Please do not hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We are always on hand to answer any queries you have relating to your tour.
+44 (0) 333 090 3116
hello@activeenglandtours.com
Explore Devon’s Dartmoor National Park with its wild ponies, escaping the crowds and returning to nature. Journey down into Poldark country in Cornwall, along our carefully chosen cycle routes, including mineral tramways, off road tracks and converted rail to trail paths, so you can bike at a leisurely pace without distractions and with stunning views around every corner. Finish your days in historic coastal villages along the South West Coast, getting to know the real England and enchanted by the stories and history revealed within some of the finest landscapes and views in the world.
Don’t feel obliged to cycle the full distance each day. There are shorter options for guests, with opportunities to spend more time at the iconic sites, gardens, beaches, coves and in the towns for those wishing to cycle fewer miles each day.
The tour starts at Exeter St David’s Railway Station. We jump on our bus to take us to Lydford for lunch in Dartmoor National Park. We begin our cycle ride along the stunning Granite Way, a mostly traffic free trail with incredible views over Dartmoor and the surrounding countryside. This flat route is the perfect start to your tour, cycling right to the doors of our hotel, the Three Crowns, in Chagford.
Mileage: 10-18 miles
We cycle around Dartmoor area through Moretonhampstead and Bovey Tracey, known as the Gateway to Dartmoor. Our route takes us through a maze of tiny quiet countryside roads with spectacular views of the mountainous South Devon area and the onto the top of Dartmoor to explore Hound and Hay Tors, two of the most well known landmarks. We return to the pretty Dartmoor village of Chagford for dinner in the evening.
Mileage: 20-31 miles
We set off inland past the wonderful Lanhydrock gardens towards the Roseland Peninsula and the iconic Cornish seaside town of Mevagissey, lunching on local lobster at in a wonderful hidden-away restaurant. In the afternoon we bike to the entrancing Lost Gardens of Heligan, which lay undiscovered for decades! We finish the day by riding to our hotel, the Plume of Feathers in Mitchell.
Mileage: 20-38 miles
In the morning ride out from the hotel to the intricate tramways of Cornwall’s tin mines, and onto the jewel of Cornwall that is St Ives. Best known for its spectacular light and as a haven for painters over the last few hundred years. Now home to the Tate St Ives, this seaside town is truly magnificent. We lunch at one of the wonderful seafood cafes and have plenty of time to walk around the town and visit the gallery before returning to the Plume of Feathers hotel for the evening.
Mileage: 23-33 miles
We arrive at Bodmin where we join the off-road traffic free Camel Trail, a 25 mile downhill ride into Wadebridge, hugging the Camel estuary before finishing in the foody heaven and quaint town of Padstow for lunch at the famous Rick Stein’s fish and chip shop. After catching the ferry over the Camel to Rock we visit the archetypal Cornish village of Port Isaac – aka Port Wenn – before heading to the next door bay at Port Gaverne and our accommodation for the night.
Mileage: 15-30 miles
After a relaxed breakfast in your hotel which overlooks the sea, cliffs and little cove that is Port Gaverne, we transport guests to Bodmin Parkway station for pre-booked travel all the way to London (4.5 hours).
For full information about this tour and to find out all you need to know, download your copy of the detailed itinerary by clicking the button below.
Exeter St David’s Station
11:00am
Country Accommodation
Bodmin Parkway Station, Cornwall
Join a group of like-minded people, looking for an active cycling holiday exploring the Devon and Cornwall coasts. Led by our team of exceptional guides, we know every country lane, turn in the road, hidden trail, café and cove. Dine together some evenings, share the stories of the day and fully enjoy the magical experience of cycling along the Cornish coast and through Dartmoor National Park. On our guided trips, all of our routes can be tailored for those wishing to cycle more miles or fewer, just ask your guide and they will be able to extend or shorted the planned routes to suit you and your group.
We have handpicked a selection of hotels and bed and breakfasts in ideal locations along the beautiful Cornish coast, with great access into towns and views over the harbours and ocean, and in a Dartmoor village, Chagford, in the heart of the National Park. There is a wealth of great restaurants and gastro-pubs in each location and your hotels are the perfect place to rest your legs and relax during the evenings while on your tour.
Read M.W’s review of our hotels: “The accommodations were first rate — small inns scattered throughout the countryside. And the food — out of this world! […] It was so relaxing to have the whole trip prearranged.”
Devon is an easy train journey from London, Bristol and the Midlands, taking you to the start of your walking trip, straight onto your bikes and off on a leisurely afternoon cycle to into the heart of Dartmoor. Exeter Station is a direct 3 hour train journey from London.
Devon is a large county in southwest England, with Cornwall to the West, and Dorset to the East, bordered in the North and South by the sea. With two stunning wild coastlines and the Dartmoor mountains and hills in the centre, Devon is a must-see, and with over 350km of byways Dartmoor National Park is perfect cycling country!
Cornwall is in the far Southwestern tip of England, bordered by the famous English Channel and Celtic Sea. Known for its natural beauty, rugged coastline, idyllic coastal villages, beaches and walking and cycling trails, Cornwall is an outdoor enthusiast’s ideal playground.