WAYS TO ENJOY CYCLING IN EXMOOR & NORTH DEVON
This week is Bike Week – a celebration of cycling throughout the UK. To mark this, we have put together a small guide of where you can enjoy cycling in and around Lynton & Lynmouth and across North Devon and Exmoor National Park.
There are different types of cycling available for all abilities – from gentle family cycle rides along the Tarka Trail to the tougher road climbs of the Exmoor Hills and the exhilarating action-packed mountain bike routes that criss-cross the moors.
Bike Week 2020 – 6 to 14 June
Bike Week, delivered by Cycling UK, is an annual celebration to showcase cycling. Thousands of people all over the UK enjoy the simple pleasure of riding a bike. Find out more about it at www.cyclinguk.org/bikeweek and take part in their #7DaysOfCycling challenge. This year’s event is being held online. Cycling is one of the best ways to get outdoors and has grown on popularity in recent months.
There is a whole list of activities in which you can take part and share your love of cycling in Devon using the #BikeWeekUK hashtag to show where your two wheels have taken you during the week.
Mountain Biking with Exmoor Adventures
Exmoor is a great place to discover and even better by bike! Based in Porlock, Exmoor Adventures offer mountain bike experiences over the moors and along the Exmoor coast.
The area hosts over 400 miles of bridleways which run over beautiful moorlands, through scenic valleys and luscious woodlands, making Exmoor one of the premier locations for mountain biking in the UK.
Courses and experiences are available for all ages and abilities, with excellent supervision from Dan, who is a British Cycling MTB tutor.
E-Bike Hire in Lynton
and collect your bike directly to you at your accommodation.
The Tarka Trail
Winding its way gently along the Taw and Torridge Estuary near Barnstaple, this disused railway line offer the best way to experience cycling for families and children in North Devon. With virtually no road segments or hills and lots of interesting places to stop and explore along the way, it offers a great day out for kids old and young.
Stop off for cake and tea at the Fremington Quay Cafe or enjoy fish and chips in Braunton or Bideford.
The route is well maintained and there are plenty of bike hire and cycle shops to offer a friendly hand with your bicycle if required.
National Cycle Routes
Exmoor and North Devon benefit from a network of National Cycle routes. Some sections are quite challenging in places, but with few cars and miles of scenery and coastline to explore, the views alone are well worth the climbs.
A particularly good 10-mile route around Lynton & Lynmouth is through the Valley of Rocks, Lee Bay with a moderate climb up through Woody Bay to Martinhoe. From here you can ride on to Woody Bay Station on the A39 and return to Lynton via Barbrook.
For a longer ride, the 25-mile circuit via Simonsbath, Challacombe and Blackmoor Gate offers fantastic moorland scenery along the B3223 to Simonsbath and a nice run down the hill into Challacombe, which has a pub and village shop for refreshments. Enjoy the Devon countryside as you return to Lynton via the A39.
Image credits:
Tarka Instow by Guy Richardson, Mountain biking by Exmoor Adventures, Woody Bay by Victoria Hodges, Cycling by Visit Exmoor