Dartmoor routes

[ChrisEyles]

Lots of good walking on Dartmoor and the SW coast path (around Branscombe is my favourite section but that's a bit of a hike from where youa re). Good birding and general nature around Berry Head on the coast quite close to you, and in Yarner woods, Dawlish Warren and all around the Exe estuary.

Haldon forest trail centre blues and red are good for a laugh if you like that sort of thing.

Cream teas!

Errr.. that's mostly what I get up to at the weekends

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Lots of good walking on Dartmoor and the SW coast path (around Branscombe is my favourite section but that's a bit of a hike from where youa re). Good birding and general nature around Berry Head on the coast quite close to you, and in Yarner woods, Dawlish Warren and all around the Exe estuary.

Haldon forest trail centre blues and red are good for a laugh if you like that sort of thing.

Cream teas!

Errr.. that's mostly what I get up to at the weekends

I used to do BBS surveys for the BTO so my birding exploits on rides annoys fellow riders. I did the Dartmoor Ghost last night and a real treat for me was two nightjars trilling away just outside Princetown.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Nice! Last summer there was a lamagier spotted up on Dartmoor that I went chasing around after. Never quite sure if I saw it or if it was just a great big buzzard! Have come across quite a few grasshopper warbler recently wild camping around Devon and Somerset which has been nice.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Nice! Last summer there was a lamagier spotted up on Dartmoor that I went chasing around after. Never quite sure if I saw it or if it was just a great big buzzard! Have come across quite a few grasshopper warbler recently wild camping around Devon and Somerset which has been nice.

Very nice. I think you'll find it's illegal for grasshopper warblers to wild camp in England. Coz Pinocchio said so.

 

[Crackle]

@ChrisEyles I did the Burrator ride today. I don't think I got past about 15 miles an hour on that descent, too loose to let go but I did enjoy it. It was worth bringing the bike just for that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1081456053/overview

Hats off to regular Devon cyclists. I just haven't bothered with the road bike this week, partly because I'm too relaxed on holiday but also because it's just too damn hilly, narrow and virtually no views on the lanes.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Yes, it is a bit of a loose and rocky one, 15mph is perfectly respectable! Glad you enjoyed it I rode it myself the other day, and was a bit disappointed they'd re-surfaced the bridleway between Eylesbarrow and Whiteworks, which used to be littered with drop-offs but is now a bit tame... but still a great loop!

 

[Crackle]

Yes, it is a bit of a loose and rocky one, 15mph is perfectly respectable

Well, average 7.5mph, so there was some bits I was crawling on. I got into the swing of it as I went down, so it's a shame I don't have time to repeat the route. I also forgot my helmet and gloves which made me more cautious as I didn't fancy going over the bars and I've now got a blister coming up on my palm!

 

[ChrisEyles]

Blimey I wouldn't fancy riding that route without a helmet - I usually go for knee pads too! It's definitely one that bears repeating and learning which bits you can bomb down and which you have to back off one... there are also a couple of big granite rocks on the way down which you can get some decent air off of if that's your sort of thing

 

[Crackle]

Blimey I wouldn't fancy riding that route without a helmet - I usually go for knee pads too! It's definitely one that bears repeating and learning which bits you can bomb down and which you have to back off one... there are also a couple of big granite rocks on the way down which you can get some decent air off of if that's your sort of thing

I tried that but without too much conviction which is why I'd like to ride it again and yes I was being a little cautious given I was on my own and helmetless. I wasn't climbing too well on the way back up and got bounced out of my rhythm a couple of times, so again, it would have been nice to do that again knowing the lines better.