Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Perfectcircles
Posts: 27
Joined: 30 Sep 2012, 2:27pm

Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by Perfectcircles »

An opportunity has arisen to grab two or three days' cycling in Cornwall in a couple of weeks. Myself and a pal have use of a caravan near Padstow for a few days and thought about basing ourselves there and going on some circular day rides. The trouble is his wife is reluctant to give him 'leave' on the basis that the narrow lanes and high hedges in that neck of the woods are too dangerous! So we might be scuppered. Is she right to be concerned? Does anyone have experience of road cycling in that area at this time of year? Are there any good/'safe' day ride routes (50 - 80 milers) around there? Should we take mountain bikes instead and head off road to placate his good lady wife?

Any advice that might salvage our plans gratefully received!
Tacascarow
Posts: 328
Joined: 17 Jan 2012, 8:27am

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by Tacascarow »

I find the lanes a pleasure to ride on. The more open & faster A roads are where I get most close passes. :)
User avatar
cycleruk
Posts: 6065
Joined: 17 Jan 2009, 9:30pm
Location: Lancashire

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by cycleruk »

Caravanned at Harlyn and ridden that area in the lanes with no problem (except for the hills :o )
Also good cycleway out to Wadebridge from Padstow so keeping you off the road for a while.
The coastal roads are very hilly and testing.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by horizon »

There's certainly no guarantee that he won't be killed. The lanes are obviously less dangerous than many other roads as their size presents a natural traffic calming measure. OTOH, a tractor could come out from a field at the wrong moment.

So what does she want him to do? I would have thought that this is a question for a marriage counselling website, not a cycling one. It's an impossible question to answer (there have been other similar threads on here).

We cannot guarantee our own safety or anyone else's. But I would also ask, why isn't she out there cycling? That fear of the unknown (if she really knew what it was like to cycle here I don't think she would be worrying) and how it restricts life is of far greater concern.

That said, no-one knows apart from God and there are only two or three people at the most on this forum who could claim that title for themselves (and I am not one of them).
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
User avatar
Sweep
Posts: 8443
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by Sweep »

Great reply horizon.

This word "leave" seems to be bandied around a lot on cycling forums. Sometimes it even seems that husbands are bandying it around as a badgebof honour. I find it very odd. I imagine most modern women would laugh in the face of any partner suggesting that they were subject to "leave" restrictions, however lightly presented.

If the wife is just "concerned", then address them as per horizon's post. If it's a ban, direct or veiled (ie with grudging consent but with a price to be paid later) then it's time for a good look at the relationship. And for your pal to get out on his bike more to clear his head/escape the suffocation and control.
Sweep
User avatar
honesty
Posts: 2658
Joined: 16 Mar 2012, 3:33pm
Location: Somerset
Contact:

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by honesty »

From Padstow you have to camel trail which will take you all the way to Bodmin moor traffic free as well.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by Mick F »

Perfectcircles wrote: Does anyone have experience of road cycling in that area at this time of year? Are there any good/'safe' day ride routes (50 - 80 milers) around there?
I was cycling near Padstow only a week or so ago. I was up near Boscastle and Tintagel last week.

Absolutely no problem at all. I regularly ride the lanes in Cornwall ............ high hedges and narrow roads are a normal feature here.

Use the full width of the road on roads without white lines.
Be visible and wear something bright.
Take the bends on the outsides so you can see as far as possible, and cover your brakes and keep an eye out.
Sit up and not stay on the drops all the time.
Fit a mirror to help with rear viz, and be prepared to pull in to let following traffic get past.
Keep your ears open and listen for traffic.
Be prepared for hills. Loads of them, ups as well as downs.
Good range of gears and good brakes are needed, if you haven't got them ............ get them.

Get a paper map of Cornwall ............ AtoZ do one and Phillips too.
Open it up and plan circular rides taking in A roads as well as lanes.
The A roads here aren't too busy unless you're on a trunk road. A roads will get you along quickly with fewer hills, and then you can get off them and explore.

From Padstow, you can take the ferry over to Rock and maybe go up the coast Port Quin and Port Isaac are nice, and maybe carry on further to Tintagel.

You can get on the Camel Trial all the way to Bodmin if you want, but personally I wouldn't bother as I reckon the roads are more interesting.

South of Padstow, you can follow the coast down to Newquay - busy busy place, but worth a visit.

If you cross the A39, you can get into Bodmin Moor. There's a great pub in Blisland - the Blisland Inn - voted best national pub a few times. The landlord has a huge imposing beard and tattoos.
http://www.bodminmoor.co.uk/blislandinn/

Good luck, and enjoy the rides (and beer). :D
Mick F. Cornwall
Perfectcircles
Posts: 27
Joined: 30 Sep 2012, 2:27pm

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by Perfectcircles »

Thanks very much for the practical suggestions about routes and safe cycling in that area. They were very helpful. The earlier replies from a couple of correspondents suggesting my question actually discloses more profound issues including "marriage guidance" and the role of God in road safety, were not so.
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by horizon »

Perfectcircles wrote:Thanks very much for the practical suggestions about routes and safe cycling in that area. They were very helpful. The earlier replies from a couple of correspondents suggesting my question actually discloses more profound issues including "marriage guidance" and the role of God in road safety, were not so.


Quite. But I think you will also agree that the wife of your cycling partner wanted a reassurance that simply cannot be given. That does indeed belong in a different realm.

What Mick F has said is all perfectly sensible. But if you take the Camel Trail, for instance, and not the roads (in order to placate his wife) is that not giving else something up, not for safety reasons but for some other reason?

There have been several threads on this forum connected with the fears of family members. They are incredibly difficult to answer and I take them very seriously. However, I've re-read your post and my original impression is that it was your friend's wife who was concerned about the safety aspect. It seems now that you yourself (or your friend?) are finding that advice useful (it's all good). Again, my first impression was that neither of you (you and friend) had concerns about safety over and above the usual - it was your friend's wife who was concerned. I can see now that you yourself were concerned ("is she right to be concerned?").

I would really like it if you could clarify where you are actually coming from on this.

By the way, will you be following Mick F's advice to use a mirror?
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by simonineaston »

Go for it, mate... I used to stay at a friend's house in Delabole (not the same as its picture postcard neighbours Tintagel, Boscastle etc. ;-) ) and found that once you're off the main arterial roads, the lanes are quiet and safe. There's lots and lots of lanes. Can thoroughly recommend the chippie in Delabole, but was not so taken with the pub. Peddle into Camleford, on the way to a trip to Bodmin and buy freshly made pasties from Cornish Maids, but be warned, as far as I know, they close just after lunch! :shock: Theirs are bigger and better and cheaper than Rickie's posh jobbies from his deli on the harbourside down in Padstowe, although you can sometimes get lucky around 4 o'clock and get them marked down, to stock up for the next day's pedalling. :D
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by horizon »

simonineaston wrote:Go for it, mate...


Or what you might mean is, "Let him go for it, missus". Or not? :?
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
landsurfer
Posts: 5327
Joined: 27 Oct 2012, 9:13pm

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by landsurfer »

Wife change required , I think .....
Finished the Ripon Revolution this afternoon and off to cycle in Cornwall at 0630 in the morning ... with my wife ... 4 days of quiet lanes and silly hills ...
and those nice flat bits around Hayle and Penzance ... and the brill café in Penzance harbour ...
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
User avatar
Sweep
Posts: 8443
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by Sweep »

OP - you could ask pal's wife if she would be happy for you to go on the same break, same venue, without the bikes. Answer might be enlightening.
Sweep
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by pwa »

I'm not venturing into marriage guidance, so I'll leave that one.

As for the lanes, I don't know Cornwall very well, but I live in another area with a maze of twisty lanes with high hedges and I believe it provides the safest and most enjoyable kind of cycling there is. I also drive a car on those lanes, and for a driver it is a less pleasant experience. Every corner could reveal an oncoming vehicle that requires you to back up to a passing place. So drivers keep their speed down and show caution. Most avoid the lanes to save time and avoid stress, leaving the lanes fairly quiet.

If you prefer more dangerous cycling, ride in a town!
climo
Posts: 590
Joined: 29 Apr 2009, 8:08am
Location: Warminster

Re: Cornish Adventure Scuppered?

Post by climo »

Just been down to Lands End. The roads are no worse than in Dorset or Hampshire. Drivers there are fast but tend to be more 'collision hazard aware' shall we say as they don't want to hit any oncoming traffic. Lots of cyclists and I didn't notice anyone getting close passes as I drove about between day rides.
Post Reply