12 Jul Cycling
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – said Helen Keller
…and cycling on and around Melrose Cottage is the lifeblood of an adventurous spirit! Here are our top cycling routes nearby:
The Granite Way
The Granite Way has to be our favourite, as it is accessible from the end of our road! It is an 11 mile route running alongside the edge of Dartmoor from Okehampton, where Melrose Cottage is located, to the ancient Saxon fortress village of Lydford. A top notch day out would be had if you cycled to Lydford to enjoy Lydford Gorge, Lydford Castle, followed by a hearty lunch in the Dartmoor Inn before returning home to Melrose Cottage ! For more information head to this useful leaflet.
The Tarka Trail
The Tarka Trail, inspired by the route travelled by Tarka the Otter, takes you on a figure of eight route, taking in the incredible beauty of the North Devon Coastline, with its dramatic cliffs and white sand beaches. Closer to home, the first stop on the route is Sticklepath Village, where you can have a nosey around Finch Foundry and settle down for a cider or create tea in the Taw River Inn.
Drake’s Trail
Drake’s Trail is a 21 mile route linking Tavistock to Plymouth named after Sir Francis Drake, taking you along the spectacular western edge of Dartmoor, and the banks of the River Plym and finishing up at Plymouth Hoe. Here you can see the unbeatable panorama across Plymouth Sound, and then you can cool off after your cycle in the Tinside Lido.
The Dartmoor Way
The Dartmoor Way – a circular route around the perimeter of Dartmoor, with incredible views across breath-taking moorland. There are plenty of pretty villages to to stop for a break, with the route taking you passing through Moretonhamstead, Buckfastleigh, Tavistock and more.
If you want to go freestyle, you can get a lot of useful information by using the Devon interactive cycle map.