Plymouth has launched some remarkable journeys.
Sir Francis Drake sailed from these shores to circumnavigate the globe. The Pilgrim Fathers departed in search of a new life across the Atlantic. For centuries, explorers have stood here and wondered what lay beyond the horizon.
Our adventure was rather more modest.
Just two bikes loaded with camping kit and filming gear, ready for a weekend exploring the wild heart of Dartmoor.
Watch our Dartmoor Bikepacking Adventure on YouTube
As soon as school and work finished on Friday afternoon, Ewan and I headed for the station, catching the CrossCountry train direct from Coventry to Plymouth. Waiting for us was another adventure with Zero Carbon Adventures, though first came a night’s sleep in a Travelodge.
We’ve previously joined Connor and the team to ride coast-to-coast across Scotland from Ayr to Dunbar. What I particularly enjoy about Zero Carbon Adventures is how easy they make adventure. The routes are planned, the logistics sorted and the start and finish points work perfectly with public transport. For Ewan and me, it means we can simply jump on a train and let the adventure begin.
This was a shorter trip. No time off work or school required. We were fitting a bikepacking adventure into a single weekend and Dartmoor was the perfect setting.
So what does a Bikepacking Weekender look like?
Saturday – From Plymouth parkrun to Widecombe in the Moor
For most of the group, Saturday morning began with breakfast and the start of the ride.
For me, it began in entirely the opposite direction.
If there’s a parkrun nearby, I’m going to find a way of fitting it into the itinerary. So before the bikepacking even started, I squeezed in Central parkrun, Plymouth, before setting off in hot pursuit of the group along the Drake’s Trail.
Fortunately, I managed to catch them at their second café stop and my first of the day. Time to load up on carbs before the real adventure began.
Leaving the Drake’s Trail behind, we headed out onto the moors and the scenery immediately became spectacular. Vast open landscapes stretched towards the horizon, punctuated by dramatic granite tors rising from the earth like ancient monuments.
One minute you’re navigating the bustle of Plymouth, the next you’re surrounded by open moorland, wild ponies and seemingly endless skies. The transition is remarkably sudden and all the more impressive for it.
After a very tasty lunch in Princetown, we passed the bleak silhouette of Dartmoor Prison before enjoying forest trails and encounters with plenty of Dartmoor ponies and their foals. A few “undulations” later – some of them more substantial than the name suggests – we rolled into our campsite at Widecombe in the Moor.
But the day wasn’t over yet.
After pitching our tents, we headed to a nearby pub where we were joined by Dartmoor’s Daughter, a local storyteller who treated us to an evening of folklore and legend. Ghostly hounds. Mysterious lights. Travellers disappearing into the mist.
Whether you believe the stories or not, there’s something about Dartmoor that makes them feel entirely plausible.
Sunday – Widecombe in the Moor to Newton Abbot
The following morning began with a campsite breakfast featuring eggs that couldn’t have been much more local. As we ate, we could hear the hens and ducks wandering around nearby.
Then it was time to tackle the climb back out of the valley we’d enjoyed descending the evening before.
The morning’s riding delivered exactly what Dartmoor does best: plenty of climbing rewarded by spectacular views and exhilarating descents. After a welcome elevenses stop in Chagford, another steep climb followed – one that finally persuaded me to dismount and push my fully loaded bike for a while.
Thankfully, our reward came soon afterwards.
Joining a disused railway line, we began what would become a wonderfully gentle descent towards the finish. But before we got too carried away, there was an important stop to make.
Lunch.
And not just any lunch stop, but Café 3 Sixty in Bovey Tracey, a fabulous cycling café complete with an array of unusual bicycles suspended from the ceiling.
Refuelled and ready to go, we returned to the railway path for the final miles. After a weekend of climbing, our legs were more than happy to enjoy the gentle gradient as we rolled into Newton Abbot.
From there, it was time for goodbyes and trains home in various directions.
Can you pack an adventure into a weekend?
Absolutely.
In less than 48 hours we’d travelled across Dartmoor, camped under the stars, listened to ancient folklore, ridden disused railways, climbed more hills than my legs would have preferred and shared the experience with a fantastic group of people.
The adventure may have been short, but it certainly didn’t feel small.
Connor and Zero Carbon Adventures have a knack for making adventure accessible. Whether you’re completely new to bikepacking or already have experience of multi-day cycling trips, the emphasis is on enjoyment, community and discovering new places at a relaxed pace and with a low environmental impact.
For Ewan and me, it was another brilliant weekend of shared adventure, great company and unforgettable scenery.
We may not have crossed oceans or discovered new worlds, but Dartmoor delivered exactly what every great adventure should: memorable experiences, good company and stories to bring home.
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