A30 Penzance to Okehampton
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thebedfordfox
- Posts: 54
- Joined: 27 Apr 2012, 6:59pm
Re: A30 Penzance to Okehampton
Fascinating stuff.
Mick, is there a place online where I can find your LEJOG route in its entirety (but in its stages, if you see what I mean)?
Mick, is there a place online where I can find your LEJOG route in its entirety (but in its stages, if you see what I mean)?
Re: A30 Penzance to Okehampton
I've not published the route in stages as a separate thing .... I don't think.
Busy today, but I'll try and dig the routes out and post on here.
Meanwhile, you can pick it out ok from one of my blogs:
http://jogleonachopper.blogspot.com
Busy today, but I'll try and dig the routes out and post on here.
Meanwhile, you can pick it out ok from one of my blogs:
http://jogleonachopper.blogspot.com
Mick F. Cornwall
Re: The A30.
braz wrote:Now that so much of the old road has been bypassed, the 'old roads' are great to cycle on.
That would be true were it to be true, if you see what I mean. There are indeed sections of the A30 that have been properly by-passed and are now fine for cycling on. But the majority of it has been "improved" in situ meaning that it is now dual carriageway and the old road is beneath the new. The A30 across Bodmin Moor is the obvious example. Some other bits remain but cannot realistically be accessed (through Mitchell for instance). It doesn't mean that there aren't strategic alternatives but that's not the same as just getting on the old A30 and going for it.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
Re: A30 Penzance to Okehampton
We drove to Bodmin and back today down the A30 from Plusha.
As we drove, I chatted to Mrs Mick F about the sad incident down at Summercourt the other side of Highgate Hill.
It's as Horizon says, there's no viable alternative to the A30, and if you think about it, there's no viable alternative all the way between Exeter and LE. Cars and lorries come off the M5 at Exeter and head west on the A30. The M5/A30 junction just sends the traffic on its way round a tight bend and off onto a motorway standard A road. The traffic slows for the bend, then accelerates away back up to full speed ahead. The road is narrower than a motorway, no hard shoulder, but smooth and fast like a motorway. Yes it has big hills, but cars and lorries hardly slow down and consider themselves still on a motorway.
Off they go. Full tilt to the west. This is the same both ways of course. The traffic comes out of the Cornish heartland and powers its way eastward. They leave the Camborne and Redruth area, and head out into the flat-ish lands towards Highgate Hill, then over it and over the Goss Moor. The road is fairly straight and smooth and flat and fast - and to be honest, quite boring.
What options does the cyclist have?
What options does the timid motorist have?
Yes, the Old A30 is there from Hayle to Blackwater, but that's it until you reach Launceston!
Even the Old A30 from Launceston to Okehampton, and all the way to Exeter, isn't signposted even though it's an excellent road!
The A30 crosses Bodmin Moor and its approaches too. It has crossed Bodmin Moor since the Packhorse route days. The turnpikes smoothed it out, and the modern motorway standard road still follows it though still smoother and straighter. There is no alternative unless you go round Bodmin Moor to the north or to the south.
If the modern A30 were a motorway, there would be signposted alternatives. These alternatives exist and they need to be promulgated and advertised.
As we drove, I chatted to Mrs Mick F about the sad incident down at Summercourt the other side of Highgate Hill.
It's as Horizon says, there's no viable alternative to the A30, and if you think about it, there's no viable alternative all the way between Exeter and LE. Cars and lorries come off the M5 at Exeter and head west on the A30. The M5/A30 junction just sends the traffic on its way round a tight bend and off onto a motorway standard A road. The traffic slows for the bend, then accelerates away back up to full speed ahead. The road is narrower than a motorway, no hard shoulder, but smooth and fast like a motorway. Yes it has big hills, but cars and lorries hardly slow down and consider themselves still on a motorway.
Off they go. Full tilt to the west. This is the same both ways of course. The traffic comes out of the Cornish heartland and powers its way eastward. They leave the Camborne and Redruth area, and head out into the flat-ish lands towards Highgate Hill, then over it and over the Goss Moor. The road is fairly straight and smooth and flat and fast - and to be honest, quite boring.
What options does the cyclist have?
What options does the timid motorist have?
Yes, the Old A30 is there from Hayle to Blackwater, but that's it until you reach Launceston!
Even the Old A30 from Launceston to Okehampton, and all the way to Exeter, isn't signposted even though it's an excellent road!
The A30 crosses Bodmin Moor and its approaches too. It has crossed Bodmin Moor since the Packhorse route days. The turnpikes smoothed it out, and the modern motorway standard road still follows it though still smoother and straighter. There is no alternative unless you go round Bodmin Moor to the north or to the south.
If the modern A30 were a motorway, there would be signposted alternatives. These alternatives exist and they need to be promulgated and advertised.
Mick F. Cornwall