South Devon

1.  Dartington/Totnes to Embercombe by the River Dart, along the edge of Dartmoor and up the Teign Valley

Embercombe Park is on the edge of Dartmoor and one of the most amazing places I've seen in a long time - it was discovered by the Maths teacher alluded to on the home page, who decided to take his class on a two week field trip to 'survey' the estate and make a map of it - now there is an interesting challenge that they rose to as well., if only I'd had a Maths teacher like that, perhaps I'd have done better too ... it was inspirational to say the least!!  He was still there when this got written up, which is I did it for him and really enjoyed it both weekends!  If it weren't for college I would have ridden back with them too ...

The ride was a pleasant one although parts of it were on the cycle path next to the A38 dual carriage way, equally it is a challenging one but with plenty of blackberries ready for eating along the way.  On road cycling skills a must for this run as well as a strong pair of legs because of the hills, the worst part being the last 4 or 5 miles just before you got there where it wasn't just steep but single track road too.  In terms of distance, subject to your starting point, it is between 20 and 22 miles from A to B.

Setting off from Rudolf Steiner School, S.Devon

Directions:-

From Totnes and/or Dartington, take the A385 in the direction of the A38, go over the A38 bridge and take the right turn to Ashburton on the other side (just before you come to Buckfastleigh).

Cycling into Ashburton continue until the t-junction cum staggered crossroads by Pear Tree Garage then turn left and immediate right, to go to Ashburton town centre.  Go straight through Ashburton and out the other side having passed the Medical Centre and Police Station.  Keep going until you reach the next t-junction and turn left.  (Point of Note: the main road bears round to the right so your direction is actually straight on rather than following the main road around.)

Continue on past the small industrial estate on your left (with Big Peaks Mountain Bike Centre) and a big car garage on your right.  As the road goes up the hill there are blue and white cycle route signs posted to Chudleigh and Exeter - join the cycle route here, which is a path along side the A38 northbound .. don't go onto the A38!!  The cycle lane runs parallel to the A38 but is NOT a part of the main carriage way.

On our way ..... getting our priorities right!! 

Continue along the cycle route until the A30 reaches the next junction which is the Newton Abbot exit.  The cycle path takes you off to the left and when you reach the road junction go across ensuring you're clear to do so first of course, and pick up the cycle path cum pavement again on the other side continuing to follow the cycle path signs.  This bit of pavement takes you safely over the bridge and at the next left which is signposted Liverton and Ilsington go left then after a short distance rejoin the road as the pavement ends.  Carry on down the hill and up the other side through Bickington.

Carrying on for a few miles you will see the A38 now on your left hand side.  This road continues as it swoops round and crosses the A38 again and goes down past a big garage on your left - do NOT bear left just before it but carry straight on on the main road through the village of Liverton.  You will pass a small post office on your right, then after some time on the other side of the village, you will approach the really busy Bovey Tracey roundabout. 

DISMOUNT HERE - although the cycle path continues across the carriage ways it is suggested you dismount and cross on foot., BEWARE .. this is a dangerous junction as CARS APPROACH FROM THE RIGHT EXTREMELY FAST and it is not always clear that they will bear left (many will not signal their intentions).  A bike can be replaced, you can't ... I would suggest that you remount on the other side and continue on the cycle path which once again carries on beside the A38.

Keep going until you reach the B3344 junction to Chudleigh Knighton - please remember to look both ways before crossing any other minor slip roads and there is at least one if not two!  To negotiate this junction, turn left onto the road, look behind, signal and changing your road position to confirm your intention then turning immediate right.  Stay on the road now and enter the village of Chudleigh Knighton., at the small roundabout bear left to go up the hill past the church where there is a small Post Office and shop on your right.

Taking a break before the last and hardest bit!!

Continue through the village until you reach the next junction where you bear left.  This takes you past Finlake Camping and Leisure Park and the next left after Finlake is the B3193 Teign Valley Road.  Take this left turn which is signposted Dunsford, Trusham and Christow.  You now have the River Teign on your right.  Continue on past a quarry area, until you see a turn to the right for Trusham also visible is a directional board for the Cridford Inn.  Follow the signs to Trusham which involves a steep uphill to the village (but what goes up has to come down so coming back the other way .... ) and carry on through past the afore mentioned Cridford Inn.

After this there is a junction, more of a fork, with a smaller road going down off to the right.  Make sure you bear left here - it is now signposted Ashton.  This is quite a long stretch of road, a lot of which is single track so keep your wits about you and PLEASE DON'T use headphones to listen to music or a blue tooth mobile phone connection as you will hear farm traffic before you get much chance to see it.  The road will take you past several farms before you come to a sign post called Holden Cross.  The left hand turn is signed Ashton., IGNORE IT and follow the direction of 'EXETER 8'.

The woodland on your left hand side is the edge of the Embercombe Estate and your biggest danger now is one of deer crossing the road which they do regularly, sometimes just one or two, a doe and her fawn or occasionally what seems like an entire herd., I've seen both within a space of a matter of minutes and the noise of a vehicle doesn't faze them at all!  Through the gaps in the trees, you can see two large barns, one wooden and one sort of green metal.  After a bit further you can see the yurt village ....... you're almost there!!  The two large wooden gates are your access but unless previously arranged, they tend to be locked .. and if you do open them, please, please, please ensure you respect the countryside code and CLOSE THEM AGAIN!!  They are there for a purpose, that being to keep the deer out of that particular area of the estate and part of the fence that surrounds it ...

Embercombe Estate with the yurts left and right and the stone circle and what might have been a midden in the middle