Dartmoor route?

[TheBrownDog]

Does anyone have a 3-night Dartmoor route? 50-60 miles per day, pubbish things at the end of each day. Or perhaps a few rides we could string together.

[Cheddar Man]

No specific routes as such, but I would try something like.....

Day One, park in Plymouth-Ivybridge-over the moor path to Princetown, stay in the Plume of Feathers or Fox Tor bunkhouse.
Day Two, Princetown- Two Bridges- Postbridge- Moretonhampstead- Chagford- Okehampton
Day Three, Okehampton- Meldon- Tavistock- Yelverton-Plymouth

[lune ranger]

What sort of thing do you want?
I’ve got loads of suggestions which cover everything from road to evil hike a bike.
Do you have a preferred start point?
Does sit need to be circular?
Do you enjoy massively oversized nasty to carry a loaded bike over stepping stones?
What are your views on impenetrable gorse?

[Mariner]

If you timed your visit to coincide with non-firing times on the ranges that would open up some big areas normally closed off.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -programme

[BigdummySteve]

Ohh brings back memories of my earlier Bivvy (page 8 2020 bam thread) I’d look at mileages around this neck if the woods, 60 miles a day across Dartmoor is a pretty big day out, I’ve ridden more on exmoor including half of the Braunton B150 route, hills feature extensively! You may even have to leave the chair at home!
Plume if feathers is hugely recommended, option if bunkhouse for £15
If you want some company let me know Tim, I have to retrieve a child from down that neck of the woods at some point.

This is the track from by Bivvy ride
https://strava.app.link/hMOCuARVq8
Although the 70mph gusts and torrential rain ‘helped’ I’m not sure twice the distance on repeated days would be comfortable.

[TheBrownDog]

Cheers Steve. This is the replacement for the trip to Spanish lapland planned for Sept with Rich3rd and Charlie (not of this parish). I've been looking at terrain profiles and, yes indeed, a 60 mile day does sound rather challenging ... we might dial that down. Thanks for that track - looks pretty spikey eh? Of course, we're counting on perfect weather. The Gods of Bikepacking will take pity, I'm sure. 18 degrees, clear skies and a tailwind the whole way around.

[TheBrownDog]

What sort of thing do you want?
I’ve got loads of suggestions which cover everything from road to evil hike a bike.
Do you have a preferred start point?
Does sit need to be circular?
Do you enjoy massively oversized nasty to carry a loaded bike over stepping stones?
What are your views on impenetrable gorse?

Cool, thanks for the offer.

Not keen on impenetrable gorse because it's, well, impenetrable. Penetrable gorse would be fine.

Seriously, we'd like a challenging route with a start point towards the east. Needs to be circular to get back to the car. Be nice to have a pub ate the end of each day, but it's not essential as we'll carry/procure food along the way

All suggestions hugely appreciated.

[lune ranger]

Cool.
I’ll sling some gpx across some time soon.
Generally speaking a good eastern start/end point for arriving by car would be Bovey Tracey. Easy road access from M5 and big enough to find somewhere to leave a car (I’ve no real suggestion where that may be).
Exploring north and then west through Lustleigh woods and the Teign Gorge on day one ending up around Chagford or Okehampton.
Circle the northern and western edges on day two finishing via Plym valley and Burrator to Princetown. Day 3 go east and then south hitting Grimspound and Houndtor back to Bovey.
Overall distances would be short of 60m a day but as others have said, speed can be a little hard to come by in places.
There are quite a few bridleways that look highly enticing on a map that are a whole world of hurt in practice! Even for a sadomasochist on a Surly ICT. Equally there are plenty of tracks with good surfaces.
Hitting the road in places is a good idea but don’t think it’s always a get out clause - plenty of roads in the south central moor have multiple climbs of 25-30% gradient.

[TheBrownDog]

Fella that would be great. If you're ever in the market for a three day tour of the Chilterns, we will return the favour.

[lune ranger]

An area I’m not unfamiliar with having been based at RAF Halton for a while.