Dartmoor and Exmoor

cgfw201

Got 3 days in the South West next week, based in the South Hams. I rode around there in 2013, doing a day on Dartmoor, a day in the South Hams and a day up from Exeter.

Looking to go bigger this year, and do a 100 miler on at least one day over Dartmoor and head home via Exmoor on the last day and go for a ride there.

Got a few things to tick off on Dartmoor, namely
- Haytor from Bovey Tracey
- Widecombe climb (trying to beat last time)
- Dartmeet
- Rundlestone

Is there any other climbs I should 100% be ticking off on the Moors? Also going to route via Burrator and some of the reservoirs.

Provisional Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/5360665

Up on Exmoor I've planned a 40 mile loop including Porlock, Lynton and Dunkery Beacon climbs which looks brutal but fun. Again, anything more I've missed there?

Cheers

ugo.santalucia

I would avoid Porlock... it's busy with traffic, smelly (burnt clutches and brake pads) and horrible. You can take the toll road instead at the staggering cost of 1 pound... is a much nicer road and gets you to the same place... in fact it is a superb climb, with amazing views. Dunkery beacon is hard, but rewarding and quiet, highly recommended

cgfw201

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I would avoid Porlock... it's busy with traffic, smelly (burnt clutches and brake pads) and horrible. You can take the toll road instead at the staggering cost of 1 pound... is a much nicer road and gets you to the same place... in fact it is a superb climb, with amazing views. Dunkery beacon is hard, but rewarding and quiet, highly recommended

Yes I was planning to do the toll road rather than the main one anyway, but good advice. The route I'm looking at for Exmoor leaves Dunkery as a bit of an additional add on if I fancy it. I may not after 300 miles and 40000ft over 3 days

ugo.santalucia

Do it, Dunkery Beacon is a very enjoyable climb

Schleck's Chain

Those are the best climbs I've done while in the area. The only other two I've personally done which are worth considering are:

Doccombe from Dunsford: a long but never steep climb through a beautiful valley onto the Moor.

From the Dart valley to Hexworthy via Holne: steep ramps up from the valley before a long and undulating climb past a reservoir on a quiet and scenic roaf. Doing this in reverse looked like it would provide a shorter but steeper challenging climb.

kirkee

If your around the Ashburton area, the lesser known Poundsgate climb is well worth doing. It leads up to the high moor along the river Dart. Its easy to nav from there to Tavistock taking in the Dartmeet descent. You could do a loop from Ashburton via Princetown/Tavi where you could climb and descend the Poundsgate, Dartmeet and Rundlestone climbs. Well sign posted throughout.

briantrumpet

cgfw201 wrote:

Provisional Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/5360665

That's a fair old route you've got there with nearly 12,000ft of lumpy climbing!

cgfw201

Well that was a big weekend.

Bike fell apart on day 1, needing a new Rear Derailleur hanger which prompted a string of calls to local bike shops, each one telling me there was no chance it would be fixed before next (this) week. Fortunately I found one place who could help (The Bike Cellar in Plymstock - recommended) and they sorted me out in less than 24h.

So managed a big 105 miler with 11k climbing on Saturday (https://www.strava.com/activities/620259338) and then hit Exmoor with the Porlock Toll Road and Dunkery Beacon on Sunday (https://www.strava.com/activities/621199234) before stopping via Cheddar Gorge on the way home.

Dunkery Beacon was a brilliant climb, really enjoyed it. Had a bit of everything.

Great few days of riding.

briantrumpet

cgfw201 wrote:

So managed a big 105 miler with 11k climbing on Saturday (https://www.strava.com/activities/620259338)

Nice route. Funnily enough I did parts of that route on Saturday too with a couple of friends - but we circumnavigated rather than cross the middle. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/4728405

cgfw201

briantrumpet wrote:

cgfw201 wrote:

So managed a big 105 miler with 11k climbing on Saturday (https://www.strava.com/activities/620259338)

Nice route. Funnily enough I did parts of that route on Saturday too with a couple of friends - but we circumnavigated rather than cross the middle. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/4728405

I heartily recommend the middle bit if you've not done it before. Dartmeet and Widecombe are great climbs.

briantrumpet

cgfw201 wrote:

I heartily recommend the middle bit if you've not done it before. Dartmeet and Widecombe are great climbs.

The are indeed - I was out there a couple of weeks ago. Climbing-wise, Dartmoor isn't vastly different in total climbing from a hard ride in alpine territory, but it's much more brutal, as you can't settle into any rhythm - the climbs tend to be proper hard, and there aren't many easy descents either. Here's the profile from the previous one - the climb up from Ashburton to Two Bridges is hard... you can see the drop down to Dartmeet just after 30 miles...

kingstongraham

Can I gatecrash? Probably got two days riding next week based near Exmouth - what's the recommendation for a decent couple of 100-120km rides from there? Want to do a day to Dartmoor - worth trying to get the little ferry across to avoid Exeter, or just suck it up?

cgfw201

KingstonGraham wrote:

Can I gatecrash? Probably got two days riding next week based near Exmouth - what's the recommendation for a decent couple of 100-120km rides from there? Want to do a day to Dartmoor - worth trying to get the little ferry across to avoid Exeter, or just suck it up?

The ride from Exmouth to Exeter is really fun actually, there's a national cycle route which includes loads of suspended wooden paths next to the estuary which is good (eg https://goo.gl/photos/m8W1MwXuXLA2XqxZA). From Exeter it's easy to get out towards Moretonhampstead and the moors. You never go near the city centre that way, and it's a tiny place anyway.

kingstongraham

Thanks - looking forward to that bit as well now!