South moor from Ivybridge — Dartmoor road rides

South moor from Ivybridge — Dartmoor road rides

Hard

4.5

(2)

riders

South moor from Ivybridge — Dartmoor road rides

03:50

70.2km

1,170m

Road cycling

You’ll notice that there aren’t a huge number of roads over Dartmoor, especially across the south and north-west. This Tour circles the south moor taking you to the town of Princetown, past Venford and Burrator Reservoirs and along part of the Dartmoor Way.

Start out from Ivybridge Train Station heading clockwise, following the Dartmoor Way cycle route on lanes to climb out of town and over the River Erme at Harford. Descend between high banks to Cornwood, taking in views across to Plymouth Sound as you ride to Lee Moor.

Cross the bridge over the River Plym at Shaugh Prior, joining Drake’s Trail into Yelverton. The main road takes you down a fast descent out of the town towards Burrator Reservoir, climbing past Peak Hill and towards Princetown. Here, Fox Tor Cafe comes highly recommended for a mid-ride break.

Continue along the main road to Two Bridges, then turn right to take the main road for Dartmeet, passing Dunnabridge Pound on this hilly section. Before descending all the way down to the River Dart, peel off to the right to follow lanes past Combestone Tor to Venford Reservoir.

Enjoy the long descent to Buckfastleigh, before the final leg takes you back to Ivybridge via lanes, South Brent and the Dartmoor Way cycle route.

Last updated: June 7, 2024

Waypoints

Start point

Get Directions

33.2 km

Fox Tor Café

Highlight • Cafe

A fantastic cafe in the heart of Princetown. There's both inside seating and outdoor at the back in the gravelly courtyard, where you can also leave your bike. I'd highly rate the breakfasts as well as the hot pasties. A true cyclist's oasis on the moor!

Tip by

35.6 km

Two Bridges Stone Bridge

Highlight • Viewpoint

Two Bridges is an isolated location in the heart of Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England. It is situated around 2.5 km (1.6 mi) north east of Princetown on the old turnpike road which was built across Dartmoor in the late 18th century.

Tip by

45.0 km

Combestone Tor

Highlight • Viewpoint

Dartmoor is home to more than 160 tors but Combestone Tor is one of the easiest to access by bike and car as the road passes right by. Not only is the tor a fantastically impressive jumble of granite rocks but it also offers tremendous views, particularly along the Dart Valley northwards. The view west is also excellent, with moorland and fields rolling off into the distance.

You can scramble to the top of the rocks if you’ve got steady feet and will often find Dartmoor ponies roaming around the base.

Tip by

46.9 km

Venford Reservoir

Highlight • Natural

Hidden amongst the sprawling moorland of Dartmoor National Park, this is a lovely spot to explore. The reservoir is surrounded by beautiful woodland, moors and winding rivers where you can swim.

There's also varied wildlife as well as sheep and wild ponies. You can park at the reservoir, but spaces are hard to come by in the summer.

Tip by

70.2 km

End point

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

64.6 km

4.38 km

1.31 km

Surfaces

45.1 km

25.1 km

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (430 m)

Lowest point (50 m)

Weather

Thursday 8 October

17°C

11°C

46 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 25.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

March 29, 2023

You’ll notice that there aren’t a huge number of roads over Dartmoor, especially across the south and north-west. This Tour circles the south moor taking you to the town of Princetown, past Venford and Burrator Reservoirs and along part of the Dartmoor Way.
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Start out from Ivybridge Train Station heading