A little video I made to show the route between the end of Drake's Trail on Anderton Lane and a local landmark. I put off riding on Drake's Trail for weeks after it opened because I had no clue where it was. Well now you know.
You can reach the A390 Callington Road on traffic free paths / quiet roads by following this route from Morrisons up to Boughthayes Estate.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Plym Crescent playground
The playground at Plym Crescent is lovely. It's tucked away behind some garages accessed by a car-width alley on the corner of Plym Crescent.
View Tavistock playgrounds in a larger map
It's a sunny, sheltered spot with plenty of room to run around in and several picnic tables. The play equipment is solidly constructed with wood, rope and chain and appears to have been recently repaired to a good standard. There are also two football goals. There was plenty of litter on the ground, including lots of firework remains. The bins hadn't been emptied for so long that the black sacks had decayed. We found an old compost bag under the fence, so filled it with rubbish.
The route we took was from Meadowlands, across the footbridge over the Tavy towards Pixon Lane, but following the path along the river towards the A386/Whitchurch Road roundabout. Cross Whitchurch Road at the Pelican crossing, then a few tens of metres to turn left into Deer Park Lane. Deer Park Lane is quite steep - we (me pulling nearly 50kg of kids in trailer behind bike) were overtaken by a man on a mobility vehicle who observed "that looks like hard work!" before zooming away uphill. Follow Deer Park Lane to the point where it becomes Grove Park, where a footpath leaves the road on the left. This is a gem of a quiet path which takes you all the way to Meavy Way, looking at Plym Crescent on the far side.
View Tavistock playgrounds in a larger map
View Tavistock playgrounds in a larger map
It's a sunny, sheltered spot with plenty of room to run around in and several picnic tables. The play equipment is solidly constructed with wood, rope and chain and appears to have been recently repaired to a good standard. There are also two football goals. There was plenty of litter on the ground, including lots of firework remains. The bins hadn't been emptied for so long that the black sacks had decayed. We found an old compost bag under the fence, so filled it with rubbish.
The route we took was from Meadowlands, across the footbridge over the Tavy towards Pixon Lane, but following the path along the river towards the A386/Whitchurch Road roundabout. Cross Whitchurch Road at the Pelican crossing, then a few tens of metres to turn left into Deer Park Lane. Deer Park Lane is quite steep - we (me pulling nearly 50kg of kids in trailer behind bike) were overtaken by a man on a mobility vehicle who observed "that looks like hard work!" before zooming away uphill. Follow Deer Park Lane to the point where it becomes Grove Park, where a footpath leaves the road on the left. This is a gem of a quiet path which takes you all the way to Meavy Way, looking at Plym Crescent on the far side.
View Tavistock playgrounds in a larger map
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Tavistock Traffic Orders
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| Static image from Google's Map view of Tavistock. |
So today's the day and the information is available (follow the 'search' link, select Tavistock CP from the District list).
Here is a copy of the 'Various streets, Tavistock' notice attached to telegraph poles and here is the Tavistock traffic order itself. In a shameful display of self-interest, here's the "No Waiting At Any Time" part pertaining to Callington Road:
Callington Road, Tavistock
the south-east side from its junction with Drake Villas in a south-westerly direction to the boundary of Innswell/Catholic Church (Our Lady of the Assumption)
As far as I can see that means the No Waiting At Any Time restriction applies to the region marked red. Drake Villas are the houses overlooking the short piece of the A390 between the Spar roundabout and the A386 roundabout on the corner of Meadowlands. Innswell is the church's uphill neighbour.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Yelverton Village Playground
I cycled Drake's Trail to Yelverton recently. The trail emerges in Yelverton just before the A386 roundabout next to a large, well-equipped, busy playground
View Tavistock playgrounds in a larger map
I've added this playground to the playgrounds in Tavistock list since it's accessible via Drake's Trail
We had a day out with the trailer in the mist and the kids spent a very enjoyable hour at the playground. They both thought it was very big, with the assault course being a firm favourite.
View Tavistock playgrounds in a larger map
I've added this playground to the playgrounds in Tavistock list since it's accessible via Drake's Trail
We had a day out with the trailer in the mist and the kids spent a very enjoyable hour at the playground. They both thought it was very big, with the assault course being a firm favourite.
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| Yelverton Village Playground in mist |
Drake's Trail Tavistock to Yelverton
We've had a few days out on Drake's Trail recently. The Trail itself is off-road on fine chippings which present no great problem to my road bike. As with any cycling trail around Tavistock, the start is scrappy requiring some nail-biting attention to young children riding on or near public roads.
From the West side of Tavistock, we follow the route to Morrisons via Monksmead. From Morrison's car park there are cycle route signs on the pavement beside the A386. A Toucan crossing a short distance after Morrison's petrol station outside LIDL leads to the other side of the A386 and a narrow cycle path towards Bishopsmead.
Around Bishopsmead the route follows short sections of road, some newly built but quite narrow cycling / pedestrian track and some narrow pavements signposted as cycle routes. Let the small blue signs guide you at each junction. The new roads around Tiddy Brook lead after some meandering to Buzzard Road and a T-junction onto Anderton Lane. You can see the two farm gates guarding the entrance to Drake's Trail on the opposite side of the road.
View Larger Map
The Google map images (as of late December 2012) have only patchy coverage of the recent Tiddy Brook development, so online you can catch a glimpse of the new trail from a distance away from the junction, but move one step closer to the junction and the trail will disappear. Turn around and you'll see only a building site behind you!
From the Tiddy Brook Drake's Trail entrance you can let the kids go free-range until Horrabridge: the route is all cycle and pedestrian trail. There's a short cul-de-sac at Horrabridge to walk/ride along to a T-junction with a busier road. On the other side of the road is safe, dedicated trail again all the way to Yelverton.
The path out of Horrabridge towards Yelverton is quite, quite steep. I pulled my two kids in a trailer up it and barely made it. A cheerful fellow walking at the top came over to congratulate me, remarking that a hill that steep was silly on a cycling route and that the path should have taken a different route.
Something that is annoying is what appears to be a single-car parking space with two boulders behind it at the foot of the slope. There was a car parked in it on our way back which was impassable with a bicycle trailer. I hope whoever is responsible for the trail will move the two boulders up to the roadside.
As you arrive in Yelverton, you pass through a car park with a few little shops (including one which sells confectionery). On the far side of the car park is the Yelverton Village Playground. The cycle path continues around the left side of the playground, to emerge at the large roundabout on the A386.
It took me over an hour to reach Yelverton with a trailer holding two kids. The return journey Yelverton -> Tavistock was a little over twenty minutes. Ensure your brakes work before setting off downhill!
From the West side of Tavistock, we follow the route to Morrisons via Monksmead. From Morrison's car park there are cycle route signs on the pavement beside the A386. A Toucan crossing a short distance after Morrison's petrol station outside LIDL leads to the other side of the A386 and a narrow cycle path towards Bishopsmead.
View Larger Map
The Google map images (as of late December 2012) have only patchy coverage of the recent Tiddy Brook development, so online you can catch a glimpse of the new trail from a distance away from the junction, but move one step closer to the junction and the trail will disappear. Turn around and you'll see only a building site behind you!
From the Tiddy Brook Drake's Trail entrance you can let the kids go free-range until Horrabridge: the route is all cycle and pedestrian trail. There's a short cul-de-sac at Horrabridge to walk/ride along to a T-junction with a busier road. On the other side of the road is safe, dedicated trail again all the way to Yelverton.
The path out of Horrabridge towards Yelverton is quite, quite steep. I pulled my two kids in a trailer up it and barely made it. A cheerful fellow walking at the top came over to congratulate me, remarking that a hill that steep was silly on a cycling route and that the path should have taken a different route.
Something that is annoying is what appears to be a single-car parking space with two boulders behind it at the foot of the slope. There was a car parked in it on our way back which was impassable with a bicycle trailer. I hope whoever is responsible for the trail will move the two boulders up to the roadside.
As you arrive in Yelverton, you pass through a car park with a few little shops (including one which sells confectionery). On the far side of the car park is the Yelverton Village Playground. The cycle path continues around the left side of the playground, to emerge at the large roundabout on the A386.
It took me over an hour to reach Yelverton with a trailer holding two kids. The return journey Yelverton -> Tavistock was a little over twenty minutes. Ensure your brakes work before setting off downhill!
Friday, 21 December 2012
Gas maintenance project on Callington Road
Some of the information in the letter (gas pipe replacement / property entry point and meter relocation) looked as though it was of greater interest to our landlord than it was to us as tenants, so I thought I'd send an email alerting the landlord. Wales & West didn't provide an URL to an article on their website about the project, and nor is there any mention of it online. They did send a DVD though, but none of our PCs have a spinning media reader (I think they're museum pieces).
I got in touch with Wales & West and they promptly and kindly sent me a copy of the letter which I can email to my landlord. Just in case you'd like to do something similar, here is the letter from Wales & West Utilities about the 2013 Callington Road, Tavistock work.
Monday, 12 November 2012
Cycling from Boughthayes to Morrisons
We do most of our food shopping at Morrisons. It's a little over 1.5km away so it's short enough to walk, but just a little bit far to carry shopping bags. We either use panniers on our bicycles or a trailer if we take the kids. The route to Morrisons from Monksmead is lovely - the short sections on road are very quiet.
Getting from Boughthayes to Monksmead requires crossing a steep section of the A390 with cars parked along one side of it. There is a train track that once crossed the A390 near the start of our route but the bridge deck has been removed. Reinstating the bridge deck to join the cycle track from the town centre to the quiet roads around Monksmead would be marvellous for this part of Tavistock.
The route itself starts just above the Catholic Church where Greensway Road leaves the A390 Callington Road. Cycle uphill on Greensway Road to Daleswood Road on the left. Steeply down to the end of the road: the right hand side footpath continues in a narrow gap between the bank on the right and garages on the left. Less than ten metres through the gap you emerge on one of Monksmead's side roads. Google Maps shows a route on the left to Trinity Way here, but it's wrong (I have notified them and they say they will fix it).
View Larger Map
Follow the road curving left to emerge on Monksmead. Turn left, passing the playground on your right and turn quickly left again after 30 metres into Trinity Way. At the foot of Trinity Way, a broad path leads quickly to a bridge over the canal. Just over the bridge are 'Route 27' signs.
Pass the college and playing fields on your left hand side. After a few hundred metres, you have to cross the road to Tavistock's recycling centre. Another 200 metres past the football club pitches leads you to a bridge over the River Tavy to emerge on Brook Lane behind Cornwall Farmers.
Dog-leg right and left over Brook Lane and pass the entrance to Cornwall Farmers on your left. Ride straight to the end of the road where you'll see the right-hand footpath continuing up a ramp into the car park at Morrisons.
It's a pleasant ride of a little over 1.5km. You can see from the video that it's only 8 minutes with a trailer with 40kg of children in it! Some of the posts on the journey don't leave much room for a 2-seat trailer, but our 'Adventure At3' fits through easily enough.
The route from Morrisons car park to Drake's Trail is here (in reverse!).
Getting from Boughthayes to Monksmead requires crossing a steep section of the A390 with cars parked along one side of it. There is a train track that once crossed the A390 near the start of our route but the bridge deck has been removed. Reinstating the bridge deck to join the cycle track from the town centre to the quiet roads around Monksmead would be marvellous for this part of Tavistock.
The route itself starts just above the Catholic Church where Greensway Road leaves the A390 Callington Road. Cycle uphill on Greensway Road to Daleswood Road on the left. Steeply down to the end of the road: the right hand side footpath continues in a narrow gap between the bank on the right and garages on the left. Less than ten metres through the gap you emerge on one of Monksmead's side roads. Google Maps shows a route on the left to Trinity Way here, but it's wrong (I have notified them and they say they will fix it).
View Larger Map
Follow the road curving left to emerge on Monksmead. Turn left, passing the playground on your right and turn quickly left again after 30 metres into Trinity Way. At the foot of Trinity Way, a broad path leads quickly to a bridge over the canal. Just over the bridge are 'Route 27' signs.
Pass the college and playing fields on your left hand side. After a few hundred metres, you have to cross the road to Tavistock's recycling centre. Another 200 metres past the football club pitches leads you to a bridge over the River Tavy to emerge on Brook Lane behind Cornwall Farmers.
Dog-leg right and left over Brook Lane and pass the entrance to Cornwall Farmers on your left. Ride straight to the end of the road where you'll see the right-hand footpath continuing up a ramp into the car park at Morrisons.
It's a pleasant ride of a little over 1.5km. You can see from the video that it's only 8 minutes with a trailer with 40kg of children in it! Some of the posts on the journey don't leave much room for a 2-seat trailer, but our 'Adventure At3' fits through easily enough.
The route from Morrisons car park to Drake's Trail is here (in reverse!).
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