Saltram Loop Cycle Route Overall Rating:
(Colour explanation: blue = good, yellow indicates some warning, and red indicates issues to be aware of)
The Saltram Loop is a six mile, practically completely traffic-free circular route in Plymouth. It runs right through the Saltram Estate, using part of NCN 27, and is suitable for cycling with children (provided they can ride that distance).
In places you will find it hard to believe you’re inside the city, but especially though the Saltram Estate it can get extremely busy with walkers, children and dogs. The route shown on the map below starts in Plymstock, just off Billacombe Road.
Surface on the Saltram Loop
The surface is a mix of compacted gravel, or tar. For significant parts, the tar is quite bumpy, and in several places the compacted gravel is smoother than the tar.
Bikes
You can use any kind of bike along this route.
Refreshments
The only places for refreshments along the route is the National Trust café in Saltram, and the Sainsbury’s supermarket.
Toilets
There are toilets at Saltram House, and at Sainsbury’s.
Hilliness
The route is quite flat, but with some rises to contend with. If doing the route clockwise, there’s a short, somewhat steep hill to get onto the Saltram estate, and another steeper hill, if you wanted to visit the café.
Safety from traffic
While the route is mostly traffic-free, it runs alongside a fast, busy road, and you will need to cross one lane of traffic, where it veers away from Embankment Road.
Ratings
Points of Interest
Saltram House itself is an attraction, as is the folly, overlooking the Plym estuary.
Routes in Devon
- Tarka Trail – Barnstaple to Braunton
- Tarka Trail – Ilfracombe to Willingcott
- Dart Valley Cycleway
- Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton
- The Exe Estuary cycle route to Exmouth
- Nun’s Cross Trail cycle route
- Princetown Railway traffic-free cycle route
- Saltram Loop traffic-free cycle route
- DayCycle – Tarka Trail
- Family-friendly Cycling On The Granite Way
- DayCycle – A Redlake adventure
- DayCycle – Grand Western Canal
- DayCycle – Stover Trail & Wray Valley Trail
- DayCycle – Dawlish to Exeter St Davids
- Family-friendly Cycling on Drake’s Trail
Barriers
There are no barriers along this route. There are two gates on the Saltram estate, but they are wide. The gates are gravity-closed, and can simply be pushed open. There’s a narrow bridge over the railway line, but trikes and cargo bikes should be able to get through without trouble.
Child friendliness
The parts of the route in Saltram estate are very suitable for even very young kids. However, a significant part of the route follows the at-times narrow shared pavement along Embankment Road. That means there’s a busy, 40mph road right alongside.
Social safety
The route is highly visible, and normally full of people.
Forecast for the Saltram Loop
What the Saltram Loop looks like
Getting to the Saltram Loop
It is possible to follow a mostly traffic-free route from the Plymouth train station. There is also a traffic-free route from Oreston that connects with this route.
If driving there, there is a paid-for (free for National Trust members) car park at Saltram House.
More Routes
To find more routes, click this link.
DayCycle
DayCycle routes are routes 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.
Interactive map for the Saltram Loop
You can download the GPX file from the map below, simply by clicking the GPX button. Hovering over the elevation profile will show the elevation for that point along the route, in both metres and feet. It will also show the gradient.
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