Intro to bikepacking

UK cycling tour

2 days | 2 nights
80 miles
£195
2027 dates coming soon

Dartmoor Weekender

Carbon: 26kg CO2e

A weekend cycling tour in the only remaining wilderness in England. Expect long winding roads, wild horses and hearty pub lunches. This area has some of the best scenery in the UK and you will be amazed at how much you can see in two days!

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Check in is from 3pm, so after settling into our accommodation in Plymouth, we will meet for an introductory brief at 18:30 then sit down for dinner at 19:00.
Allowing time for everyone to get to know one another and get us in the adventurous spirit for the weekend.
Dinner is not mandatory but strongly encouraged!
We will start our ride at Plymouth train station and follow the Sustrans cycle route out of town. Passing the Barbican and Plymouth harbour, before leaving our ocean view behind and joining the famous Drakes Trail. It takes us on a beautiful, steady incline through Plymbridge Woods and out over the Cann Viaduct. Not only is it stunning, but it is also the best way to gain some elevation. With an average of 2-4% for 13 miles it is a perfect gentle climb to start the day.
But first we will stop at the Dartmoor Larder in Yelverton to enjoy some of their deliciously baked goods and coffee!
Once refuelled, the adventure really begins as we start to venture across the spectacular countryside that is Dartmoor National Park.
Wild horses, stunning roads and cosy country pubs pass us by as we head towards Princetown, right in the centre of the moor and where we will stop for lunch at the Fox Tor Cafe.
Then its more winding and spectacular roads which wiggle their way down to the beautiful village of Widecombe in the Moor.
Here is where we stay for the night, in the idyllic campsite behind the Rugglestone Inn, which will also be serving up some delicious, home cooked dishes for dinner. So only a 1 min walk from tent to table!
After a hearty breakfast at the pub, we start the day with one of favourite roads in the Dartmoor, climbing over Challacombe and descending into Chagford - a beautiful village on the edge of the moor with great community spirit!
Here we stop for coffee and cake at the excellent Birdcage cafe in the centre of town.
Then its back on the bikes for some more epic cycling through Moretonhampstead until we stop for lunch at the famous cafe 3 sixty in Bovey Tracey - a must see for any cyclist visiting the area.
Finally, we join the Stover Trail - an old railway line which takes us on a stunning, traffic-free route into Newton Abbot where our weekend finishes!
We suggest booking your train home for 6pm from the station.

Itinerary

Client Reviews

“Conor did an excellent job planning a route that was the right balance of challenging and picturesque, plus it avoided busy roads. Also the camp site he had organised for us was one of the most beautiful I've ever had the pleasure to pitch at. The group was a great bunch and it was a delight to share the couple of days' riding with them.”

— Greg Annandale

“I would thoroughly recommend the Zero Carbon Adventures Dartmoor Weekender if you're a bike packing novice with a sense of adventure. The route over varied terrain was challenging but the pace was also beginner friendly with plenty of tempting cafe stops along the way. There was even enough flexibility in the plan for an ad hoc diversion to Chagford lido too. The scenery throughout is beautiful and overnight stop at a campsite next to a proper old country pub could not have been better. Conor was the perfect host both beforehand and during the ride, as was Julian who joined us for the weekend, providing four wheeled backup just in case. Thank you both so much. We had a great time and I suspect we'll be back to join you on another bike packing adventure some time.”

— Graham Kenward

“My two-day Dartmoor ride with Zero Carbon Adventures was a wonderful experience. First and foremost, the scenery was breathtaking. It is a true rugged wilderness. What’s more, Conor had planned a very balanced route: Dartmoor has some unavoidable steep hills, which I found tough going as a a relative beginner, but those tricky sections were broken up with perfectly chosen stops where we could buy delicious food to recharge our batteries. The Rugglestone Inn (with attached campsite), where we had our overnight stop, was an absolute gem. On the ride, Conor managed to display obvious knowledge and experience without ever being patronising. I heartily recommend this ride in particular and Conor as a guide in general.

— Dave Swain

FAQ

All accommodation costs plus breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning.
We will also have a walk and talk with a local expert on the myths and legends of Dartmoor at the end of day 1!
You will need a hybrid or gravel bike for this ride. It is mostly on roads but there are some gravel sections.
Dartmoor National Park is on moorland, so there are some hilly sections. However, we have devised some clever workarounds to ensure we get to see the spectacular landscape while avoiding the really steep climbs.
Please bring your own tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat. You will need a change of clothes for the evening.
Wear comfortable sports or cycling clothing. Dartmoor can be cold and very windy at its highest points so you will need a waterproof/ windproof jacket along with extra thermal layers just in case.