Riding in Cornwall?

singleton

We're planning a holiday on Cornwall over the summer holidays and I wondered whether to take my bike.

On the one hand, it would be great to be able to get out for a few hours occasionally and explore (as well as avoid losing too much fitness) but on the other hand I'm a bit concerned about mad holiday drivers on little roads with poor visibility...

Has anyone had good or bad experieces that they can share?

singleton

Ladock - approximately half way between Truro and St Austell.

I was just merrily thinking of taking the bike along, and casually mentioned this to someone, and their immediate response was a sharp intake of breath and a comment that they would never ride their bike in Cornwall during holiday season.

Made me wonder if I needed to reconsider.

mamba80

Singleton wrote:

We're planning a holiday on Cornwall over the summer holidays and I wondered whether to take my bike.

On the one hand, it would be great to be able to get out for a few hours occasionally and explore (as well as avoid losing too much fitness) but on the other hand I'm a bit concerned about mad holiday drivers on little roads with poor visibility...

Has anyone had good or bad experieces that they can share?

i live down here and you need to get out as early as poss, avoid main roads, avoid any roads that go to touristy places and better still, go over the border and ride in West Devon.

there are limited but quieter roads (well roads is pushing it, tracks and lanes are more accurate!) in and around bodmin moor, more so as you head east, you can ride for miles and hardly see a car, even on a bank hokiday or peak summer.

further west you go, the less roads and more traffic, tbh holiday drivers tend to be more understanding, they arent in a rush, in holiday mode and far more likely to flag you down and ask you where some or other place is, using a pronunciation i ve never heard of.

its the locals you need to b aware of.

NB Laddock B3275 its quiet around there, but pan flat and an out an back TT course S6/10 i think, loads of lanes there that wont attract holiday traffic, just get a good map, you r otherwise in a busy area, Truro and
get out super early, its light by 5 lol! and you ll be fine.

defycomp2

Ladock, lovely and flat road between Tresillian and Fraddon. Stray off of it and it gets a bit hilly around the edges, but it is one of the flatter parts of the county. Nice rides either down onto the Roseland via Tregony or east up into the hills of "Clay Country".

singleton

Thanks for the comments, very helpful.

Monty Dog

Lots of good riding in Cornwall - just steer clear of the main roads and be prepared for some hills! Drive / ride to Fowey and hop on the Polruan Ferry and explore the back roads between Lerryn, Polperro and Looe - you'll soon find out why there's little traffic. In fact places like Polperro are great as you can simply weave past the cars on the singletrack lanes facing nose-to-nose and no-one prepared to give way.

Vaughan1

I live in Cornwall and have no choice but to ride here and its lovely just stay off the big roads

ddraver

After 5 years in The Netherlands I'm going back there next tuesday....

(east cornwall though)

If you have an MTB/hybrid the new trails around the mining area around Cambourne (I can't remember what theyre called) are quite fun and you can make quite a nice ride out of them for a day or so...

whoof

I'm originally from Cornwall and visit regularly. I have no qualms regarding riding regardless of the time of day. There are main roads that get busy but there are not a lot of places which aren't like that.

Try going out to St Just-in-Roseland, over the King Harry Ferry. Round Point and Devoran. Head for Bissoe and some tea and cake. Twelveheads, Chasewater then Blackwater. Wind your way back through little places like Mithian and Bolingey.

If you look at the map SW of Truro the majority of the roads between A30 and A394 (other than Redruth Falmouth and Redruth Camborne) are good for riding. The Lizard is very nice to. Go to Roskilly's for some ice-cream.

Monty Dog

Cambourne? That'll be the Mineral Tramway between Portreath and Devoran:

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/rout ... t-to-coast

If you have a CX bike, you can head-off over the Coast Path from Portreath to Porthtowan, Chapel Porth and onto St Agnes - bit of hike a bike a first, and some decent 'exposure' from Chapel Porth to St Agnes Head. Bobble-hats may get in the way in daytime, so quieter in the evening.

singleton

Thanks everyone.

paulmon

Sorry to hijack the thread but I'm going to St Austell in two weeks but can only take one bike. It's either the road bike or the MTB. I plan to ride every other day but can't decide which to take. Any advice welcome.

Cheers
P

Vaughan1

I would say road bike. But the tram way,that goes from Portreath to Devoran through Camborne is a nice mtb ride. You could follow the Eden sportive routes from St Austell.