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Route help

davey.daveydavey.davey Posts: 89
edited April 2019 in Road general
Hi,

I am heading to Dartmouth this coming weekend and want to take the road bike with me.

Are there any people on these forums that can advise on planning some good routes in this area as i have no knowledge of the Dartmouth, or the surrounding areas whatsoever.

Looking at doing a couple of approx 50 mile rides.

Posts

  • sloppyschleckondssloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    davey.davey wrote:
    Hi,

    I am heading to Dartmouth this coming weekend and want to take the road bike with me.

    Are there any people on these forums that can advise on planning some good routes in this area as i have no knowledge of the Dartmouth, or the surrounding areas whatsoever.

    Looking at doing a couple of approx 50 mile rides.

    If I'm riding new areas I always have a look at audax routes in that area, generally the roads and routes chosen are much nicer
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • homers_doublehomers_double Posts: 7,851
    Was that a sensible answer :shock: ?
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • pblakeneypblakeney Posts: 24,700
    Having visited the area I would be wary of using unfamiliar B roads. They are the single track with high bushes variety and inevitable blind corners/dips. Even the “main” road is tight for 2 way traffic.
    Fine if you are comfortable with oncoming/following traffic.

    Lovely area mind and closed road would be bliss.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • cgfw201cgfw201 Posts: 674
    4x4s and the narrow roads during school holidays can make the South Hams a bit hairy for riding at times.

    But, it is spectacular.

    If you can, head up to Dartmoor for a big day out, spectacular scenery and some great climbs like Rundlestone, Haytor, Widecombe and Dartmeet. Can start from Ashburton and do the lot in about 100km, maybe slightly less.

    Otherwise, following the coast south towards Slapton Sands, Blackpool beach, Salcombe, Thurlestone is all nice, or head north up a pretty long climb up towards Paignton.

    Can't go too wrong, but earlier you start the better for sure at that time of year to avoid the traffic.
  • davep1davep1 Posts: 836
    Dartmoor is brilliant, I have family in Bovey Tracey so it is a short ride out of the town and you are climbing up onto the moors. Stunning countryside, and one or two of the roads are quite large so you can see and be seen, but that means if the weather is bad there is no shelter from wind or rain, and you will get faster traffic to deal with too.
  • rafletcherrafletcher Posts: 1,235
    You could do worse than look a Strava heat maps for the area - it'll show the routes most used by roadies.
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