Devon Coast to Coas...
 

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Devon Coast to Coast to Coast

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I've got 3 days family free in a month's time, and planning a bit of a Devon epic...

East Devon to North Devon over Exmoor, then along the coast to Ilfracombe, south to Plymouth, then east through Totnes to Paignton and follow the coast around to Budleigh Salterton and up the Otter valley back home 😁
400ish km with 6000+m of ascent.

The only thing I really need to work out is a nice (simple and cheap is good!) Campsite near Plymouth for the second night.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3117791078226550204 — Devon Coast to Coast to Coast


 
Posted : 23/07/2023 9:54 am
olddog reacted
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Epic is right! Big miles, but also a heap of climbing. Good luck.


 
Posted : 23/07/2023 10:06 am
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That looks massive! The route also looks like you go up the A38 after plymouth which i would personally avoid! Super busy A road, with some fairly poor sight lines for vehicle drivers.i would go along A379 and adjacent B roads and hug closer to the coast. You will also get a good campsite which is cheap near slapton sands. Can be found on pitch up alpng with soem other good ones. All depends on what facilities you want?


 
Posted : 23/07/2023 10:15 am
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Definitely not going on the A38!!!
There's a section of B road that runs alongside it for a while 😉

Slapton is a bit off my planned route. Was looking for something either south of the A38 or more towards Ivybridge.

Found one called Brixton Camping near Yealmpton which looks ok.


 
Posted : 23/07/2023 10:21 am
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This was delayed due to my daughter having dental surgery (planned, but delayed, and then a last minute slot was offered. Good old NHS 😁).

Anyway I'm off on Sunday. Quite excited to be off into the Devon hills for a few days and nights 😎

Just hope the rain holds off!


 
Posted : 25/08/2023 7:59 pm
 Del
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Have a great time Tom, but would do the coast to Dartmouth and across the dart there on the ferry. It's beautiful, if tough going (hilly!)


 
Posted : 25/08/2023 8:35 pm
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Have a great time Tom, but would do the coast to Dartmouth and across the dart there on the ferry. It’s beautiful, if tough going (hilly!)

Cheers Del 😉 it depends on time really. Though the Dartmouth route does appeal.


 
Posted : 25/08/2023 8:41 pm
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Hope it goes well for you - looks epic!


 
Posted : 25/08/2023 9:08 pm
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Made it 😁

https://strava.app.link/2Kclwd9tFCb

https://strava.app.link/AalEZDcuFCb

https://strava.app.link/xOhHnNeuFCb

https://strava.app.link/hR40JbguFCb

Nice ride, though a few bits of type 2 fun when it was raining on Exmoor!

@Del - took your advice and did the Dartmouth route. The South Hams nearly killed me 😆


 
Posted : 29/08/2023 10:07 pm
Garry_Lager, nt80085, sboardman and 5 people reacted
 Del
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Well done matey! Yeah - tough riding on those parts. Devon turned up to eleven. Beautiful though. 😎


 
Posted : 29/08/2023 10:44 pm
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Add 2km and you can make it a diy 400 audax.


 
Posted : 29/08/2023 11:25 pm
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Top work! Looks brilliant. Ive copied it as it looks fantastic and i hafe family in Torquay.

Ian


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 6:51 am
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Top work! Looks brilliant. I've copied it as it looks fantastic and i have family in Torquay

I'd say the road bits between Dartmouth and Dawlish were the worst bit of the trip.

So many bloody drivers trying to get somewhere too fast 😬 couple of very dodgy close passes.

The Tarka Trail - Granite Way - Drake's way from Ilfracombe to Plymouth is delightful 😎

Yelverton to Plymouth is basically all downhill for 15km on nicely surfaced cycle paths.


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 12:30 pm
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That's not a Devon C2C, it's a circum(almost)Devon!


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 3:47 pm
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That’s not a Devon C2C, it’s a circum(almost)Devon!

Chatting to a mate last night, he called it my 'Outskirts of Devon' tour.

Touched on all 4 coasts 😁


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 3:54 pm
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What was the best bike for it?


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 4:14 pm
ajantom reacted
 nbt
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Likewise, I've saved that for a possible future trip - assuming it's a road bike trip not offroad? We'd do that over a week though and use B&Bs 😀


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 4:20 pm
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What was the best bike for it?

@breninbeener - I used my Genesis Vagabond with 45c WTB Riddlers tyres. Tyres roll nice and fast, but decent grip on some of the rougher roads/paths.

2x10 gears (42 & 30 front, 11-36 rear) you need a nice low gear for some of the Exmoor and South Devon hills.
@nbt - yeah, basically a road ride, though a few bits of the Tarka Trail and Granite Way are more gravel tracks.

Stick some chunky tyres on and you'll be fine though.

I did deviate from my original planned route a bit. Partly by choice, i.e. further south from Plymouth and over the ferry at Dartmouth, and partly getting a bit off track. I didn't have my GPS map on the whole time to save the battery...oops 😁


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 5:12 pm
 nbt
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@ajantom We've got 700*32C tyres on the tandem, we're happy on stuff like towpaths and old railways round here. Sounds good but wil do a bit more research thanks - maybe one for next summer!


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 5:16 pm
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I did Ilfracombe to Plymouth....it was a "bit" windy....lockdowns made us do it in February incase everything stopped again


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 5:19 pm
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<p style="text-align: left;">No video, but a few pics...</p>

A cracking all day breakfast at The Puffing Billy in Great Torrington 😋


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 6:23 pm
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Posted : 30/08/2023 6:53 pm
 Del
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lovely! more detail though please! (i do recognise dartmouth even in the obviously ropey conditions!) 😀


 
Posted : 30/08/2023 11:55 pm

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