Barnstaple to Ilfracombe Cycle Path

Left my car at work last week, so I had to go down to Ilfracombe and pick it up- an obvious cycle ride. Truth is, I have been itching to get out on my cannondale for some time, and this was a great excuse.

Started off from home, down over the new Sticklepath Hill, and cross the new bridge in Barnstaple. I love the swoop down the Pottington side, around and through the cycle friendly gate onto the trail.

The Barnstaple to Braunton part of the trail is well known and loved by many. The river looks great anytime of the year, but on this day, it looked a particularly emotional shade of gray.

Onto Braunton, past the military facility which makes North Devon a prime target for a nuclear strike, if it ever should happen. Ministry of Defence, my family thanks you.

From Braunton firestation, it was all new to me. A sign says 'mountainbikes route'- I was on a mountainbike- 20 minutes later, when I had sussed it, I was off. The route took us around the back lanes to Knowle, the same ones which 10 years earlier my brother and I was chased down by a farmer in a landrover. Oh, how times change. Luckily, the sign said 6 miles to Ilfracombe- sorted, I thought.

After a steep uphill ride- tricky in slimy mud, but on a dry day, it would have been great- and onto the roads which lead to the top of Georgeham. I did not know this at the time, and was feeling a bit lost, but kept on riding. when I realised where I was, the sign said 8 miles to Ilfracombe. Eh? So I had gone back in time 2 miles? How the......

Anyway, kept riding. My knee managed to dislocate itself cycling up to the top of graveyard hill out of Georgeham- something which had never happened before, and would prove to cause me more discomfort 2 days later than it did at the time.

then was the moment; I remember it well. I turned off the Georgeham- Mortehoe road, onto the cycle path to Ilfracombe along the old rail track. That was the moment I fell in love. The ride into Ilfracombe is just pure joy- downhill, lined by golden trees and a reservoir- brilliant.

By the time I got back to the car, the grin was fixed to my face, and had to be surgically removed later only by a phone call about a job I went for which I did not get.

Seriously, a great ride, the drop into Ilfracombe is one I want to again and again. I had never rode this part of the cycle path before- but I look forward to the time I do it again.