Devon C2C options

[Mick F]

Give until the dryer weather. May/June maybe.
Far too wet and miserable for the early part of this year.
Hardly had a dry few days since October. Lawn not mowed, less cycling - and when I have, the bikes have come back filthy - garden not tended, car remains filthy.

Wettest period I've known since moving here in 1985.

[al_yrpal]

Uh, thats good news Mick, I thought it was normal. Wondered why the locals all had pointed heads...

Al

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Tarka trail is meeth, route 27 goes through hatherleigh, they join up north of petrockstowe.
When I did it last there was little on the net.
And I took my map and compass, just happening on any cycle paths, many are being improved from mud track to hard surfaces, some think leave the track bridle path as it is, but if a council want numbers they pave over.
Now the net is a blast of many cycle routes, and paths, and as you know with out direction via your device etc you get lost in the maze of cycle paths now springing up.

[dodger]

Rode from Plymouth up the Plym Valley Trail to Yelverton, then followed it on to Tavistock, Brentor, Lydford, Okehampton, Meeth, Bideford, Barnstaple, Braunton, Saunton, Ilfracombe, then back to Barnstaple and then to Exeter and Plymouth by train. A pleasant 3 day ride, staying at the YHA in Okehampton, a pub in Bideford and a budget B&B in Ilfracombe.
It's a lovely cross section of Devon and relatively quiet, except around Bideford/Barnstaple at the weekend. Plenty of places to eat, including the cafe at Yarde and another nice cafe at Fremington Quay, between Bideford and Barnstaple.
A fair bit of it is on old railways, plus a track next to the road from Barnstaple to Braunton, and the on-road bits are mainly quiet.
Probably do it again when it warms up.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Yes a very pleasant ride for sure, worth doing.
Did you do Saltram before the under pass a38?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Oh you said meeth, meeth halt?
Did you do the path between the fence and hedge or along the road parallel to it?
Tarka trail route 27, posted by Mick further up.
Just wondered if its still mud?

[Norman H]

Does anyone know if there's any prospect of Hatherleigh and Meeth being linked by a cycle path using the section of old rail bed that runs between them, and as an alternative to the A386?

When we rode it going North I was tempted to use the A386 from Hatherleigh but we opted to follow route 27 to Sheepwash and route 3 to Petrockstowe.

[honesty]

Absolutely none on the old rail bed. The current land owner has point blank refused as far as I understand.

There is planning permission to extend the current Tarka trail from the right angle turn just before Meeth down to the lane from the A road to Petrockstow. The Made Well centre isn’t trying to get the cycle path that comes up to them from Hatherleigh over the river to that lane. I think that’s possible, maybe.

I cycled the A road with my 8 year old last year. The only sketchy bit is the hill just north of the river.

Edit: got a bit further than last time I looked into this - https://democracy.devon.gov.uk/documents/s25902/ab080519dma%20Construction%20of%20Trail%20Land%20south%20of%20the%20C491%20Friars%20Hele%20to%20Petrockstowe%20Lane%20Friars%20Hel.pdf just need them to do it now.

[Norman H]

Thanks for that honesty, that looks promising. It's a shame about the landowners attitude, the old rail bed would have been a better option.

[honesty]

Its quite funny actually if you read that report, the 2 land owners who rejected the move to use the rail bed have backed this one as it doesn't interrupt work on their farms...

[hamster]

For parking there is the Park and Ride at Plymouth plus the ferry terminal. The P&R is right on the route.

[Mick F]

Park and Ride at The George Plymouth is frequently completely full.
Many folk use it to park up and then car-share into the city to work, let alone all the commuters on the busses.

When I've had an appointment at hospital, I've driven there and taken the bus or walked. Once or twice I've had to park on Plymbridge Rd out the back of the carpark as it was completely topped up.

The area bottom left was a reserved area ........... probably when this aerial photo was taken ............. but now it's not reserved, and is usually full.

[Mick F]

PS
Another reason the Park and Ride is usually full, is that the majority of staff at the massive Derriford Hospital use it as it's a free carpark. The staff have to pay to park at the hospital, so it's easy to car share, walk, or get the bus ............... and save a fortune at the same time.

[hamster]

Ah, the P&R I am thinking of is Coypool, by the Plym Valley Railway.

[Thehairs1970]

PS
Another reason the Park and Ride is usually full, is that the majority of staff at the massive Derriford Hospital use it as it's a free carpark. The staff have to pay to park at the hospital, so it's easy to car share, walk, or get the bus ............... and save a fortune at the same time.

Not true Mick. The staff aren't allowed to park at the hospital, for the majority. Hence they use the P&R. Or cycle like my other half.