What's the flattest way out of Cornwall and Devon

[NEvans]

Distances I don't mind, wind and rain I don't mind, tea and cake I don't mind. But see a hill and I stop, probably something to do with all the tea and cake! Happy to take a more scenic route and not in a rush, is there a less painful way out?

[mjr]

Not much flat to be had there! Too coastal and you start crossing inlets too often, too inland and you have to climb around the rocky peaks.

IIRC from past posts on various forums, one of the flatter ways from LE is roughly National 3 to the Bodmin bypass, cut across to Liskeard, then exit Cornwall at Horsebridge near Gunnislake, aiming to join the Granite Way rail trail near North Brentor.

Flattest still isn't flat, though.

[Bez]

By boat

[Paulatic]

Come out here it looks very flat

[NEvans]

By boat

Nice idea, if I sat on my bike and peddled would it count?

Various ways I'd like to go; Lizard, Dartmoor, Cheddar Gorge, maybe by the time I reach the Clifton Suspension Bridge my luck will have started changing.

Or I start cutting down on the tea and cake. But that is what I go cycling for.....

[Bez]

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

By boat

Get a train ticket

[horizon]

Hi,

By boat

Get a train ticket

I was going to suggest train as well (after all, I do it all the time). OK, if you are doing LEJOG then maybe not but I don't think it a bad idea to get to where you would rather cycle.

[charliepolecat]

Aren't the highlands hilly? What will you do when you get there if you don't like hills?

[PhilPub]

Aren't the highlands hilly? What will you do when you get there if you don't like hills?

Scotland's a lot easier than Cornwall. There's some climbing to do but it's generally over much more steady gradients and you can actually enjoy the view freewheeling down the other side, rather than having your hands on the brakes all the time. All that wasted kinetic energy!

[PH]

is there a less painful way out?

IMO least painful way is to break it down into smaller chunks. There are some routes that'll be easier than others, I'll leave that to those more familiar with the area, but when I looked slightly less climbing often involved steeper if fewer climbs. A lot is made of the Cornish hills, they're not mountains, they're just relentless. We simply cut the mileage in half and then looked for an easy midlands route and added it back there. People get the idea that they have to do X miles a day, when what they should be looking at is X effort, or X time.

[Mick F]

Easiest way out is to follow the A30 from LE to Exeter turning north at Marsh Barton to head north through the city to join the Old A38 (B3181) via Cullompton to join the A38 for Taunton.

There's some long hard climbs on the A30, and it's not a nice road to cycle on, but it's the easiest least hilly and fastest route.

BTW, just done 42miles today home to home, and climbed 108ft per mile.
It's hilly down this end of the country!

[PeterT]

Try this.

Day 1: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/15536401

Day 2: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/15536407

Day 3: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/15536422

4 of us did this last year and we were all over 60.. one was over 70, so just get fit and do it.

[Alan58]

20 to 25 miles per day did it for me: I am now sitting in Edinburgh with only 350 miles to do having started at the beginning of May.

[philvantwo]

Are you cycling or walking?