Westcountry Way MTB ride - Day 2

Day 2 - Bellever YHA to Horseford B&B, South Molton

Distance - 75km

Total ascent - 1050m

Altitude at start - 335m

Altitude at finish - 210m

Estimated total riding time - 5:55

After an annoying night in a dorm with a "thunder" snorer I downed a massive breakfast and hit the Dartmoor road to ominous grey skies, a sharp breeze and more adventures waiting to be had.

Flowering yellow and purple gorse bushes, shaggy sheep and more Dartmoor hills appeared before me on that nippy grey morning. After some paddock pedaling I mistook a private drive for a bridleway which resulted in 5 minutes of friendly banter with some locals and I was off again grinding up through more the Dartmoor farm fields.

I opted for a big road climb as opposed to a big offroad climb and spun my way to the highest point of Dartmoor at 500m.

With the wind blowing and temperature quite low I stood at a cross of tracks next to Hookney Tor stone boundary wall and debated which way I should go.

The compass came in handy and off I headed only to confirm with some oncoming fellow mountain bikers that I indeed should have gone through the gate just behind me. They were a God send as I probably would have descended down the wrong part of the mountain. So checking my speed on a fun steep singletrack descent to Shapely village I arrived with burning brakes and a grin as wide as the ocean.

Then the rough stuff turned into tame english lanes which consisted of some brutal short climbs through Changford. I was back offroad and hour or so later cycling above the spectacular Teigh valley with a big gorge dropping away to my right. Impressive views.

I crossed the A30 then the rain came, light at first then heavy as I huddled under a tree thankful for the waterproofs and pack cover.

Within 10 minutes it had blown past and I was off again with wind behind me and the sun shining. It was back onto some more bridleway as I continued the two moors crossing, stopping again to shelter from a longer and heavier squall shower. Then back on some brief singletrack of the Taka trail and I swept down a dark descent to Chulmleigh, opting for the shortcut and frowned as I cycled past a sign which read 25% gradient. And it was a steep final granny cog climb up another English lane, through a long dark tunnel of trees and then pressed on with screaming legs and behind to my next overnight stop at the Horseford B&B.

It was easy to find the B&B and only a 2k detour off the main route. I turned up and they knew immediately who I was. I guess it’s not common to arrive on a bike somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

Horseford B&B was one of the highlights of the trip for me.

It was a 1400's farm house, huge with old wooden beams everywhere, low doors and ceilings downstairs (people were shorter in those days). There was an original spiral staircase up to the first floor where I was staying. The kitchen was dominated by a huge solid wood table which could have seated 16 people.

Cilla had cooked that night for me as I had requested, so I sat down with the couple to enjoy a hearty helping of cottage pie and apple crumble.

There were 5 other guests staying in the B&B that night also. Four physio girls and a guy married to one of them who was training to be a minister at Oak hill bible college. I hit it off with him immediately. Everyone was very interested in my journey and why I was doing it so it had to be explained several times that I cycled up big hills and 75k today just for fun.

I also learnt that Horseford farm rescue wild ponies from Dartmoor that have been abused by their owners and try and make them manageable for people.