A couple of years ago my work took me to Bovey Tracey (sounds like a made up sort of place but it is quite an active and varied small town) and I went to stay with some friends who cycled 6 miles with me as far as the MT Tums cafe and the underwhelming town quay in Newton Abbott.
We parted on the quay and my friends sent me over the bridge but it was the wrong route which I realised a mile later and came back. I did though get to see the racecourse.
You can see the extra spur on the route map, headed 100% in the wrong direction, luckily a mile on a bicycle doesn't take long.
Downhill from there all the way to the harbour.
Fortified by a lovely crab sandwich and a tea at a cafe overlooking the harbour (I sat outside to keep an eye on the bike and be more covid safe) it was then time to about turn and head back uphill to my friends.
The local council have done their best to fit cyclists in along a dual carriageway and certainly the painted strip does discourage cars from left hooking a cyclist. It was possible there to actually take the left turn and follow the parallel route past Torbay Hospital and rejoin the dual carriageway at the point where most cars will go left and cyclists can go straight on underneath the elevated road.
I was not fooled by this sign, I just wasn't going to go there.
Two years ago I had stayed in Paignton and then driven to my project workplace without any idea that there was a very useful quiet shared path alongside the 4 lanes for cars. I would have been as quick by bicycle in rush hour.
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The church on this route had this sign on their noticeboard outside. Luckily I wasn't still going to be in the area when the waxing started, sponsored or otherwise.
A lovely garden under the flyover at Newton Abbot which whilst using my car previously I had no idea it was there.
Soon I was back at the Town Quay where the bridge is the best part of it.
I noted the warning
and rain must be really heavy in Devon if this path may flood?
I find it hard to cycle past an information board
Sorry, my photography skills let me down, to read it all you will have to visit.
This is the view behind that sign.
Not much water there but evidently it can get pretty deep just around the corner, up to my full height.
Can't resist a bridge either, this one over the A38 at Heathfield.
The next day we went out again on the same system of my friends doing the shorter trip to the cafe which suited them and me doing a bit extra. This time I decided to go to Shaldon, a quaint town to the north east of Torquay.
I hadn't realised it was a bit of a stiff climb out of Newton Abbot and then a gentle rollercoaster to Shaldon after that.
The view from the bridge across to Teignmouth shows it was low tide with lots of people out for a paddle or other watery fun.
The relief map on the way back showed me that the north side of the river was much less hilly.
There was still a spectacular view from these lower slopes.
Just a little further along there was a good view of a caravan park which would be so tranquil to stay at.
Two lovely outings on the bicycle.
End.
