Devon Coast to Coast By Train

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had experience of travelling to-and-from the
Devon-Coast-to-Coast by train. Some friends and I are thinking of
doing it and wondered how others have handled the start.

The start of the route is Ilfracombe, but the nearest station is 20
miles away (Barnstaple) albeit on the route. If you take a more direct
route to Ilfracombe it cuts it down to 13 miles. Is this shorter route
reasonably cycle-friendly, or is it better to stick to the official
route (and get a bit bored by having to do it twice :-)

Are there any other cunning options that people have discovered (buses
which take bikes, teleporters, that kind of thing)

Many thanks in advance,

Matt

Matt Freake wrote:
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had experience of travelling to-and-from the
Devon-Coast-to-Coast by train. Some friends and I are thinking of
doing it and wondered how others have handled the start.

The start of the route is Ilfracombe, but the nearest station is 20
miles away (Barnstaple) albeit on the route. If you take a more direct
route to Ilfracombe it cuts it down to 13 miles. Is this shorter route
reasonably cycle-friendly, or is it better to stick to the official
route (and get a bit bored by having to do it twice :-)

Are there any other cunning options that people have discovered (buses
which take bikes, teleporters, that kind of thing)

Many thanks in advance,

Matt

I haven't cycled the roads but I do know them quite well.... which if the
direct route you're thinking of? (If it's the B3230 through Muddiford then
I'd steer clear due to the narrowness of the upper windy bits coupled with
the traffic you can enounter....)

You could always go down the Tarka trail to Braunton then head up the lanes
to West Down then on to Ilfracombe....

cupra wrote:
Matt Freake wrote:
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had experience of travelling to-and-from
the Devon-Coast-to-Coast by train. Some friends and I are thinking of
doing it and wondered how others have handled the start.

The start of the route is Ilfracombe, but the nearest station is 20
miles away (Barnstaple) albeit on the route. If you take a more
direct route to Ilfracombe it cuts it down to 13 miles. Is this
shorter route reasonably cycle-friendly, or is it better to stick to
the official route (and get a bit bored by having to do it twice :-)

Are there any other cunning options that people have discovered
(buses which take bikes, teleporters, that kind of thing)

Many thanks in advance,

Matt

I haven't cycled the roads but I do know them quite well.... which if
the direct route you're thinking of? (If it's the B3230 through
Muddiford then I'd steer clear due to the narrowness of the upper
windy bits coupled with the traffic you can enounter....)

You could always go down the Tarka trail to Braunton then head up the
lanes to West Down then on to Ilfracombe....

more

Or just take the lanes pretty much directly from Barnstaple all the way, of
course....

Matt Freake said the following on 26/03/2007 12:56:

Are there any other cunning options that people have discovered (buses
which take bikes, teleporters, that kind of thing)

Can't you just cycle across? :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On 26 Mar, 13:07, Paul Boyd usenet.dont.work@plusnet wrote:
Matt Freake said the following on 26/03/2007 12:56:

Are there any other cunning options that people have discovered (buses
which take bikes, teleporters, that kind of thing)

Can't you just cycle across? :-)

--

It's that psychological factor of going back on one's self. Always
feels wrong :-)

On 26 Mar, 13:05, " cupra" wrote:
Matt Freake wrote:
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had experience of travelling to-and-from the
Devon-Coast-to-Coast by train. Some friends and I are thinking of
doing it and wondered how others have handled the start.

The start of the route is Ilfracombe, but the nearest station is 20
miles away (Barnstaple) albeit on the route. If you take a more direct
route to Ilfracombe it cuts it down to 13 miles. Is this shorter route
reasonably cycle-friendly, or is it better to stick to the official
route (and get a bit bored by having to do it twice :-)

Are there any other cunning options that people have discovered (buses
which take bikes, teleporters, that kind of thing)

Many thanks in advance,

Matt

I haven't cycled the roads but I do know them quite well.... which if the
direct route you're thinking of? (If it's the B3230 through Muddiford then
I'd steer clear due to the narrowness of the upper windy bits coupled with
the traffic you can enounter....)

You could always go down the Tarka trail to Braunton then head up the lanes
to West Down then on to Ilfracombe....

Thanks very much for that. I don't have the details to hand, but will
have a look tonight. The route through Braunton sounds like it might
be useful.

Cheers,

Matt

Matt Freake wrote:
On 26 Mar, 13:05, " cupra" wrote:
Matt Freake wrote:
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had experience of travelling to-and-from
the Devon-Coast-to-Coast by train. Some friends and I are thinking
of doing it and wondered how others have handled the start.

The start of the route is Ilfracombe, but the nearest station is 20
miles away (Barnstaple) albeit on the route. If you take a more
direct route to Ilfracombe it cuts it down to 13 miles. Is this
shorter route reasonably cycle-friendly, or is it better to stick
to the official route (and get a bit bored by having to do it twice
:-)

Are there any other cunning options that people have discovered
(buses which take bikes, teleporters, that kind of thing)

Many thanks in advance,

Matt

I haven't cycled the roads but I do know them quite well.... which
if the direct route you're thinking of? (If it's the B3230 through
Muddiford then I'd steer clear due to the narrowness of the upper
windy bits coupled with the traffic you can enounter....)

You could always go down the Tarka trail to Braunton then head up
the lanes to West Down then on to Ilfracombe....

Thanks very much for that. I don't have the details to hand, but will
have a look tonight. The route through Braunton sounds like it might
be useful.

It's not direct, but the stretch by the estuary can be stunning if the
weather is right!

Actually, just checked on sustrans - that stretch is part of the official
route, and the way I mentioned looks like part of a proposed future route.
The return journey to Barnstaple will take you through some stunning scenery
BTW - plenty of photo opportunities at the top of climbs!