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Short Tour

2021-03-20 19:19:21

Hi All

My wife and I are novice tandem riders. We have done one short tour and want to do a longer one averaging about 40 miles a day. We live in Devon. Nothing too hilly and as traffic free as possible. Has anyone got a suggestion? Anywhere within a 150 mile radius of Exeter would be good. I've cycled a lot in Devon so somewhere new would be good also.

Thanks in advance for any help

Jon

Richard Fuller2021-03-20 19:44:25

If you join the paid Strava you can map rides of different distances with elevation I use it to plan tours

2021-03-20 19:58:35

Thanks Richard, I'll look into it.

Chris Bishop2021-03-20 20:39:36

There are lots of free mapping sites where you can devise a route and put it onto your Garmin or whatever device you use. I use plotaroute Also there are Sustran maps HERE which are good and always worth having back up.

Going from and back to your doorstep is good, I took a bunch of lads from school in Exeter and headed East, got as far as the New Forrest.

2021-03-21 10:35:02

Thanks for suggestions, I've done a bit of touring on a single and have used map my ride and Ride GPS to plot routes, I just wondered if anyone had a suggested route that they had enjoyed. I think we will head for Glastonbury, then possibly Frome and Wells and then Cheddar and the Strawberry line to Clevedon or maybe over the Mendips to Bath. I've done lots of this before and apart from the Mendips its fairly flat and traffic free. 

Stephen Gray2021-03-21 15:46:49

Have you done the devon Coast to Coast (Plymouth to Ilfracombe)?

We have done the southern half of it starting from near Okehampton down to Plymouth in a day. Overnight stay in Plymouth retuning to Okehampton the following day. It is 99 miles in total, so you could probably do the whole thing as a return trip in 4 to 6 days. There was one slightly dodgy Of a couple of miles where we had to walk but of but that was many years ago now and I think they were still in the process of joining up some of the sections. It was very pleasant especially the bits along the old railway lines. There is a Sustrans route complete with map and guide to help you find your way.

2021-03-21 17:21:17

Thanks Stephen, yes this is a contender, I know you can book a double room at Okehampton youth hostel and I think we would be ok getting there from Plymouth in a day. We don't mind pushing up the odd hill!

Kevin Smith2021-03-21 19:41:56

Hi Jon, we did the attached last year. Its a road version of the new Cycle UK King Arthur's way (gravel ride). Its a lovely ride and takes in some very historic and notable sites. it could be started/finished at the nearest point to Exeter (just over 100m away). We did about 50/55m a a day but it can be done how you wish. beautiful part of the country though.

Link to GPX route

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhplgYku31Sf_BjqIbeY7uEA9BJC?e=MG8qXp

 

 

 

 

2021-03-22 09:35:09

Hi Kevin

Looks good, I'd read an article about it in Cycling Uk mag. How "off road" is it? I'd heard that after rain it can be bit challenging?

Kevin Smith2021-03-22 09:54:03

Hi Jon, the version I have provided a link to is my version of the CUK one, running parallel where possible, but always on the road. The CUK version is almost all off road. 

Neil Wheadon2021-03-22 20:36:10

Try this one

South Somerset Cycleway

It would take 2 days, much overlooked. It's also in the rides section of the Tandem Club site, as is 

The Avon Cycleway

   Good Luck

        Neil

 

Neil Wheadon2021-03-22 20:42:11

Hi Jon

Do you have any more information on the On Road version? Is it one you made up yourself? Can I add it to the Tandem Clubs Ride Map?

   Thanks in advance

      Neil

2021-03-23 18:51:38

Hi Neil

Kevin posted the on road version of King Alfreds Way. Thanks for the suggested trails. I think we are goinmg to go for the South Somerset Trail with a couple of detours to Glastonbury and possibly Frome.

Jon

Sheila Ward2021-03-24 09:08:44

Jon

You might be interested in our New Forest, Wiltshire and Somerset tour over four days and 190 miles, though it is all on road. We started from home in Lymington and headed for East Stour near Gillingham, then on via Glastonbury (with an improbable sighting of a camel in a field) to Axbridge, ready for the ascent of Cheddar Gorge and through the Mendips to Wells, followed by a hilly run to Shaftesbury and home. Happy to send you the route which you could start at any point.

2021-03-25 17:50:50

Hi Shelia

Could you send us the route. i think you can post on here? 

Sheila Ward2021-04-10 09:30:48

Jon

There are several files so I can sent them to you via Wetransfer (sadly no GPX route though - too long ago!). Being membership secretary I probably have access to your email address.

2021-04-13 09:23:30

Thanks for the files Shelia, I've planned our tour now but these wil be something for the future!