Will 
Grand Western Canal cycle route overall rating: (Colour explanation: blue = good, yellow indicates some warning, and red indicates issues to be aware of) The Grand Western Canal was originally intended as part of a far larger canal network, to create a canal link to the English Channel. Only part of the canal survives, and … Read more
Stover & Wray Valley Trails cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Stover Trail links Newton Abbott with Bovey Tracey, mostly traffic-free, or on very quiet lanes. The Wray Valley Trail links Bovey Tracey with Moreton Hampstead, again either traffic-free, or on normally very quiet lanes. It therefore makes sense to do a single route guide … Read more
7.9 miles, hilly, on rural green lanes with very little traffic, but shared with cars Bere Ferrers is essentially situated on near-enough a pensinsula, cradled between the Tavy and Tamar rivers. This cycle route is a true hidden gem, and offers some spectacular views. By car, getting to the start is quite a trek along … Read more
Dawlish to Exeter cycle route overall rating: B3⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you’re looking for a stunning day out, this is the route for you. At 14 miles in length, it offers spectacular sea views, quaint waterside villages, and even canalside cycling. Overall, the route is very flat, but it does have a section that tops out at … Read more
Want to cycle Devon Coast To Coast (also known as Devon C2C) but unsure of how to go about it? Worry no more! My Devon Coast To Coast cycle route guide will make your whole experience a better one. It’s more than just a route guide – it’s a Digital Tour Leader! The guide consists of … Read more
When was the last time you did something for the first time? Just think about that for a few minutes. Also the next question: why was it so long ago? Do you remember, when you were a child, watching ants march in and out of their underground homes, sometimes spending ages, in pure fascination? Do … Read more
Your cycle touring questions answered Following on from my cycle camping post, I thought I’d look at cycle touring in a bit more detail. You’ve read those stories of daring and adventure, of cycle tourists taking on the world and the elements and emerging, triumphantly, at the end, right? The reality will at times be … Read more
Kitty Jay’s grave I love cycling at night, on otherwise pitch-dark lanes. It’s a totally different experience, and the reason why I started Darkmoor. However, not everyone thinks cycling 100+ miles, right through the night, is great fun, and people aren’t always able to fit in such rides. Park that there for a moment, and … Read more
Tips for going cycle camping Recently, I was asked what cooking gear I use when I go cycle camping, and that made me think about a general post about cycle camping. I’m a very big fan of cycle touring, and to me, cycle touring means cycle camping. Ernest Hemingway said it best: “It is by … Read more
I recently read about a cyclist based in Edinburgh, who crashed after hitting black ice. She both broke and dislocated her elbow, and couldn’t even stand up, due to the pain she was in. She was riding with another cyclist, who also crashed and was also injured. The crash happened at around 11h30, and from … Read more
COVID19 turned the world upside down – that’s an indisputable fact. It’s a horrid disease, and many thousands have died from it, with more still apparently suffering long-term health affects, after having survived it. As I write this, I’m aware of how lucky I am in not having had the illness, nor having anyone close … Read more
Star-rated traffic-free cycle routes As you may have noticed, I started grading the route guides I publish, using a star grading system. This grading system is to give an indication of family-friendliness of a route, which is a grading that will also help new adult cyclists, as well as less confident adult cyclists. Some routes … Read more
“Act as if our home is on fire. Because it is” *These are the words of the incredible Greta Thunberg, a 16 yo climate activist from Sweden, who has single-handedly done more to highlight this extinction-level issue than most politicians combined. That in itself is a damning indication of just how miserably politicians are failing their … Read more
I’m rather excited to share this with you! I’ve finished my Devon Coast To Coast guide, and it’s available right now! I’ve known for a long time I should write a detailed guide, similar to the far shorter Drake’s Trail guide on this blog, but covering the whole NCN 27 route. Several years ago I actually … Read more
