Dartmoor... who knows?

[antman]

Hi,

I'm planning another London to Cornwall trip but this time wish to go across Dartmoor, depending on the weather first week of June.
The B3212 from Exeter looks like a good route.
Has anyone experience of this or has any suggestions on another route?

Thanks

[honesty]

I have driven it but not cycled it. Whilst in the car, it seemed pretty decent and not too busy. Having walked on Dartmoor though, its a weather system all unto itself....

Saying that, I am cycling it the first weekend of July and stopping off at the Postbridge YHA so cycle specific info would help me as well.

[Mick F]

That road from Exeter is fine, it takes you into Moretonhampstead.
It's a bit hilly, but nothing too difficult.

It's the road out onto the moor that'll take it out of you. It climbs up and up with a few fairly long slogs, then when you're at the top, it goes up and down all the way. The top bit is at Warren House.

It's bleak and open up there, and there's no let-up until you drop down Pork Hill into Tavistock.

I like to ride up Pork Hill to Princetown and down Peek Hill to Yelverton to follow the main roads back home. I last did that ride in November last year, and I'm still waiting for a decent day to do it again. Believe me, since the winter finished, it's been either windy and wet, or cold and windy with showers - and it's been foggy too. It ain't no fun up there at 1,500ft with no shelter at all.

Here's the route from Exeter to Tavistock:
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... rse=540555

If the weather is iffy - and it has been for months already - the best way is to get onto the Old A30 for Okehampton round to the north of Dartmoor.

[BeeKeeper]

I've been to Princetown twice this year and both times it had cloud at head height and the last time the added fun of horizontal driving rain but the Fox Torr Café in the middle of Princetown is a popular watering hole for walkers and cyclists and worth a stop if it is the right time of day. Another time on Dartmoor earlier this year the sun was shining all day on the coast but we had half and hour of snow on Dartmoor. It is a deceptive place, from a distance it doesn't look that hilly as the tops are not really that high but the roads go remorselessly up and down all the time. To experience the best bits of Dartmoor you need to turn off onto the side roads, the B3212 is the M1 of the Moor and not, to my taste, the pleasantest of cycling but compared to other main roads it is not that bad. Just don't expect peace and quiet.

[antman]

Mick... Thanks, I used your route earlier on in the year was great... except for the hail, wind and rain!!! haha

I'll be leaving Wells in the morning to head for either Exeter or Okhampton for a night stop.
Dependent on the weather next day, cross the moor and aim for Looe. Just wondered if there's a southern way around the moor... just in case.

Also anyone know any good B&B's etc on the edge of the moor, save stopping in Ex or Ok?

Thanks

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Whatever you do DONT listen to em.
Its not everest Yes in the summer you can have a bad day like winter February.
But so is John O Groates in summer, you would'nt not go there
I've got no tongue left I have bitten it so much
June will be fine, I have gazed into the misty ball
It's decided that very soon I will plot a magic route though loverly Devon for all who pass this way. And lobby the closure of that A30
And stamp it on ALL posts from him across the bridge from that dark damp place called Cornwall.
The climp out of Mortenhamstead would be cracking for the Tour of Britain, you will like the head pumping slope.
Then Warren house inn where the fire does sometimes go out A drink or two Mamouth drop to the cattle grid at a hyper 50 MPH I kid you not
Over the clapper bridge at Postbridge, Ice cream to scoff on, past Powdermills farm Cream teas, over two Two bridges and scoot into Prince Town for the All day breakfast, mind the prison there
Then its down to Tavistock past Great Mis Tor, Meldon Granit Quarry, on your left Vixen Tor the witch's face Then as you drop into town another 50 MPH + hill (max speed here of nearly 55 Then into Tavistock to rearrange your hair and underwear
There as said are other ways more scenic depends on you.

P.S. If thirteen year olds can manage a weekend of hikeing and camping on the moors then you boys have it easy.

[Mick F]

P.S. If thirteen year olds can manage a weekend of hikeing and camping on the moors then you boys have it easy.

I think you'll find that The Ten Tors expedition this weekend is for 14 to 19 year olds. I'm willing to bet that this weekend will be the worst weekend to do it. I'm also willing to bet that some of the kids will we airlifted off the moor. The forecast is that bad.

I was up there in a sunny August a few years ago. It was sunny down here, but awfully wet and windy up there. By the time I got down to Tavistock down Pork Hill - max speed for me has been 52mph - but that is only with a decent easterly breeze - more usually it's 45mph - I managed perhaps 40mph that day and my fingers were blue with cold by the time I was down. I was shivvering and freezing and I had to take a while to warm up before I could head the last five miles home.

Do not believe for one minute that it's a bed of roses up there. Hard work but wonderful if the weather's nice - or hard work and horrible if the weather's nasty. The trouble is, the weather can change at the drop of a hat .............

[NATURAL ANKLING]

P.S. If thirteen year olds can manage a weekend of hikeing and camping on the moors then you boys have it easy.

I think you'll find that The Ten Tors expedition this weekend is for 14 to 19 year olds

14.......And I did it several times, I should've known

I'm willing to bet that this weekend will be the worst weekend to do it. I'm also willing to bet that some of the kids will we airlifted off the moor. The forecast is that bad.

This is a sore note for me as Scuteneering was not always 100%, so it was possible to go under equiped.
The first year I did it apparently half of the teams had dropped out by lunch on first day Because it was misty and raining
Back then it was possible to arrive only having walked 20 miles on the downs
Our trainer made us do everything on our own and did not have contact with us training for two days, just watched from a hill with glasses, we never spotted him. The whole point of training is to be able to stomach all the weather, thats why some will not do it, they know its hard, but not impossible for even the youngest.

I was up there in a sunny August a few years ago. It was sunny down here, but awfully wet and windy up there. By the time I got down to Tavistock down Pork Hill - max speed for me has been 52mph - but that is only with a decent easterly breeze - more usually it's 45mph - I managed perhaps 40mph that day and my fingers were blue with cold by the time I was down. I was shivvering and freezing and I had to take a while to warm up before I could head the last five miles home.
Do not believe for one minute that it's a bed of roses up there. Hard work but wonderful if the weather's nice - or hard work and horrible if the weather's nasty. The trouble is, the weather can change at the drop of a hat .............

No bed of rose's true..........but I am still going to construct a scenic route................with road signs ..."This Way"

[BeeKeeper]

At least it is peaceful on Dartmoor these days. I was down on the coast (on the Cornish side) a couple of weeks ago and caught this picture of a local pirate ship just setting sail to attack a passing Frenchman intent on raiding Plymouth.

[Mick F]

Cawsands?
Good picture!

[BeeKeeper]

Yes, Cawsands, well spotted. Bovisand in the distance beyond the breakwater. Just off the frame to the left is Jennycliff where I will be with our local CTC group in the café on Sunday morning then on via Whitsand Bay to Cremyll for lunch - if all goes to plan and more to the point my legs hold out.

[Mick F]

We used to live in Plymstock and Jennycliffe was a nice walk from home with the girls to the beach.

From Cremyll are you taking the ferry back to Plymouth/Stonehouse?
Nice little ferry, but if the tide's out, the jetties can be slippy.

It's a while since I rode the Rame Peninsula, a good ride across the top of Whitsands Bay with views out to Eddystone. I do have a plan to go out that way again this spring. Sundays rarely see me out on a ride as Mrs Mick F works all week so we tend to do something (or nothing) together.

Have a good day, the weather is forecast to be good for Sunday.

Back to the Dartmoor bit ......
You can see right out to Plymouth Sound from the top of Pork Hill above Tavistock.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Princet ... 1,,2,-1.46

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
This is the same looking from Elsborrow Tin Mine, just south of princetown at 07.00, you can see the Plym Sound with mist in the valley and just see the sea too.

I am camping there, on bike.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
!0 % fallouts on the ten tors 55 miler not bad.
None 55's home yet are far as I can tell.
Edided one 45 miler finished at 09.32.
1ST 55 milers might finish by 11.00.
On a good day we hit 36 miles in 12.5 hrs, 38 miles ist day, First year I did the 35 miler marines were doing 40 in one day.
Not bad on unpathed moorland with a 35 Ib (16kg) rucksac, last year ist team home was four males two females, they did not make much fuss at that, it was not reported at all Bad day you will struggle at less than two miles an hour "Cowsic Head" peat troughs over six foot deep
I walked 70 miles in two days on the pennines then the third day was a pea souper and 20 miles in 10 hours using a 3" long compass on open moorland no path.

[Mick F]

Good news.
Seems like the weather forecast for the weekend which I read on Thursday wasn't so bad after all.
We were in Callington yesterday for the May Fest, and although the rain held off, it was blowing a gale and freezing cold!

No doubt it was freezing cold and windy - even more - up on Dartmoor.