Mountain bike – Raccolta by Katherine Moore
4
giorni
3-4 h
/ giorno
195 km
3.520 m
3.530 m
Welcome to the West Country Way, a long distance mountain biking route that links the coasts of South Devon and Somerset via the two moorland National Parks of Dartmoor and Exmoor. This 121 mile (195 km) route is a journey taking in the diverse landscapes of glorious Devon, from the cobbles of Plymouth harbourside to the wild and rugged beauty of Dartmoor, the quaint chocolate box cottages of rural mid Devon villages and the lush green of Exmoor, before revealing North Devon’s dramatic cliffs and Somerset coastline.
A large part of the West Country Way is comprised of the Two Moors Way; a bridleway linking Dartmoor and Exmoor. Expect wide traffic-free gravel trails, as well as some muddy climbs, wooded tracks, valley-side singletrack and field trails, linked by quiet lanes through picturesque villages — the perfect setting to pick up some food and drink and a pretty place to stay overnight. Passing through Dartmoor, you have the unique opportunity to wild camp as it’s the only place in England where you can legally do so (read more at dartmoor.gov.uk/enjoy-dartmoor/outdoor-activities/camping).
This is a mountain bike orientated Collection, but there’s little reason why you can’t do it on a gravel bike. It’s also worth noting that a full suspension mountain bike will probably be a bit overkill for this distance too.
Choose the spring, summer or autumn for this challenge. It’s not recommended to attempt this in the winter due to unfavourable ground conditions on the moorland which can get very boggy, and as the weather on Dartmoor especially can be harsh and unpredictable. In any season, make sure you have a survival bag and basic first aid with you and are familiar with the local emergency procedure.
This route is presented in four stages, which you can opt to ride as four days, more or less. Ridden in this way, you’ll get to experience a night of wild camping on Dartmoor followed by two to three nights in Devon and Somerset villages and towns.
Access to either end of the trail is easy and train services are recommended as this is an A to B rather than circular tour. There’s a major train station in Plymouth at the start, where stage one begins, before leading you to The Hoe for the official start of the trail (see more details at gwr.com/plan-journey/stations-and-routes/plymouth). At the other end in Minehead it is less simple; either you extend your route heading west to Barnstaple Train Station, or ride south east to Taunton (24 miles/38 km by road, or 25 miles/40 km by mountain biking route over the Quantocks), which is on a more major train line. Therefore, it might be worth considering taking a night’s stay in Minehead at the end of your trip before riding towards the station the next day.
Please note; this is not to be confused with Sustrans’ West Country Way, a long distance road cycling route from Bristol to Bude on National Cycle Route 3: komoot.com/collection/889051/vibrant-cities-emerald-hills-the-west-country-way
Cosa aspetti a partire? Dai forma alla tua avventura e pianifica il percorso a tuo piacere basandoti sul Tour qui sotto.
Ultimo aggiornamento: 18 aprile 2024
Utilizza il Multi-Day Planner e pianifica questa avventura utilizzando le tappe suggerite in questa Raccolta.
L'inizio ufficiale della prima tappa della West Country Way non è fino alla Plymouth Hoe vicino alla Smeaton's Tower, tuttavia qui iniziamo dal tuo probabile punto di incontro presso la stazione ferroviaria, rendendo la prima tappa lunga 32 miglia (51 km).
Inizia lasciando la stazione e dirigiti a sud…
Nella seconda tappa attraverserai la seconda metà di Dartmoor per raggiungere il confine orientale, quindi ti dirigerai a nord oltre Castle Drogo nel cuore rurale del Mid Devon per trascorrere la notte a North Tawton, raggiungendo 47 km strada.
Attraversa il ponte di Bellever fuori dal bosco e inizia…
Ricevi consigli su singletrack, vette e tante altre avventure imperdibili!
Nella terza tappa viaggerai dal cuore del Devon al West Somerset, attraversando il più verde parco nazionale di Exmoor e per un totale di 37 miglia (59 km). Segui il fiume Taw per il primo stint, attraversando da corsie a singletrack e ritorno, prima di incontrare la B3220. Sono tutte corsie da qui a…
La tappa finale della West Country Way ti porterà attraverso l'Exmoor National Park fino al punto di arrivo di Minehead, sulla costa del West Somerset, guardando attraverso l'estuario del Severn fino al Galles meridionale non molto lontano. Hai ancora 24 miglia (38 km) da percorrere: spero che tu abbia…
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