Calling all Devon MTB riders

The HutcH

Hi there. I live in Devon and it seems we have got some cracking trails around. Where do you guys ride? and what are the trails like?

Fuzz Monkey Five

Where about in Devon are you ? Have you got a car / van and can travel ?

sam1234

The main places I ride are:

Exmoor
Quantocks (yes I know its Somerset)
Dartmoor
Goldburn Hill at Okehampton
Haldon forest

Exmoor and the Quatocks are probably my joint favorites. Especailly the deascent off Dunkery beacon.

Exmoor offers good all day rides and the Quantocks excllent for natural singletrack fun. Dartmoor is bit harder to find good riding but there are some nice rides to be had and is ideal for shorter quicker blasts. As for Okehampton that is mostly N Shore as is Haldon but with a short purpose bulit XC loop.

Sam

Sponging-Machine

I'm in Barnstaple. Like Sam said really, only without the North shore stuff.

I don't suppose anyone knows anything about some trails around Torrington, do they?

JackBenson59

I'm up in Combe Martin and usually go up on Exmoor.

Mountainbikecrazy

Exmoor is not bad but being very farmed the rides are stretched out bridleways on the whole. The Quantocks offers myriad riding experiences, from some pretty serious downhill sections to trail riding,with loads between. You could spend a week up there and still have more to find. If you want to find the best bits fast then try my site at
http://www.mountainbikecrazy.com for details of guided rides.

Tim Black

hi i live i torquay i will post up a nice ride later with pic's just off for a walk with me dog to have a look at some old pathways that are overgrown but i think there could be a nice down hill section (could be a nice secret ride hard to fined but if you no the way ???) will also put up pic's

oomidamon

Tim Black wrote:

hi i live i torquay i will post up a nice ride later with pic's just off for a walk with me dog to have a look at some old pathways that are overgrown but i think there could be a nice down hill section (could be a nice secret ride hard to fined but if you no the way ???) will also put up pic's

That's a long walk!! :shock:

JackBenson59

I am going to be moving to Bideford in the summer. Does anyone know of any decent trails around there as well as the freeride park?

Sponging-Machine

I've not been to the bike park as it's not really my thing. Other than that, there's pretty much nothing on your doorstep that's particularly inspiring. You can probably link a few bits and bobs together to make a training ride though.

JackBenson59

What I might do is go up the tarka trail to Braunton and go around the burrows and Woolacombe area, that seems pretty fun.

Sponging-Machine

There are some okay trails up that way but they need to be linked with a lot of road. They're also only any good when dry as they turn to the world's stickiest clay after even a hint of rain. Give us a shout if you're heading out that way though, Jack (I'm in Barnstaple).

JackBenson59

Will do. I'll make a note of your forum name.



Note to self- Sponging-Machine.

JackBenson59

My favourite long ride at the moment is from Combe Martin, up and around Holdstone Down, into Hunters Inn, down to the beach at Heddon's Mouth and then back home up the hill and back down the nice and rocky downhill paths into Combe Martin.

Sponging-Machine

I only moved here a few months ago so am still learning my way about. Don't suppose yoy fancy showing me that route, do you?

JackBenson59

Yeah I don't see why not. Send me message when you are up for it. Are you into cross-country and singletrack trail riding mainly then?

Sponging-Machine

Yup. I'm not about this weekend (building my new bike) but next weekend would be a goer.

JackBenson59

That should be okay. What new bike are you building?

sam1234

Theres a route around Bideford which I do.It takes about 1 - 2 hours. However it's not 100% legal. So tend to ride it in evenings when its quiter. Had a good ride Tuesday night everything was frozen but great fun.

mr boos

a group of us go out every wednesday night in the summer starting and finishing in combe martin for a xc ride, normally about 25 miles. ask the southfork guys for info, they can put you in touch with people if you want to ride

JackBenson59

Cool, that sounds good. My favourite route does go over a few trails that are not legal for bikes but it is okay as nobody seems to mind and the busiest stretch is a bridleway anyway.

Sponging-Machine

Building up a new Giant Trance - Very excited!

Sam1234, Would it be cool if I tagged along on one of your night rides, please? I'm not too worried about riding on footpaths. Open access for all, I say.

mr boos

changing the subject, does anybody in this area know of anybody in this area wants a gt avalanche 1.0 with new tora 302 solo air fork 130mm, juicy 5s etc, it will be going on e bay otherwise, like to see 350 for it

Sponging-Machine

No thank you.

robmccreedie

done a few rides on dartmoor, princetown and north bovey way but generally ride on woodbury common, pretty close to Exeter.

fred1star

I have been exploring the Dartmoor area. There is some cracking riding to be had around Princetown and Okehampton. Woodbury is great too but both areas take there toll on you bike. Got through a Shimano LX bottom bracket in less than 8 months due to the gritty terrain.

Want to explore Exmoor and the Quantocks though…

*Pez*

From Exeter, most rides are an hour away. Everything is here.

Exmoor
Winsford is a great place to start a ride. There's a 35k loop that takes you up over Dunkery. The decent is great fun. Not just off the beacon, but on down the bridleway after. It really is fast and loose. The tea rooms (posh caf) is great for post ride food.

If you have legs like pistons, then the mbr classic from Minehead is a good route (40k). The first bit may be a bit illegal. You scream down around the costal headland on nothing more than a 2ft toe path. Lots of quite blind corners. Not met a walker yet, but I recon he'll be getting wet or run-over. Mid point is through honer wood (along a path called Granny's ride). By this point I'm starting to flag...

The Exmoor Explorer is a great way to learn a bit of Exmoor. The hills are more hard core (and longer) than Dartmoor, but equally enjoyable.

Dartmoor
Start from Hound Tor Carpark and point out towards jays grave and up to hammel down. The decent down over Grimspound is quite fun. Then cross the road and follow the trail out past the farm and on to bennets cross (I think) then back on a loop. It's about 35k. One of my fave rides. You can make another 30k (ish) by going out over hound tor and following the trail out to Manaton and back around.

Princetown loop from the Plume Of Feathers pub is good if everywhere else is wet. Not the most inspiring ride but a good one to have for winter days.

A section that I still have yet to 'clean' is Nutcrackers (ride out of Manaton or Bovey. Can be linked with Hound tor rides.

Google earth is useful for finding these places.

Quantocks.
I have never had a good ride on the Quantocks. I think I expect too much from the hype. It's a ridge with some tame grass decents (not technical) and a bitch of a climb back up out of the coombes.

Minehead is a great xc ride. Can't quite remember the loop we do, but is takes in some good singletrack decents.

And now we have Gawton Woods at Tavi. A double black diamond DH run and very scary 'freeride' trail. Best dh in the South West by a mile. More demanding than Cwm Carn.

jonnyashworth

My girlfriend and I have just bought our first XC bikes and I could do with pushing myself a bit more we've just rented a place between starcross and kenn but am always up for travelling for weekenders.

fred1star

Definately try out some of the easier rides out from Princetown. There is a bridleway up South Hessary Tor, continue south looping around to the west, you then get onto a road taking you to Burrator Reservoir, go around the eastern side of the reservoir till you get to grid SX5634 6936, take a right hander up a steep hill (road), turn right at the top next to leat. You then head through wood to pick up bridleway to take you back east towards South Hessary Tor..

sharki

Yup, nothing to good on the quantocks, never a reward for 20mins of climbing, dull dull dull, and nothing technical.

Either go to Exmoor and do big mile rides or stay in Horner and explore.

Dartmoor.
Nutcracker is great and cleanable on a day months when you don't get bogged down, but best ridden on a HT as is most of the eastern moor, canyons, bowermans, smallacombe and the traverse around hound tor all great fun, off the back of hameldown is a giggle some stuff over bellever that's worth a look.

Princetown loops are the gentle option nice wide trails, around nuns cross, etc.

Haldon i being re-worked, so wait for the graded built stuff to be finished, still plenty of natural stuff though some has been lost to foresting, great descent back down th Kenn to find...'st andrews lane'

Woodbury has some great traisl, but is heavily used by dog walkers so beware of their mess.

Can woods in Plymouth for DH, also tavi woods if you get in with the woodlands riders, which leads you to Gawton...Some fun MX tails in the woods further down the hill around the mines.

Hercule Q

i live in exmouth and usually go up woodbury common but as said ther are alot of ramblers/ dog walkers/ horse riders and the subsequent mess left behind, i'm looking for some guys to ride with as i've noticed all my friends have stopped riding and now drive cars and as i'm not into driving aruond is there anyone who rides trails or the like who goes up there give me a shout cos i'm sick of going alone.