Hi all, Sometime next year I will be arriving in Pembroke in Wales and cycling from there to the town of Dawlish in Devonshire. I'm seeking any help,hints tips etc with planning the most suitable or interesting route. If anyone can help with any suggestions for part, or all, of the tour I would love to hear your advice. I will be using a mix of camping and b&b for the journey and don't mind rough roads.
Thanks
Thom
Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
Re: Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
Hi CC,
Just a quickie.
I've moved your post to a more applicable place, and added a bit to the title to (hopefully) get more attention to your query.
Just a quickie.
I've moved your post to a more applicable place, and added a bit to the title to (hopefully) get more attention to your query.
Mick F. Cornwall
Re: Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
Mick F wrote:Hi CC,
Just a quickie.
I've moved your post to a more applicable place, and added a bit to the title to (hopefully) get more attention to your query.
Thanks M. Nothing like local knowledge so hopefully someone will have a few pointers.
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rossidevon
- Posts: 48
- Joined: 18 Jan 2015, 4:38pm
Re: Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
Earlier this year I rode from Plymouth to Swansea and used the Celtic Trail. Apart from around the 12 locks it was a really nice trail. It was a bit fiddly at places where you have to link one end to another through town, but having been up all night it may have been me making a meal of it.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Re: Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
OK, don't know the Welsh side, but from the Severn bridge you can follow the cycle route over the Avonmouth bridge. I'd then do the following:
At Easton in Gordano pick up the Avon cycleway and follow that round to Clevedon. Here you can pick up the Strawberry line. This will allow you to get through the Mendips without too much climbing as you'll go through the shute shelve tunnel. Once you get to Cheddar head on the B3151 through Wedmore, then peal off down to Shapwick. Cross over the A39 and take the A361 all the way into Taunton. It's not a hugely busy road, but you can always jump onto the canal path if you want when you cross it.
From Taunton the quickest way is down to Wellington on the A38. I'd personally go out through Hele to Bradford on Tone and take the back lane to Wellington. It's slightly longer, but a much nicer ride. Go through Wellington to Rockwell green. Take a left just before rejoining the A38. Then take the road across the A38 towards Nicolashayne. Cross the B3391 and go on to Uffculme then take the road to Willand. From there it's a simple process of following the B3181 into Exeter.
(Alternatively you can follow the B3227 from Taunton, out though Wiveliscombe to Bampton, then down through Tiverton, onwards along the Exe valley all the way into Exeter. You can pick up a cycle route on the river by the station and follow it all the way out to the Exe estuary trail. It's longer than the other way , and a bit hilly but pretty)
From Pinhoe you can pick up a cycle path (shared use footpath) all the way across the city to the swing bridges across the canal. Here pick up the Exe estuary trail all the way to Dawlish. The go to Gays Creamery. Have ice cream with clotted cream in it. Relax.
At Easton in Gordano pick up the Avon cycleway and follow that round to Clevedon. Here you can pick up the Strawberry line. This will allow you to get through the Mendips without too much climbing as you'll go through the shute shelve tunnel. Once you get to Cheddar head on the B3151 through Wedmore, then peal off down to Shapwick. Cross over the A39 and take the A361 all the way into Taunton. It's not a hugely busy road, but you can always jump onto the canal path if you want when you cross it.
From Taunton the quickest way is down to Wellington on the A38. I'd personally go out through Hele to Bradford on Tone and take the back lane to Wellington. It's slightly longer, but a much nicer ride. Go through Wellington to Rockwell green. Take a left just before rejoining the A38. Then take the road across the A38 towards Nicolashayne. Cross the B3391 and go on to Uffculme then take the road to Willand. From there it's a simple process of following the B3181 into Exeter.
(Alternatively you can follow the B3227 from Taunton, out though Wiveliscombe to Bampton, then down through Tiverton, onwards along the Exe valley all the way into Exeter. You can pick up a cycle route on the river by the station and follow it all the way out to the Exe estuary trail. It's longer than the other way , and a bit hilly but pretty)
From Pinhoe you can pick up a cycle path (shared use footpath) all the way across the city to the swing bridges across the canal. Here pick up the Exe estuary trail all the way to Dawlish. The go to Gays Creamery. Have ice cream with clotted cream in it. Relax.
Last edited by honesty on 8 Sep 2015, 9:07am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
What fantastic replies. Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer. I really appreciate your advice and suggestions as I'm going to visit my daughter (only child and luckily for me, a complete daddy's girl) and husband as they currently live and work in the area. So thank you all very much.
Thom
Thom
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Richard Fairhurst
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: 2 Mar 2008, 4:57pm
- Location: Charlbury, Oxfordshire
Re: Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
Lots of good riding in South Wales - others have already cited the Celtic Trail, and the Heads of the Valleys (NCN 46) from Swansea to Abergavenny is worth considering too.
I'd be tempted to consider a slightly more inland route, simply because rural mid-Wales is so beautiful. You could follow the Celtic Trail to Carmarthen, but then head to Llandeilo, Brecon, down the Usk valley (maybe following the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal towpath for a while) to Abergavenny and Usk, then across to Chepstow. A couple of big climbs but the scenery is superb.
I'd be tempted to consider a slightly more inland route, simply because rural mid-Wales is so beautiful. You could follow the Celtic Trail to Carmarthen, but then head to Llandeilo, Brecon, down the Usk valley (maybe following the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal towpath for a while) to Abergavenny and Usk, then across to Chepstow. A couple of big climbs but the scenery is superb.
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Re: Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
There are a number of ways from Taunton to Exeter, the 2 I've given are the rides I do most frequently. There is a slight variation of the first route I do where you turn right at Nicholashayne and go down through Culmstock so you can stop off at the cafe at the Strand Stores. At 13 miles from Taunton it makes quite a nice hour marker. You can then head on down through Kentisbeare and Westcott and stop at Killerton for the 2 hour mark 
Re: Routes - Pembroke to Dawlish
I'd agree with honesty, except for the café, my favourite is the "Home Café" on the bend behind the railings, (to lock your bike to), opposite the road down beside the river he is a celiac so does gluten free if you need it. Recently been shown a path in Dawlish Warren, off to the right, you do have to cross over the main road though, it's the a slightly flatter way in to Dawlish than the bike path up from the car park, guess you don't get the sea views at the top though 
Cheers, Rob.
he is a celiac so does gluten free if you need it. Recently been shown a path in Dawlish Warren, off to the right, you do have to cross over the main road though, it's the a slightly flatter way in to Dawlish than the bike path up from the car park, guess you don't get the sea views at the top though Cheers, Rob.