Devon Coast to Coast

dave_rudge

Hey Guys,

Im planning to cycle the Devon Coast to Coast Route over the Easter weekend and wondered if anyone had any experiences / tips?

My plan is to park ia Plymouth, so effectively I'd be cycling to Illfracombe and back, possibly staying at Bidesford of Great Torrington (so Plymouth to B&B, B&B to Illfracombe and back, B&B to Plymouth over 3 days).

Any advice or guidance would be much appreciated!

Cheers

Dave

Red Rider

You thinking of doing the exact route here?

If you are, then I'd suggest that the Route 27 which heads out toward Sheepstor then back toward Peter Tavy isn't particularly easy to follow.

The alternative isn't much better and a lot of people seem to miss a turn and end up on the A386 to Tavistock. I used to work in a pub out that way would see lost cyclists now and again. The A386 aint that bad if you're confident, but it is fast and pretty busy at times.

For my money, I'd get out of Plymouth on or off the cycle route then at Yelverton head out across the moor on the B3212 toward Princetown, Two Bridges, Postbridge, Chagford, then eventually north on the A382 back toward the Sustrans route.

I guess it depends how much you want to do that actual route and how much you want to be traffic free, which generally means old railway cuttings and missing out on this.

The B3212 has some pretty tough climbs but I reckon it's the best road in the area.

Dave

chocothon

A group of us are doing it in June so interested in any information about what to do and not do.

We're keen to avoid the main roads and at the moment planning to drive to Plymouth, train to Barnstaple, cycle to Ilfracombe, stop overnight, then do the route back to Plymouth.

Going with a few more leisurely riders, so will stop half way back to Plymouth overnight (or possibly 2 stops if there are complaints !) as well. If we end up off the Sustrans route quite a bit, perhaps we should just plan our own route with the OS maps ?