Dartmoor - Accomodation & Routes. Thoughts.

JoeC · Post by **JoeC** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:07 pm

Looking at doing a long weekend trip on the bike to Dartmoor in next few weeks, probably statying in a YHA for about £20pppn. However, is there anywhere cheap but decent that people have used or can recommend?
Also, anybody got any routes for around those parts and any good ones to get there from SE England (Kent).

Cheers

JoeC · Post by **JoeC** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:30 pm

I take it that nobody has done the Dartmoor area then?

However, am after a favour. If there is anybody in the South East or London area and has a bike GPS and 11S mount would you be willing to loan them to me for a couple of weeks - Date TBC.

I do not put in enough milage to buy a bike GPS but otherwise it will result in a map and lots of stop/starts.

Cheers
Joe

scotty · Post by **scotty** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:00 pm

Joe

I was down that way in early April of this year and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Missed the Bank Holiday traffic which is a complete joke South of Lancaster. I was staying at a friends house in Bracknell so travelled down the M3 to get there.

If you are coming over from Kent I really recommend you to call in at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum near Lyndhurst in the New Forest area. It's like no other motor cycle museum in the world and is a brilliant place. I'm not sure if you will be travelling down to Cornwall or intend to stay in Devon. Torquay itself is a really attractive town with varying architecture etc. Also lots to do in the evening. On my trip I stayed there and then on down to Looe , Truro (highly recommended), St Ives, Padstow, Bude and back up north via a place called Clovelley which was the most bizarre village I have ever visited. I would never go bike riding there in the high summer as it just gets seized up with people but you should be ok mid Sept. Enjoy.

stoney · Post by **stoney** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:48 pm

I was born and brought up on Dartmoor. The roads are fab but mainly restricted to 40mph. The road from Bovey Tracey to Widdon Down is a cracker plus anything over Dartmoor itself - just watch out for the sheep and wild ponies.

I always stay with family when I'm down there so I have no idea where to stay. Its out of season so prices should be reasonable.

Red Fokker · Post by **Red Fokker** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 5:22 pm

Check out the GS site. They are always having forays down that way and as I seem to remember stay at pub / bunkhouse accomodation which is great value for money and has the added advantage of on tap beer and meals...... and no its not the prison. If I could just remember the name of the place....

JoeC · Post by **JoeC** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:04 pm

Thanks for the replies chaps.
Scotty ... went to Sammy last year. Very impressive. They were planning to expand the place but the County Council were saying no. Sammy then threatened to close or move the place to somewhere else and that was the last I knew. Hopefully it is still there.
As you stated - well worth a visit.

JoeC · Post by **JoeC** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:56 pm

Have booked the YHA at Okehampton. Three blokes sharing one room - let's see who can snore the loudest!

Any loan of a GPS and mount would be appreciated as well as some more suggested routes.

Cheers

woofboxer · Post by **woofboxer** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 3:55 pm

On your way down pick up the old A30 which more or less shadows the new A30 dual carriageway between Exeter and Okehampton, come off the dual at Tedburn St Mary. Once you're there, try the A386 from Okehampton to Bideford. From there you can go west down the A39 to Bude and North Cornwall or east along the A39 to Lynmouth (recommended) then back across Exmoor. The whole area is a bikers playground and not much traffic away from the main routes.

If you go into Okey for a few beers (not recommended unless you're into martial arts) it's a long walk back up the hill to the YHA.

JoeC · Post by **JoeC** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:16 pm

Thanks for the routes Woofboxer.
Martial arts - what's that about then as I was going to pop into town for a drink.

woofboxer · Post by **woofboxer** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 11:37 am

Thanks for the routes Woofboxer.
Martial arts - what's that about then as I was going to pop into town for a drink.

I worked there 3 or 4 years ago when I was a policeman. They get a few problems sometimes when the (one and only) nightclub kicks out and it is usually because there were a group of outsiders around. Some of the locals are like something out of the film "Deliverance"!! It's ok earlier in the evening. There are nicer pubs out in the villages but then you have the drink/driving dilemma.