Saunton, Devon

Distance 17.5km (10.9 miles) Climbing 400m (1,312ft) Time 1hr to 1hr 30mins

Route summary A pretty ride between bustling surf spots on the stunning North Devon coastline, making use of some coastal roads, but also quiet bridleways and country roads. Start/ inish Saunton Beach car park (grid ref SS447/377, postcode EX33 1NZ).

1

Go back up the steep car park entrance, left on the tarmac and along the coast road. Ride into Croyde village and proceed to a sharp right-hand bend by the shops, where you turn ahead/left (Jones’s Hill), passing a garage, signed to Putsborough Beach.

2

Keep ahead on Stentaway Lane, which bears right, climbs and becomes a narrow lane. Follow the brown sandcastle signs, bearing left at the T-junction to Putsborough beach.

3

Continue straight on, heading o -road and past Clifton Court, with some great views of Woolacombe and the sea to your left. Ride through a long car park and go left on the tarmac, down into Woolacombe.

4

Retrace your steps to Clifton Court/Putsborough Beach, keep ahead, ignore the right turn to Croyde and go right at the crossroads by a pond. Keep left at two forks. The route becomes o -road past Combas Farm. 5

The track turns back into tarmac as it goes into Croyde, and you turn left at the T-junction by the pub. Ride for 1km then bear right at the fork in Forda. Just past South Hole Farm B&B, turn right on a bridleway going very steeply uphill. Pass through a gate and keep left to the top.

6

Keep ahead on the bridleway, between the trees on a fun singletrack descent, joining a drive, to the road. Turn right on this, before bearing o back down to the left, into the car park to finish.

NOTE: There’s also a fun pump track in Braunton. See www. roughrideguide.co.uk/routes.