20.4 mile cycle trail - news. · pdf filerepair it was confiscated by king henry vii after the...

20.4 Mile Cycle Trail (Inc 17.0, 15.4 & 14.1 options)

The granite way

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THE ASHBURY HOTEL, HIGHER MADDAFORD, SOUTHCOTT, OKEHAMPTON, DEVON. EX20 4NL – 01837 55453

DIRECTIONS TO the granite way Distance Marker Point General Information

① 0.0 Miles Ashbury Hotel From the Ashbury Hotel reception head west to the end of the driveway.

② 0.4 Miles TURN LEFT At the Ashbury Driveway Entrance, turn left and head towards the A3079.

③ 0.86 Miles TURN RIGHT Turn right on to Holsworthy Road (A3079).

④ 1.21 Miles TURN LEFT Head southwest and follow for 1.6 miles.

⑤ 2.4 Miles STRAIGHT ON Through Pittsworthy Farm on your right-hand side.

⑥ 2.7 Miles TURN RIGHT At the sign post for Week (1/2 Mile).

⑦ 3.1 Miles STRAIGHT ON Under the bridge for the A30.

⑧ 4.2 Miles TURN RIGHT

* TURN LEFT *

At the bottom of the hill turn right at the Junction signposted Bridestowe (1/2 mile). * TURN LEFT FOR THE 14.1 MILE OPTION! * Further directions will follow for this route

⑨ 4.6 Miles TURN LEFT On to Pool Hill, this will bring you into the village of Bridestowe.

⑩ 4.75 Miles * TURN LEFT *

BEAR RIGHT

* TURN LEFT ON TO RECTORY ROAD FOR THE 15.4 MILE OPTION, HEADING TOWARDS LAKE! * Bear slight right on to Fore Street for the main route!

⑪ 4.8 Miles STRAIGHT ON Carry on through Bridestowe, past the village pub, shops and church and continue on to Station Road.

⑫ 5.6 Miles TURN RIGHT

* STRAIGHT ON *

Following the hill out of Bridestowe you will see a signpost for Corytown (5 miles), turn right here. * CARRY STRAIGHT ON FOR THE 17.0 MILE OPTION! *

⑬ 5.9 Miles SLIGHT RIGHT As you approach the bottom of the hill stay right on the tarmac road.

⑭ 6.3 Miles STRAIGHT ON Into the hamlet of Watergate

⑮ 6.6 Miles TURN LEFT Turn left at the Watergate Cross Junction towards Lydford.

⑯ 6.8 Miles STRAIGHT ON Carry straight past Cooper Beech Farm.

⑰ 8.1 Miles TURN LEFT Turn left into Lydford.

⑱ 8.2 Miles TURN LEFT Turn left on to School Road.

⑲ 8.4 Miles TURN LEFT Towards the top of the hill turn left on to the cycle path (signposted), this is the entrance to the Granite Way!

CONGRATULATIONS STAGE ONE COMPLETE!


DIRECTIONS TO the granite way ASHBURY HOTEL – WEEK – BRIDESTOWE – LYDFORD – GRANITE WAY

14.1 MILE ROUTE = TURN LEFT AT ⑧ FOR 0.8 MILES THEN TURN RIGHT TOWARDS FORDA AND PASS THROUGH THIS HAMLET TO JOIN THE GRANITE WAY AT SOURTON BY THE HIGHWAYMAN INN. TAKE CARE CROSSING THE A386!

15.4 MILE ROUTE = TURN LEFT AT ⑩ FOLLOWING RECTORY ROAD TO JOIN THE GRANITE WAY AT LAKE, BY THE BEARSLAKE INN. TAKE CARE CROSSING THE A386!

17.0 MILE ROUTE = CARRY STRAIGHT ON AT ⑫ TO JOIN THE GRANITE WAY JUST SOUTH OF THE FOX & HOUNDS PUBLIC HOUSE.


Route Information at a Glance for the Way to the Start of the Granite Way (Lydford)

Distance 8.370 miles Total Ascent 875 feet

Lowest Point 488 feet (at 6.65 miles) Highest Point 856 feet (at 0.62 miles)

Uphill 3.08 miles (36.7%) Downhill 3.09 miles (37.0%)

Flat 2.20 miles (26.3%) Max. Height Gain 367 feet

Steepest Uphill +13.3% (at 6.99 miles) Steepest Downhill -13.3% (at 6.23 miles)

Longest Uphill 0.80 miles (at 4.72 miles) Longest Downhill 0.82 miles (at 1.23 miles)

The Castle Inn, Lydford


POINTS OF INTEREST Distance Point of Interest General Information

4.4 Miles Bridestowe

The Parish of Bridestowe is quite picturesque, encompassing over 5000 acres it homes approximately 1600 individuals. “The holy place of St Bridget” is the literal meaning of Bridestowe and this reflects the dedication of the local church to St Brigidia. It is the home of a very good local pub, The White Hart, and distinctive shop and cafe, The Riverside Stores both of which offer an ideal opportunity to sit back, relax

and enjoy the tranquillity of rural Devon.

8.0 Miles Lydford

The historical significance of the village of Lydford cannot be understated. The first record dates to 997 when it was a stronghold for the monarch of Wessex against the Vikings. Later to become a mint for

coins producing the Lydford Silver Penny the village was once taxed to the same scale as London due to its huge Parish which covered above 50,000 acres! Within the village boundaries historical buildings still stand to this day, The Church dedicated to St Petrock dating to the 13th Century and the Castle dating to

1132AD. Interestingly the castle was later to become a Prison, of reputable dour conditions which housed political opponents of Sir Richard Grenville and then Hanging Judge Jeffries.

Now home to a modest population of approximately 500 people the village and its Parish has changed

dramatically from those Hedonistic days. The beauty of Lydford Gorge is renowned, while the castle is an English Heritage site.

Lydford is also home to the Castle Inn, offering good food and drink for all cyclists and walkers using the

village as a portal onto Dartmoor.

10.5 Miles Lake

The hamlet of Lake is rumoured to have an interesting history and reasoning for its name, it certainly isn’t to do with a body of water! During the Civil War two local villages, Bridestowe and Sourton were on opposing sides, one Royalist, one Parliamentarian. During 1693 it is believed that these two armies met and many lives were lost, the location was about half way between the two villages. The site was Lake

which was named after the amount of blood spilled that day!

Currently the hamlet is far more civilised, homing the beautiful Devon Long House of the Bearslake Inn. Originally a farmstead where the livestock inhabited the same living space as the farmers, The Bearslake Inn became a public house in 1953. The beautifully renovated building is Grade 2 listed and worth a visit

as you cycle the Granite Way!

11.5 Miles The Highwayman Inn

The Highwayman Inn is a pub with a difference. The outside itself holds many unusual features with a Giant Size Boot and a stage coach being sculptured into the outside of the building. As you enter into the

main bar you realise that the stage coach is actually authentic!

The galleon bar was taken from a ship, wooden clad with a vibe of nostalgia this feature certainly gets your attention. Needless to say the other eclectic features within its walls could keep you there for a few

more hours!

16.0 Miles Okehampton Railway Station

The Okehampton Railway station was commissioned for use in 1871, and serviced a route to Plymouth which it was a junction for the Bude – Padstow Line. Prestigious carriages such as the Devon Belle and

the Atlantic Coast Express used the route to transport its users to Plymouth and potentially their luxurious cruise liners.

Sadly public use of the line was stopped after 1971 when it became more of a service line for Meldon Quarry which was producing 300,000 tonnes of Railway Ballast per year. At present the station is used

during the summer months to help commuters gain access to Exeter and tourists gain access to the stunning scenery at Meldon Viaduct. The Polar Express also runs from here leading up to Christmas.

16.6 Miles Okehampton

The market town of Okehampton services the surrounding community with the main selection of shops available for 15 miles. The town itself offers a plethora of cafes, restaurants and public houses to choose

from, along with the more familiar Supermarkets and Pharmacies.

The town dates back to 980AD, when its name was Ocmundtude, which means Settlement by the Ockment, which is the river that runs through it. The original settlement is marked by the still present All

Saints Church which now stands alone atop of the current town.

With the encumbrance of the Saxons the town was relocated into the valley, and originally wedged between the rivers, and eventually a new chapel was built. This was named St James Chapel and was

completed solely due to the distance between the town and the existing church. Sadly all that remains of the original chapel is the granite tower; the rest was burnt to the ground in 1842.

The Castle, which is visible from the Granite Way dates to 1086 (although building started in 1068). Through the years it was expanded and eventually changed its usage from a fort into a fashionable

hunting lodge for its then occupants the Courtenay’s. By 1539, with the Castle still in a good state of repair it was confiscated by King Henry VII after the execution of William Courtenay, from that time it has

mainly been left to ruin. Today it is an English Heritage Site.


THE GRANITE WAY

Route Information at a Glance for the Granite Way








THE GRANITE WAY This excellent, traffic-free cycle/walkway between Lydford and Okehampton is part of the National Cycle Network (NCN) route number 27 ‘Devon Coast to Coast’ between Ilfracombe and Plymouth. Much of the Way is within Dartmoor National Park. The trail is ideal for families and those new to regular cycling. The Granite Way is mostly built along the course of the former Southern Region railway line. From Lydford, the trail is on level ground with superb views across Fernworthy Down before emerging at Lake Viaduct, built of local stone and offering spectacular views of the Moor and the surrounding countryside. Leaving the viaduct behind you, head towards Sourton where the church and views along this section may warrant a stop on the granite seats to truly take in the scenery. Please ensure you close the gates behind you when passing through the short permissive section between Lake Viaduct and Sourton village. Continuing along the railway line the trail passes the highest point on the railway in a deep cutting before emerging at the gates where the lane leads to the water treatment works at Prewley. Crossing this lane by the cattle grid, the trail continues east towards Meldon Viaduct. The dramatically craggy features of Sourton Tors are clearly visible to the south, and further west in the far distance is Brentor church on a distinctive knoll. Although along a former railway path, the trail has been built to meander to and fro, offering a more attractive cycle ride or walk. At Meldon Viaduct there is a railway station, visitor centre and café in the former buffet carriage, all run by Dartmoor Railway. Trains run from here to Okehampton Station. . To the north there are superb views with Okehampton’s motte and bailey castle (English Heritage) in the valley below. To the south rises Dartmoor with High Willhays, the highest point on the Moor at 621 metres (2038 feet), not far away. The trail runs parallel to the railway line which takes passenger trains and used to carry aggregate from Meldon Quarry. Meldon Viaduct was built in 1874, three years after the London and South West railway reached Okehampton. Spanning 341 feet (165 metres) the steel viaduct looks down upon a complex area of industrial archaeology. Meldon Dam can be seen to the south west and Exmoor 20 miles away to the north east. In the valley to the south is Meldon Pool, the remains of mineral mining, such as copper and arsenic, and quarrying including limestone in the 18th and 19th centuries, with two lime kilns. An embryonic glass industry based on the naturally occurring aplite essential in glass manufacturing was started in the early 1920s but didn’t flourish. Until recently, quarrying continued with Aggregate Industries extracting railway ballast, road stone and other industrial aggregates which were taken out by rail through Okehampton Station and on to the mainline at Exeter. A few hundred metres west along the trail from Meldon Viaduct is a turning, by a Sustrans milepost, that gives access along a lane – a few minutes by bicycle – to Meldon Dam and Reservoir. The dam was built in 1972 in the West Ockment valley and has a span of 660 feet (201 metres) and is 145 feet (45 metres) high. It used to be possible to walk around the reservoir using a permissive path and access land to admire the magnificent views of the Dartmoor scenery, although currently this has been rescinded.

Lake Viaduct Meldon Viaduct towards the Loco Yard

Okehampton Castle Okehampton Station


PUB / TEA ROOM OPENING TIMES ETC Area Place Name Information Sunday Monday - Thursday Friday Saturday

Bridestowe

The White Hart 01837 861318

Opening 12pm - 11pm 12pm - 3pm 12pm - 3pm

12pm - 11pm 6pm - 11pm 6pm - 11pm

Food Served

12pm - 2.30pm 12pm - 2.30pm 12pm - 2.30pm 12pm - 2.30pm

6pm - 9pm 6pm - 9pm 6pm - 9pm 6pm - 9pm

Riverside

Stores 01837 861321

Opening 9am - 4pm 8am - 6pm 8am - 6pm 8am - 6pm

Lydford

The Castle Inn 01822 820241

Opening 12pm - 10.30pm 11am - 11pm 11am - 11pm 11am - 11pm

Food Served



The Fox & Hounds

01822 820206


Food Served 12pm - 10pm 12pm - 10pm 12pm - 10pm 12pm - 10pm

Lake

The Bearslake

Inn 01837 861334


Food Served



Sourton

The Highwayman

01837 861243

Opening 12pm - 2.30pm 12pm - 2.30pm 12pm - 2.30pm 12pm - 2.30pm


Food Served



Meldon

The Carriages Opening Seasonal

Food Served Seasonal

Okehampton

Okehampton Railway Station

01837 55667

Opening 9am - 4pm CLOSED 10am - 4pm 9am - 4pm

Food Served 9am - 4pm CLOSED 10am - 4pm 9am - 4pm

The Fountain Inn

01837 53532

Opening 12am - 11pm 11am - 11pm 11am - 11pm 11am - 11pm

Food Served 12pm - 9pm

12pm - 2.45pm 12pm - 2.45pm 12pm - 9pm

5.30pm - 9pm 5.30pm - 9pm

The London Inn 01837 54655

Opening 12pm - 12am 12pm - 12am 12pm - 12am 12pm - 12am

Food Served 12pm - 9pm 12pm - 9pm 12pm - 9pm 12pm - 9pm

The Plymouth Inn

01837 53633

Opening 11am - 11pm 11am - 11pm 11am - 12am 11am - 12am

Food Served 11am - 3pm

11am - 2.30pm 11am - 2.30pm 11am - 2.30pm

5.30pm - 9pm 5.30pm - 9pm 5.30pm - 9pm


Route Information at a Glance for Way Back to Ashbury Hotel







Meldon Dam from Meldon Viaduct


DIRECTIONS BACK TO ASHBURY GRANITE WAY – OKEHAMPTON STATION – OKEHAMPTON – SOUTHCOTT – ASHBURY HOTEL


DIRECTIONS back to ashbury

Distance Marker Point General Information

① 0.0 Miles TURN RIGHT At the end of the Granite Way, turn right on Parklands and travel to the end of the road.

② 0.06 Miles TURN LEFT Following Station Road down the hill, bearing right at the

monument and continuing down the hill to the bottom.

③ 0.52 Miles

TURN LEFT At the junction at the bottom of the hill, turn left on to Mill Road and follow this road as it bears right and becomes George Street. Passing the Post Office on your left.

④ 0.628 Miles TURN LEFT At the traffic lights, turn left on to Fore Street (B3260) and

follow the road as it merges to become West Street.

⑤ 0.706 Miles TURN RIGHT Just past the London Inn on your right, turn right and go up

High Street straight in front of you – follow this incline.

⑥ 0.848 Miles

TURN RIGHT (STRAIGHT ON)

Where High Street bears left, you carry straight on up the hill on to Old Road (Technically turning right).

⑦ 0.943 Miles SECOND RIGHT

Follow this road up and take the second turning on your right in to Church Lane. (If you reach O’Connor’s Campers, you’ve gone too far).

⑧ 1.047 Miles TURN LEFT Take the first left on to Stoney Park Lane and follow this road

until the junction.

⑨ 1.664 Miles TURN RIGHT Turn right at the junction with Beacon Down Hill and follow

this road up taking the next right.

⑩ 2.05 Miles FIRST RIGHT Take the first right off Beacon Down Hill towards Northlew.

⑪ 2.204 2.266 Miles

TURN LEFT THEN RIGHT

At the crossroads with Narratons Road (A386) turn left and then almost immediately right on to Dry Lane. (There is a sign saying “No Access to Ashbury Hotel” but there is for cyclists.

⑫ 3.248 Miles TURN LEFT Follow Dry Lane until you come to a turning on your left, just

past a White Cottage, and take this left-hand turn.

⑬ STRAIGHT ON Stay on this road, past a farm on your right and at the brow of the hill you’ll have a wonderful view of the Oakwood course. (Nearly there)!

⑭ 3.956 Miles

FOLLOW THIS ROAD

Follow down the hill taking great care, and up the other side and you’ll soon be relaxing back at ASHBURY HOTEL.

⑮ 4.026 Miles

HOME YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR DESTINATION!


ASHBURY – GRANITE WAY LOOP

20.4 mile cycle trail - news. · pdf filerepair it was confiscated by king henry vii after the...

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