or Wells. If you really like stone circles you could do some hill-climbing and visit Stanton Drew.
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MrsHJ
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Location: Dartmouth, Devon.

Re: finding a suitable route - southwest UK

Post by MrsHJ »

It be hilly in these parts. Parts of North East devon are a bit less hilly. Best to do your ascents as long steady ones rather than choppy short ups and downs ( we have plenty of those!). A nice cross county route I did with a commemoration group following Jane Tomlinsons route on JOGLE was Tiverton-Okehampton-Launceston, 53 miles.
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