Sorry, late to the party here!puffin wrote:honesty wrote:Im going to annoy MickF here as we've disagreed about this in the past, but at Sourton I'd personally be diverting onto the Granite way past the Church of St Thomas a Becket. This then will take you over the Meldon viaduct, which in my view is worth doing even for the extra few minutes it would take you.
Thanks again, looks like a great diversion. I've updated the route, but won't tell Mick. Promise.
When you get to the end of the Old A30 at Sourton, turn right onto the A386 and go south for a couple of hundred yards, and turn left into a carpark. The lane out the back of the carpark goes up onto the moor near Meldon Viaduct.
As you go to into the carpark, there's a cattle grid and a pile of huge stones on your left to dissuade cars and motorbikes.
Turn left there through the stones and enter the Granite Way for Okehampton.
Level-ish to the viaduct, but from then on you're on paths, not old railbed. You're in and out of bends and corners, and pop out above Okehampton Town. Downhill into the town and turn right on the main road through traffic lights.
Easiest way is to turn LEFT at the end of the Old A30 at Sourton. Go past the service area etc and keep going past the entrance to the A30 dual carriageway. Keep going less than a mile, turn right at a small crossroads signposted Meldon, and down the lane to join the Old A30 again for Okehampton Town and pass through traffic lights ............. where you would have come down the hill from Granite Way.
Take the first left. It's a one-way street and will cut the corner - and the hill - off. Otherwise, carry on to the main traffic lights and turn left.
Either way, down to the mini roundabout and turn right up Appledore Hill towards Samford Spiney, Bow and Copplestone, then Crediton.
Rob's Passage and Tiverton, Halberton to Waterloo Cross for the A38 and head for Taunton and Bridgwater.
