The Stover Trail

The Stover Trail cycle route overall rating:
(Colour explanation: blue = good, yellow indicates some warning, and red indicates issues to be aware of)

The Stover Trail gets its name from the Stover canal, and it runs alongside the canal for a significant part. This route guide starts at Newton Abbott train station, which is on the Great Western Main line, and therefore easily reachable by train from many parts of the UK.

Though mostly traffic-free, the route does include some on-road segments. Especially if cycling with younger children, try and start from near the MT Tums café. That would remove the less pleasant road sections.

Important: In November 2024, storms washed away a 60 metre segment of the Stover Trail, and where the trail (and the old railway) once was, there’s now just an expanse of water. As a result, there are two possible diversionary routes further down below, for those who start from the train station.

Surface on the trail

Most of the Stover Trail has a good tarred surface. However, the section starting from the roundabout on Jetty Marsh Road is very rough. In fact, it’s far rougher than many unsurfaced paths, despite being tarred.

Refreshments


There are a number of cafés in Newton Abbot, including directly opposite the train station. The route goes very close to the MT Tums café, and further long the route, by Teigngrace Lock, there’s a tea room (which may, or may not be open).
After that, the next place for food and refreshments is in Bovey Tracey, with a particular shout out for Fuelled By Caffeine, if you enjoy good coffee.

Bikes


Most bikes should be fine along this route. Skinny-wheeled road bikes will suffer on the very rough tarred section. Most trikes and cargo bikes may struggle on the section between the Jetty March roundabout and the MT Tums café, due to the narrowness of the path.

Toilets


Effectively, there are toilets at the start, and at the end of the route.

Hilliness


This route is mostly flat, but there are some mild gradients near Bovey Tracey.

Safety from traffic


If setting off from the MT Tums café area, the route is almost entirely traffic-free. There is a short section along a normally absolutely quiet lane. Later, after crossing the A38, there’s another fairly short section on a usually quiet lane.

The grading system I use is explained here.

Points of Interest

For railway buffs, there’s the GWR museum in Newton Abbot (annoyingly, not near the train station).
Along the trail, right by the Stover Canal, you will see the remains of the Haytor Granite Tramway. The “rails” were made from granite, and there’s an old wagon on the tracks.

Routes in Devon

Barriers


While there are none of the dreaded A-frames, nor any gates that you need to open, there are a few gates that are locked in a semi-open position.
Most trikes and cargo bikes may struggle with those.

Cycle Hire

Pro Cycle Centre, in Newton Abbot town centre, offers bike hire.

Child friendliness


Even very young children can enjoy most of the route. However, the route is often alongside water – either the Stover Canal, or the river Bovey. As a result, ensure there’s at least one competent adult swimmer along in the group.

Social safety


Parts of this route can be very isolated.

Weather forecast for the 

What the Stover Trail looks like

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Shadow

The video below is sped up to 4 times normal speed, and gives you a view of the entire trail.

Getting to the Stover Trail

The route as shown on the map below starts at Newton Abbott train station, so you can easily get to the start car-free, by taking your bike on the train. As ever, read my Bikes On Trains guide for useful and helpful tips for taking your bike on the train.

Parking near the Stover Trail

You can park in the Osborne Street car park (23 Osborne St, Newton Abbot, TQ12 2DJ). It’s a pay & display car park, and you can use Ringo to pay for parking. There is limited, free parking on Exeter Road, TQ12 3QJ. On sunny and warm weekends, that fill rapidly fill up. A little further along Exeter Road is the Teign and Stover Canal Car Park.

More Routes

To find more routes, click this link.

DayCycle

DayCycle routes are routes that can can easily be cycled by most people in a day, or part of a day. Do have a look at all the other DayCycle routes available on WillCycle.

Stover Trail interactive map

Stover Trail Diversion Options

Diversion Option 1:
Please note that this uses a non-permissive path that might be closed.

Diversion Option 2:

And finally…

If this route guide was of use to you, it will be of use to others, too. Don’t keep it secret! Share it with everyone, on social media, in Facebook Groups, on chat forums, and elsewhere.

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