Post by Dave on Mar 25, 2016 17:01:42 GMT
Stover Trail Cycle Ride 25th March 2016
My original plan for this Good Friday was to cover a football match, maybe even two. On Saturday I was going to join in the family fun cycle ride on the Stover Trail that was being organised by Sustrans. Well that was until I learned the weather forecast for Saturday, heavy rain and strong winds, not the sort of weather I enjoy riding in. I also had a few reservations about doing the ride due to the fact its been a long time since I have been out for a ride on my bike. I sure do not like being the one at the back trying to keep up; would that have been the case?
After reading more about this great new cycle route from Newton Abbot to Bovey Tracey, I knew I would want to stop along the way and take some pictures, something I might not be able to do on a group ride. I woke up this morning to bright sunshine and just knew I had to find the motivation to do this cycle ride today. I nearly talked myself out of it a number of times during the morning, but at 11am the bike was in the back of the car and I was on route for Newton Abbot.
I parked my car at my works which has the Town Quay right behind it. Bike all put together and ready to go, I turned and cycled along the Quay. What a difference the Quay is from when I was a boy growing up in the town, now fully paved with benches and a picnic area. One man had decided to take his mobile food outlet there and was doing a roaring trade.
The cycle path first takes you to the bridge over the River Lemon on the bend of the Avenue. Then up to the roundabout by the fire station and on to the next roundabout where you turn of to the right to pick out the start of the first off road section of the trail. This section ends close to the humpbacked bridge on the Teigngrace Road and after going over the bridge you turn left onto the next off road section.
It’s along this section you can take a good look at the work being done on the old Stover Canal, its work in progress for sure with so much more that needs to be done if this canal is ever going to see water in it again.
The route before it reaches the A38 goes along an old lane that I had never seen before or knew of its existence, its almost traffic free and its not long before you are back on an off-road track again.
Its then not too long before you get your first sighting of the new bridge over the A38 for walkers and cyclists. The ramps looked a little steep but were easier to ride up than they looked. Once over the road you are soon off-road again and before you know it you are at the roundabout at the top of Bovey Hill.
Not wishing to overdo things on my first ride of the year, I decided to turn around and start the return leg. When this route was being made a small part of the Granite Railway had been uncovered, I looked for it on the way to Bovey but missed it. Thankfully I found it on the way back and have since learned there is a wood close to Bovey Tracey that has a large section of the track running through it, something to find on another day.
It’s so good to see such a trial created in Newton Abbot and so good to see so many people out using it. Family cycle rides, people just walking their dogs and before this trail was created, you had to go to Exeter to find anything like it. This trail is going to be extended even further sometime in the future.
Great ride and one I found very easy with no effects on my legs which surprised me when taking into consideration the last time I went on a bike ride.
