Date

The date was set, the route was planned; all we needed was some good weather ... oh!, and a few cyclists   in the event, there were eleven.

The date was Sunday 8th August
(with a fallback date of Sunday 15th August - see 'Weather' below)

Timing

The ride started from Stratton Primary School car park at 9.30am on Sunday 8th August.   Those doing the whole route to Bideford and back returned to the school car park at about 5.15pm (we had a lunch break of over an hour at Bideford, regrouping/rest pauses on route and a stoppage for a very difficult chain jam).

Route

The route to Bideford was very, very scenic on minor roads/lanes (some very minor with a grass strip in the middle!).   It passed just north of Shebbear and joined the Tarka Trail about 1.5 miles south-east of Watergate Bridge and then used the Tarka Trail to Bideford. (distance c31 miles)

The return route took the Tarka Trail back to Landcross, then used the Landcross to Bradworthy road for about 9 miles* and then cut west on minor roads over to Kilkhampton and then back to Stratton via Penstowe, Stibb and Stamford Hill. (distance c26 miles)

There were hills on the route (an inevitable typographical feature of North Cornwall and West Devon) but actually less than we sometimes encounter on the weekly rides.   The stiffest hill we rode was the climb up to Hersham from Stratton (and there is a gentler alternative to that - ask Neil for details if interested)

[ * this road from Landcross had been chosen as it is a steady gentle climb up from the Torridge valley alongside to River Yeo all the way up to and above Melbury reservoir.   The road is wide enough to justify a central white line but it is not heavily used by cars on a Sunday afternoon.]

Pace, equipment and ethos

This was intended as a social ride so it was taken at a relaxed pace - probably a bit slower than the usual weeekly rides in view of the distance involved.

It was just a group of cyclists riding together, with each person taking responsibility for their own safety and equipment. There was someone with the group carrying a few tools, puncture repair kit, etc but each rider was advised to carry a spare inner tube, water bottle and some spare over-clothes (to avoid getting cold if there was any enforced stop).   There was no pre-arranged group-organised resource for getting anyone home.

If you can ride at an average of 9mph for 20 miles you should be up for this route (as the last 10 miles to Bideford is gently downhill on the Tarka Trail).

The ride was setup to allow some people to press on a bit faster than the main group, if they wanted to do so and there were some spare sets of printed directions for them to use.   The group paused at appropriate points to keep any slower riders in contact and to allow all riders some recuperation time.

Apart from the first 1.5 miles of grit surface on the Tarka Trail, the route is all on tarmac (including the rest of the Tarka Trail).   However, as mentioned, part of the route is on very minor roads and these have some potholes and imperfect surfaces.   Road bikes, hybrids or mountain bikes are all suitable but riders of road bikes with thin tyres (eg 23mm) were advised not to hammer along where the surface is poor.   Indeed, all riders needed to be aware of potholes, and other risks, and ride accordingly.

Part ride options

Some people suggested that they might want to do the ride as a bike share (one person riding to Bideford and the other driving there to ride the return route).   Others suggested that they might only do the scenic ride to Bideford, to be met there by other members of their family who have gone to Bideford to do gentler exercise on the Tarka trail or other activities based at Bideford.

Good points on the route for any such meeting/changeover were the little car park at Watergate Bridge (on the Tarka Trail), Puffing Billy (at Rolle Bridge on the Tarka Trail) and Bideford station.   In practice all but one rider did Bideford and back.

Repeat ride

A few of those interested could not make the 8th August date so we did a repeat later that summer (this time a 60+ mile loop down to the Camel Trail and back - going south via the very attractive NCN3 route and returning via minor roads closer to the coast).

If you want more details about these rides - or the usual weekly rides - contact Neil via info@budecyclinginfo.co.uk.