Dartmoor 28/4

[Silly_Savage]

Hello, first time poster, bikepacking virgin.

If the weather's nice and the bike's ready I'm thinking of going over for a ride up from Ivybridge to Foggintor and back the next day. Nothing epic, just to try this bikepacking lark and bivvying for the first time.

I'm fairly confident that I'm not overstretching myself but if anyone's up for coming and holding my hand it would set my partner's mind at ease if I wasn't alone.

Otherwise any advice would be appreciate, I have a rough route sketched out, planning to eat in Princetown.


https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27284063

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27284085

Cheers, and apologies if I've not followed forum protocol by posting here first!

[Mariner]

Hello and welcome.
21/4 is today that's a bit short notice.

[Silly_Savage]

Ha! Whoops, good point! Title edited... Next weekend, 28th

[jam bo]

mile 15-18 ish, is not really a diversion worth taking. I'd stick on the main nuns-cross track. you can take quite a nice diversion just before mile 14, as you get to the end of the tarmac there is a track that takes you off to Ditsworthy warren and the abandoned farmhouse that was in warhorse. the track then joins back up further up the hill.

there are some nice spots in swell tor quarry as well which is less than half a mile from foggintor.

on your way back, the section after tor royal hotel past the crock of gold is really good fast track that peters out into nothing. moors are pretty dry though so unless we get loads of rain you should be good for the weekend.

At mile 10, the descent into mitchelcombe is pretty steep and was very overgrown & gorsey when I went up it last summer. looks like there is a slighty longer option that heads west and then east.

[Mariner]

Local news is reporting grass fires on Dartmoor currently under control but might be worth checking if it's the area you are going into.

[jam bo]

That was way up on the north moors. It’s out now and rain forecast for tomorrow will damp things down again.

[Silly_Savage]

Thanks for the replies. Jam Bo, yeah I did think that, I'll cut that corner off.

The weather looks a bit patchy this weekend now, so I'll probably go on the 4th after work, a shorter version from Burrator something like my local MTB club did last weekend https://www.strava.com/activities/1525000182. Hopefully I can get on the bike by 6:30, sundown is at 8.

[jam bo]

i saw les & his merry tribe at the fox tor cafe on sunday

sundown by the 4th is at 20.41. last light won't be until about 21.30 if its a clear night.

takes about 45 mins to climb the old railway from burrator to foggintor

fox tor cafe opens 7.30am on a weekend.

[Silly_Savage]

Thanks, great info! I'll definitely be going back to the cafe after picking up the car as I have to drive to Cardiff after