My favourite West Country riding — South-West Gravel Gold
Mountain Biking Collection by Katherine Moore
7
Tours
33:43 h
259 mi
17,025 ft
South-West is best, or so the saying goes. I may be biased as this is my home turf, but there’s certainly a lot of truth in that. From the coast of Cornwall to the wild national parks of Dartmoor and Exmoor, countless protected areas of natural beauty, conservation sites, the Jurassic Coastline and idyllic rural scenes; the South-West is surely one of the most wonderful places to explore by bike.
When it comes to riding off-road here, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Difficult as it was, here I’ve managed to narrow it down to my favourite few areas to explore, which include the mining trails of inland Cornwall, my childhood playground in East Devon, the wilderness of Dartmoor, the all-too-often forgotten Quantock and Mendip Hills and the golden Cotswolds.
Most of these routes are accessible by train, so you can easily enjoy them as a day trip or weekender. Popular with tourists seeking rural escape, the South-West boasts not only an overwhelmingly friendly population, but also a swell number of tea rooms, cafes, pubs, campsites and guesthouses, all to keep you well fed, watered and rested on your jollies.
As these are gravel routes, they can all be ridden on a gravel, cyclo-cross or mountain bike, although I would recommend tyre widths of 40mm and above. The routes vary in difficulty and length, so check the Tour information and descriptions before you leave.
The West County is well known for being very wet. Therefore, a lot of these trails become pretty tough-going in the winter. It’s best to try them in the drier months, and always make sure you have waterproofs with you, just in case!
On The Map
Tours
- 05:3047.7 mi8.7 mph2,100 ft2,100 ftExpertExpert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
This triangular route heading east from Bristol is one of my favourite local gravel loops from where I live, and a pretty big day out too. It takes in parts of the Cotswold Way, the stunning bridleways of Castle Combe, and the Fosse Way bridleway descent into the city of Bath. Then there’s an easy finish…
- 03:2128.9 mi8.6 mph2,000 ft2,000 ftIntermediateIntermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
Unjustly, the lanes and trails of Cornwall often get overlooked for cycling. Perhaps because they’re right down the end of the country, or perhaps in part because of their wicked steepness. If you thought Cornwall was all flat sandy beaches, you’d be wrong.
Nestled in the steep river valleys of this…
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- 04:1135.6 mi8.5 mph1,600 ft1,600 ftExpertExpert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Part of the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Woodbury Common is a heather and gorse heathland with both plantation and natural ancient woodland to the east of Exeter. A refuge for cyclists, hikers, runners and orienteers not far from the city, this area is rich with brilliant, varied…
- 03:2324.1 mi7.1 mph1,125 ft1,150 ftExpertExpert gravel ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
Well-known as an off-road mecca on the South Coast, the New Forest is a corking area to explore on bike, horse or foot. Great swathes of moor and grassland are intercepted by deciduous woodland, parkland and plantations. Ponies and cattle roam semi-wild across the moorland and roads, and the gravel riding…
- 07:5658.2 mi7.3 mph3,900 ft3,900 ftExpertExpert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
In Bristol we’re spoilt for riding. The Cotswolds to the north, the Wessex Downs to the west, Wales a short ride away and the Mendips to the south. Classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Mendip Hills are a chain of rolling green fields, secluded woodland and the well-known rocky outcrops…
- 05:3536.7 mi6.6 mph4,000 ft4,000 ftExpertExpert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
Perhaps overshadowed by their neighbour, Exmoor National Park, the Quantock Hills in Somerset often don’t get much of a look-in, yet they’re dream territory for gravel riders that enjoy challenging climbs and more technical terrain.
Although you will find wide gravel tracks criss-crossing along the tops…
- 03:4728.1 mi7.4 mph2,275 ft2,275 ftExpertExpert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
No Collection of off-road routes in the South-West would be complete without a foray onto Dartmoor. A truly wild expanse of moorland, unique granite tor-topped peaks and vast, hostile landscapes make this an incredible place to ride any kind of bike.
Although a lot of Dartmoor seems rather wild and unkempt…
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Collection Stats
- Tours7
- Distance259 mi
- Duration33:43 h
- Elevation17,025 ft
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