This is a @WillCycle-com video, showing why the Exe Estuary cycle route, from Dawlish to Exeter, is so worth cycling. The video gives you some tips about where to start, and ends at Exeter St David’s train station, so you can use the train to get back to Dawlish, and turn this into a loop.
Though you can watch the video on it’s own, it was actually created to supplement the WillCycle route Guide for this route – https://www.willcycle.com/2021/01/28/daycycle-dawlish-to-exeter-st-davids-14-miles-mainly-flat/
Over on WillCycle (https://www.willcycle.com/traffic-free-cycling-routes-in-the-uk/) I have plenty more traffic-free cycling route guides. They’re highly detailed, and tell you what the route surface is like, where refreshment and toilet stops are, how suitable the route is for children, how hilly it is, and even a weather forecast.
Each route also has an interactive map, from where you can download the GPX or TCX file for the route.
[Music] Hello there. Let me tell you all about this great route. Now the XX route contains two parts and this video deals with a part from Dish to Exter. See my other video for the other part from Exit to Xmouth. I’ve extended this part a bit to finish at Exodus and David’s train station. So you can use the train to turn this into a loop. The route offers some of the very best traffic-free cycling. You’ve got the rolling green hills and sea vistas are part and parcel of it. But there are a few surprises in store too. Leisure routes like this are best cycled in most pace with plenty of stops. In fact, if you race, you’ll be depriving yourself of much that the route has to offer. Slow down, take loads of photos, and simply enjoy the views. There are several cafes in Dorich, though none are directly on the route, which is slightly annoying. However, there are pubs in Cockwood, and you can stop that snickering. And in Starcross, there’s also the turf at Turf Locks. Before that, along a brief back diversion, there’s a beast road near Palaram Castle, which is well worth visiting. At Double Locks, there’s another pub and cafe stop with plenty more once you get to Extra Key. In fact, linger for a while at Extra Key. Finally, there’s a coffee shop at Exodus and David’s. There are a few gotchas with the route though. First of all, the entire route isn’t traffic-free, though the vast majority is. There are some segments along the Starross to Arant Turf Locks area that are on traffic calmed and normally very quiet lanes. When setting off from Dish train station, there are steps with a wheel channel alongside where you’ll need to push your bike. There are also some hills during the Dorish section. They’re not bad though. But if you’d rather avoid all of that, simply start at Dishw Warren Train Station instead. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hello. [Music] Oh. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Oh, heat. [Music] The pub in Starcross is called the Atmospheric Railway. That’s not the pub pretending to have a better atmosphere than any other, but rather it’s named after Brunal’s atmospheric railway. An atmospheric railway worked on pneumatics. Alongside the track, there were cast iron pipes with a slot above. The slot was sealed with leather flaps and a piston which was attached to locomotive which slide along inside the pubs. There were a series of pumping stations along the track which would create vacuum. [Music] The building up ahead is a gate house cottage for Balaram Castle. And there’s a rough dirt track leading off to the left. is well worth diverting. Further along there’s a deer park and especially younger kids would enjoy getting quite close to deer. And then further still there’s a lovely bizro that you would miss if you didn’t divert [Music] Ahead you can see the river X on the right and then there’s a retaining wall which was built to control flooding. The cycle path is to the left of that wall that has a disadvantage that you don’t have the river views but on the bright side at times when the tide’s fully in you’ll be cycling at below the water level. So it helps keep you dry. [Music] Turf lock is the end of the exit the ship canal or in the direction I was cycling the start of the exit the ship canal. When we get to Turf Lock, we start moving away from the rubber eggs and we’re going to be following the canal instead. Incidentally, the coffee at Turf Lock is quite good. [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Ooh. Ooh. Ooh. Ooh. Ooh. Oh. [Music] Ooh. Ooh. [Music] Oh. Oh. [Music] Oh. Oh. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh, I tend to take my coffee quite seriously. And on this ride, I made the mistake in stopping at the Keyside Cafe. I have to say the coffee was awful. And if you enjoy coffee, there are better places around Extra Key. Cross by the foot bridge, go to the far side, and there are plenty of other shops to choose from. [Music]