jamesjermain
Well-Known Member
What do you do on a brilliant winter Sunday when the sun is as bright as a Saville orange and the sky as blue as the Mediterranean, and the boat is stuck at the back of the boatyard?
Answer: get the cover off the bike and go for a cruise of the three West Country moors.
Hop on at Cargreen, mosie on down to Liskeard and on to St Austell where even the grey-whites lag heeps gleam in the sun. Then cut across to deserted Newquay, the grass as green as Ireland, keeping Bodmin Moor on the beam before blasting up the wonderfully open, sweeping Atlantic Coast highway. Past Westward Ho and Bude, sun warm on the back, skirt Barnstaple and climb the high walled Devon lanes into the foothills of Exmoor. Cut off for the Dog and Goose at Parracombe but it's shut.
Never mind. Drop a cog and climb up the unbelieveable twisties to the braken-brown summit of the open moors - crystal clear air and views to die for; you just have to stop. Drop down into Simonsbath and back up for one more spectacular moorland romp - long sightlines, sweeping curves and some fiendish tighties - then down again to quaint Dulverton where I stop for a late lunch and meet up with several other middle aged bikers on big tourers. Count our blessings then wind down the deep, dark, cool Exe Valley to Tiverton and Crediton. Sweep some more twisties up to Moretonhamstead, gateway to Dartmore.
Sun setting by this time and a bit blinding but nothing can detract from the majestic tors that pass by on each side. 40mph limit is a bugger, specially as every Metro and Fiesta is sticking to it. Over Two Bridges, turn right for Tavistock and rejoin the human race for a pedestrian potter back through Gunnislake and Callington to a Cargreen bathed in a soft evening gloaming.
Ah!
Answer: get the cover off the bike and go for a cruise of the three West Country moors.
Hop on at Cargreen, mosie on down to Liskeard and on to St Austell where even the grey-whites lag heeps gleam in the sun. Then cut across to deserted Newquay, the grass as green as Ireland, keeping Bodmin Moor on the beam before blasting up the wonderfully open, sweeping Atlantic Coast highway. Past Westward Ho and Bude, sun warm on the back, skirt Barnstaple and climb the high walled Devon lanes into the foothills of Exmoor. Cut off for the Dog and Goose at Parracombe but it's shut.
Never mind. Drop a cog and climb up the unbelieveable twisties to the braken-brown summit of the open moors - crystal clear air and views to die for; you just have to stop. Drop down into Simonsbath and back up for one more spectacular moorland romp - long sightlines, sweeping curves and some fiendish tighties - then down again to quaint Dulverton where I stop for a late lunch and meet up with several other middle aged bikers on big tourers. Count our blessings then wind down the deep, dark, cool Exe Valley to Tiverton and Crediton. Sweep some more twisties up to Moretonhamstead, gateway to Dartmore.
Sun setting by this time and a bit blinding but nothing can detract from the majestic tors that pass by on each side. 40mph limit is a bugger, specially as every Metro and Fiesta is sticking to it. Over Two Bridges, turn right for Tavistock and rejoin the human race for a pedestrian potter back through Gunnislake and Callington to a Cargreen bathed in a soft evening gloaming.
Ah!
