dartmoor, exeter bike routes

nickbrown_500

im going on holiday soon around the dartmoor exeter area anyone have any good routes from round that area, also what type of bike tyre is best for the terrain
cheers

caspar

What level of difficulty and how long do want the routes to be?

As for which bike, I really enjoy my full suss, it is a bit of a drag up the hills/tors but it is great going down. Having said that if I want to cover as much ground as possible I would plump for a hardtail any day.

Do you like northshore?

AndyGates

Exeter MTB are your friends: http://www.exmtb.co.uk/index.htm

There are some routes there on Haldon (family-friendly to North Shore with ramps n'everything!) and Woodbury (open singletrack mostly) and the links page includes rides and guides to Dartmoor.

I'm going to give one of the Woodbury ones a try tomorrow... 8)

paul williams

I've done a good route on Dartnoor a few months back, you need OS map OL28, all following grid refs start with the prefix SX if you're programing a GPS. Start at the car park in princetown grid ref: 589735, go past South Hessary Tor grid ref: 597723, at cross roads turn right grid ref: 602708, continue down really nice rocky bridle way to grid ref: 573700, cross over small bridge grid ref: 569700, continue along small bridle way past Burrator Reservoir to grid ref: 552691 where you pick up a small road to grid ref: 545694 where you join B3212, follow this road (quite a climb but a very fast descent on the other side) to grid ref: 561708 where you follow a bridle way that skirts round Ingra Tor and back to the car park in Princetown. This route is about 18km long and should take about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on fitness, more time if you stop for lots of breaks, picnics or just to enjoy the scenery.

helen coakley

I have 12 routes of Dartmoor which I can email you. I did the Princetown route the other day, it was great but would say that a full suss makes it more comfortable..let me know .. :shock:

nickbrown_500

yeah that would be good if you could email me them,
my email addy is nickbrown_2001@hotmail.com

cheers

ddraver

dartmoor is alternatly sandy and mudd

(fnarr...due to the quartz in the granite being extremly resistant to erosion, and the feldspar chemicaly altering to kaolinite clay...fnarr..fnarr)

so all round tyres are best if its gonna be wet, if not then you could get away with some more dusty/sandy tread tyres...i use panaracer cinders or fire XC pros but i'm no expert

although beware, there are plenty of bogs you can get stuck in, although no tyres will ride through them

If you find any good routes.......let me know

helen coakley

sent any problems let me know. Do you have a gps? as I can direct you to a site where there are memory map routes of Dartmoor. You will need the soft wear to open them though...

Fuzz Monkey Five

Hi Helen,
Could I get a copy of the Dartmoor routes ? I live in Torquay and always looking for other local places to ride. My email is

Cheers,
Dan.

helen coakley

SENT

Flambes

Did the one from this page (memory map route).

http://www.exmtb.co.uk/routes/index.htm

Map: http://www.bluefence.co.uk/routes/postbridge.jpg

Wasn't too keen TBH, was very short (1hr 30 mins approx), was tricky terrain, large stones, a couple of rivers to get through (both feet down in one of them!) although that was quite fun (in hindsight).

Lots of gates in the 1st few km.

Downhill sections were too rocky to get any decent speed up.

The stepping stones near "Laughter Hole" were quite widely spaced and very difficult to get across. Cleats were slipping on the stones, bit scary really! River was too high to wade. Wouldn't recommend crossing it alone as I was.

Last 3rd, a bit dull, grasstrack. Glad I did it, but back to the Quantocks next time!

the_prophet

i couldn't possibly get a copy of these routes emailed to me could i Helen? please.

jon_hills1@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks

helen coakley

sent...

magic johnson

Hi Helen.

I think I sent you a DM route a while back but am now close to my DM holiday. If you wouldnt mind sending me your routes I may find a bit I've missed.

Thanks

Magic

5@hog.eclipse.co.uk

doofy

any chance anyone whose got a copy of those routes could mail me it?
my emails dustbindoofy@tiscali.co.uk
thanks

magic johnson

I led a group of riders on a 2 day holiday on Dartmoor Oct 2007.

The routes we followed were patched together from bike mags, forum members and websites. They were very successful and we have already planned a return visit.

The routes are available to download in PDF at our website.

www.about-bikes.com

I have them in Tracklogs format if anyone wants them emailed.

Contact me via the website.

caspar

This website is a great resource for routes, the link takes you to Dartmooor routes but they have got routes all over the UK.

http://www.mtbsharp.co.uk/routes/devon_cornwall/dartmoor/index.html

keith

Any chance of mailing me the routes too?

keithlackie@gmail.com

I'm down in Paignton and always looking for new routes to ride in the Dartmoor area.

wrongway

Please can I be sent them aswell?! thanks alot , Hannah

wrong.way@hotmail.co.uk

newvroom

I'm also off to Devon on holiday. Has anybody ridden the XC route at Haldon recently? What's it like? How does it compare to dartmoor riding? (No GPS, so would I spend a lot of time stopping to look at my map?)
Thanks

sam1234

Rode Haldon this week first time for a while its ok not very long 8k I think, so good for a quick blast. I would head up onto Dartmoor for longer rides, as I know Dartmoor fairly well I tend to not spend to long looking at the map. If you do a ride over the top of the moor good map reading skills are handy and you could spend somtime map reading. But not to worry theres some good riding especaily in the Princetown and Hound Tor areas.
Personally I enjoy map reading so if I do have to get the map out I don't mind.

Have Fun

Sam