This past week I’ve been wishing I was back in Aberfoyle, Scotland like I was a year ago. The Facebook memories of the stunning scenery and the warm weather have been a reminder of what I’m missing. What a place to ride a bike.
I said to myself last year I’d try and do something similar again. A break away on my own on the bike but I’ve just had nothing planned this year. The spring seemed to roll by but I was ill and off the bike for a bit plus I was focussed on The Gravelton in May too then before you know it Summer is here. I did briefly look at going to Ireland but that never came to fruition then recently Sally said she wanted to go back to Babbacombe, Torquay in September. I cycled there last time over three days in 2020 then spent the weekend with her and her mom, so I was up for doing it again.
No procrastination this time. Annual leave booked and confirmed then onto the internet to find a place to stay in Babbacombe. Flat secured. Done. Then my attention turned to my route and where to stay on the way.
Last time I left work early on a Wednesday and cycled about 50 miles to Gloucester. The next day I cycled to Glastonbury and the third day was the longest and lumpiest into Babbacombe. I learned a couple of things on the ride. I rode too much on busy roads to keep it direct and to avoid Exeter, it’s a metropolis and horrible to ride a bike through.
After enjoying the fabulous Gloucester canal last weekend, I thought I’d shoehorn that into my first day and get a bit more distance in the bag too so I can even the days out. I’ve booked a week off this time. So my first day is as quiet a route as I can find. I’ll ride through the lanes including the last part on the canal to Worcester. Straight through the city, I don’t mind Worcester, and then I’ll pick up the lanes to Tewkesbury but rather than the A38 to Gloucester again, I’m probably going to pick up the bulk of NCN Route 45 which takes me west of the River Severn through the lanes to Hartpury and Maisemore north of Gloucester. Here I pick up a path aside the river then through Gloucester Quays and back out on the canal. Traffic-free baby. I’m going to stay on the canal longer to Saul Junction and then hop over the A38 and the M5 through the lanes for the last big climb into Dursley to my B&B for the night. About 70 miles.
The next day I’m staying just outside Taunton in a place called Creech St Michael in an old mill. I could track the M5 and ride parallel to the Severn Estuary but the road kind of runs out south of Weston-Super-Mare, you have to cut back inland so I’ve decided I’ll scoot around Bristol to the east along some of the same route from 3 years ago and take on the Mendip Hills again via Chew Magna but this time I’m going to descend Cheddar Gorge then head across the Somerset levels skirting Bridgwater coming into Taunton from the North. Another 70 mile day.
Day 3 I want to avoid Exeter because its horrible on a bike. I didn’t know it was so bad until I got there last time. Dual carriageways everywhere. It’s a traffic sewer. Luckily though, the Exe Estuary path was traffic-free heaven but getting to it, never again, so I’ve decided to take a bit of a gamble. I’m going to ride south through the Blackdown Hills AONB (Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty) to the coast then west to Exmouth where I’ll chance the ferry to Starcross then back on the Exe Estuary path to Dawlish, Teignmouth and into Babbacombe like last time.
I’ve checked the ferry and it does take bikes but room is limited. Worse case I just ride around the estuary via Exeter.
After 200 miles over the 3 days, a weekend relaxing in Babbacombe with Sally will be welcome.
If you’ve never been, it’s great. It’s quiet, away from busy Torquay centre. We’ll definitely do a ferry trip to Brixham for the best Fish n Chips in the world and the quaint but cool Babbacombe Theatre is a nice treat too. I think its a Four Tops tribute on this time. Throw in Oddicombe Beach, pubs and some good food and it’s a great weekend break.
