6-Day Devon & Cornwall English Countryside Bike Tour

Please meet at the Tiverton Parkway Train Station at 11am and transfer to the dramatic north Devon coast. After enjoying lunch in the picturesque harbor town of Ilfracombe, do a bike fitting. Then pedal around some of North Devon’s famous surf beaches. Lungs filled with coastal air, you continue into the ancient river-port town of Barnstaple, where you check in for the night. Tomorrow, you begin your crossing of inland Devon.
Accommodation: The Park Hotel
Meals: Dinner

Biking: 20 to 33 miles (32 to 53 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier to Intermediate

Joining the Tarka Trail, named after Henry Williamson’s famous 1927 novel, Tarka the Otter, you cycle along the stunning Taw and Torridge estuaries via Bideford and Great Torrington. Stopping at a quirky railway-station-turned-café for lunch, you then pick up the Tarka Trail again and bike along rail trail to Hatherleigh. One of Devon’s smallest but liveliest towns, you check in here at the George Inn, enjoying a pint of local ale, a plate of fresh food and a well-deserved rest.
Accommodation: The George Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Biking: 29 to 40 miles
Terrain: Easier to Intermediate

Starting north of Okehampton, take a slight detour up to Dartmoor National Park, where you’re treated to stunning views and a magical atmosphere. After lunching in the charming market town of Chagford, cycle high onto the moors and ride all the way into Tavistock(or stop at the hotel to skip some climbing). The only town in Devon to hold World Heritage status, Tavistock is fun to explore. Our guides could even help you find a great spot for one of Devon’s famous “cream teas.” Just remember that while in Devon, the tradition is that you put cream on the scone before jam!
Accommodation: Two Bridges Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 20, 30 or 39 miles (32, 48 or 62 kilometres)
Terrain: Intermediate 

Your final cycling day in Devon takes you on Drake’s Trail, a mostly downhill ride into Plymouth — famous as the place from where the Pilgrims climbed aboard the Mayflower and set sail for America in 1620. Continuing into Tinside, you have a chance for a dip in the iconic waterside lido before your transfer into Cornwall. Your final stop is the picturesque estuary town of Padstow, your home for the next two nights.
Accommodation: Old Custom House, Padstow
Meals: Breakfast

Biking: 19 or 24 miles (30 or 38 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier

Traveling a few miles to the top of the famous Camel Trail, you bike down the coast toward Padstow. One of the most enticing destinations in all of Cornwall — and famous for Rick Stein’s fish and chips — Padstow is a gorgeous harbor town to explore. In the afternoon, there’s an opportunity to visit locations made famous by the TV shows “Poldark” and “Doc Martin” … before spending your final night with the group in Padstow.
Accommodation: Old Custom House, Padstow
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 17 or 34 miles (27 or 54 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier to Intermediate

Your tour ends after breakfast, when the leaders help with your onward travel arrangements. Most guests transfer to Bodmin Parkway railway station. Wherever your journey takes you next, our guides are on hand to provide all the help you need to arrange the next leg of your trip.
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast