BBC - Devon - Liz Scott tackles the Devon coast to coast cycle route

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29 November 2009
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Cycle route: Devon Coast to Coast

Liz Scott and her husband Stuart at Woolacombe

BBC Radio Devon Reporter, Liz Scott, cycled the Devon Coast to Coast Trail. This is an account of her journey.

SEE ALSO

Other cycle routes:
Plym Valley trail
Granite Way
Grand Western Canal
Torbay coast trail
Tarka Trail
Wessex Way
Devon cycling guides

WEB LINKS

Sustrans
Devon County Council
National Cyclist Org

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.

FACTS

From start to finish the Devon coast to coast cycle route is 102 miles long.

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Devon is full of them. They’re all over the place, they’re relentless and they can make a grown woman cry. Yes, the hills here are tough.

However, don’t be put off cycling because if you want to experience (and I mean really experience) Devon then throw away your car keys and get on your bike.

The 102 miles of the Devon Coast to Coast cycle trail gives you the best of both worlds. Over half of the trail makes use of the gentle gradients of old railway lines and you get enjoy the full contrasts of Devon’s scenery; coastline, moors, rivers, and countryside.

I started my three-day C2C (Coast2Coast) cycle ride at Plymouth’s Hoe. The first stage of my journey took me through the Plym Valley, a wonderful leafy old railway line scattered with historic remains and plenty of wildlife.

Emerging from an old railway tunnel on the Plym Valley trail

This pleasant, gradual ascent was interrupted by a sharp hill at Bickleigh and a bike-pushing scramble up a steep loose shale path to get to the village of Clearbrook.

Once off the Plym Valley Trail I pedalled on the lanes passing through places like Hoo Meavy, Dousland and the gorgeous Huckworthy Bridge.

I took a detour off the route to enjoy Tavistock and to look at some of the remains of its ancient Benedictine Abbey beside the Tavy.

There was a steady climb out of Tavistock towards Brentor with its mysterious, imposing church perching high on the hill.

The ancient Benedictine Abbey at Tavistock

The lanes around here have a wonderfully leafy, ancient feel about them and I was so inspired by the scenery I stopped off at Lydford for a walk around the gorge.

Cyclists get a reduction and it’s a welcome change from pedalling.

A great treat when I got back on the saddle was the newly opened section of the C2C route called the Granite Way.

This old railway line links Lydford, Bridestowe and Okehampton.

I stopped off at Bridestowe for the night, I’d travelled 33 miles and about a third of it had been traffic free. I was looking forward to my next day’s travels.

Liz's coast to coast ride Day 2 >>