Cornwall & Devon motorcycle tour
In July 2018 we went on a 10 day, 1,400 mile ride from Edinburgh to Cornwall via the Lake District, Somerset & Devon. We were 2-up on a Triumph Tiger 800 fully laden with kit for two including camping equipment. We usually ride separate bikes and carry our own kit but Red, Lesley’s trusty Honda CG125 wasn’t going to cut it on this trip. We’re also into the outdoors so, prior to the trip, we decided to invest in high-end, ultralight camping gear as we’ll get the use of it on bike trips and in the mountains.
Day 1: Edinburgh to Lakeside (Lake District)
The first day didn’t get off to the best start with a rainy ride down the M74. Motorways are never that much fun but necessary to get to the good stuff. We stopped at a petrol station and shunned Costa in favour of making our own roadside brew – this sort of became the theme for the trip. It was also swarming with the Blue Angels biker gang.
The bike felt heavy & weavy at slow speed as the pre-load adjuster was seized on the solo rider setting. I had a replacement shock but ran out of time to fit it before we left. To add to that, when going over big bumps we could feel and hear something grating at the rear. We checked a few times but couldn’t work out what the problem was.
After being on the motorway most of the day it was nice to turn onto the winding B5322 to the Lake District. We intended to ride over Hardknott Pass but it was still raining hard so we headed straight to our guest house at Lakeside. After getting changed we had a short but dicey walk on the main road to Newby Bridge where we ate and had a few drinks in the Swan Hotel.
Day 2: Lakeside to Bristol
The rubbing noise started to really grate on us (pun intended!) so we stopped and investigated at a service station. It turns out that the Givi toolbox I’d fitted prior to the trip was grounding out onto the chain. It was designed for the Tiger so I didn’t foresee any problems but 2-up with that much luggage + no pre-load was basically bottoming out the suspension over big bumps.
The first thing we did was to get a brew on, then we tried to remove the toolbox. With very limited tools we weren’t having much luck but a biker passing by saw us trying to fix it and helped us out. It turns out he was an engineer and had some tools in his car. We still didn’t have the right tools but he wasn’t leaving without solving our problem. He had hands like a vice and managed to bend the metal brackets holding it on - problem solved! Super nice guy and it shows that the biker community spirit is still as strong as ever.
We rode onto Bristol and after the obligatory admin, headed out for a meal & drinks. Bristol is a lovely city - well worth a visit. It was super lively with people out drinking in the streets. We just thought Bristol was a bit of a party town but it turns out that the Bristol Harbour Festival was on. We had a really nice meal at Hotel Du Vin: Chateaubriand, fries, sides, sauce & a bottle of wine for £65. It was phenomenal!
Afterwards, we had a walk around to soak up the carnage and have a few drinks but we had to be on the road early the next day so had to behave ourselves.
Day 3: Bristol to Croyde Bay via Cheddar Gorge
We had a GPS malfunction first thing and ended up heading back north on the M5. I plan the routes on my iPhone using the TomTom MyDrive app. It then syncs with our TomTom Rider 40 GPS. Like all Sat Navs, it tries to route you to your first waypoint. However we were within meters of that waypoint but on a one way system. Long story short, you need to skip waypoint 1 (your starting point) with TomTom if you pre-plan routes. It’s just good practice to “sanity check” the route before setting off instead of trusting the tech. We usually avoid big cities or find accommodation on the outskirts to limit the nav / traffic issues getting in and out. It just adds unnecessary time and stress to the day.
After a little tech failure tantrum we were back on track heading south towards Somerset. First stop, Cheddar Gorge. Being a beautiful summers day, it was pretty busy but it didn’t disappoint. We rode through it a few times and stopped for the obligatory brew. Having a tripod meant we could get the fantastic photo we used for the title image of this blog - it pretty much encapsulates the whole trip.
The A39 along the coast is a great road. It was good to be on the country roads after a lot of motorway & A-road riding. For our lunch stop we found a lovely country pub called Malt Shovel Inn about a mile west of Bridgewater. Further along the coast the roads narrow a bit with high hedge rows either side - I must say i’m not a fan! I like to see what’s coming when riding, especially when cars appear in the middle of the road with very little notice.
Our stop for a couple of days was Freshwell campsite at Croyde Bay, right on the coast overlooking the sea. Lesley preferred that view to the back of my head!
Day 4: Croyde Bay, Lynmouth & Lynton
On the road in the previous day, we rode through a lovely looking place called Lynmouth so we decided to head back and spend most of the day there. We left our Givi inner bags with personal kit in the tent and took the empty panniers so we could change out of our bike gear and keep it secure. Our boots and jackets just fitted in a pannier each and our helmets sat on the mirrors secured with a cable and padlock. We kept our bike trousers on but other than that, we had comfy clothes fit for the hot weather. Not that Lynmouth is a crime hotspot but it’s just for piece of mind when you’re away from the bike for hours on end.
Lynmouth & Lynton are well worth a visit - picturesque and quaint. The worlds highest & steepest water-powered railway takes you between Lynton (the village) & Lynmouth (the bay). We had our first cream tea - Devon style i.e. cream then jam (in Cornwall they do jam then cream). We also had an ice cream and a cheeky half pint of local cider in the sun - it was nice to be off the bike for a while, especially on such a nice day.
On the way back to Croyde we stopped off at Georgeham Stores, a village shop selling local produce, and got supplies for dinner. When coming down the hill into Croyde we had a little “incident“. The roads are very narrow and we met a 4x4 with a bus behind it right on a tight downhill corner. There was a string of cars behind the bus and the same behind us. I’m assuming if you’re reading this you know that a motorbike doesn’t have a reverse gear. 2-up on a fairly laden touring bike, there’s no way my tip toes were pushing us back up the hill. The lady driving the 4x4 looked irate and her passenger got out the car. The military trained short Scottish man in me was about to give her double barrels but she was absolutely lovely. I said in a sweaty fluster that a motorbike doesn’t have a reverse gear and she said “I thought so” then proceeded to resolve the situation with the skill and efficiency only found in someone from the military or something similar. The bus driver refused to reverse so she had to manoeuvre her reluctant friend in the 4x4 to let us past. We crept forward so our front wheel was up against a wall, my fully stretched tip toes only just holding the bike and us upright. Lesley was leaning as far left as possible to try take some weight off. Once there was a big enough gap, the lady pulled us backwards while I pushed back on my toes and we managed to “just” squeeze down the hill between the wall and the bus. Fun & games!
With the “incident“ over, it was fantastic sitting on the panniers eating dinner while looking out over the vast beach and ocean. The burgers were amazing! We then went for a few drinks and walk to see the quaint thatched cottages in Croyde.
Day 5: Croyde Bay to St Ives
We packed up camp and headed along the coast to St Ives via Bude & Padstow. Our advice, would be to skip Bude. It’s a little too tourist kitch for our tastes. Padstow is beautiful but it was very busy and we rode round in circles trying to find a parking space. We ended up asking if we could park in a private car park for a few hours - they were nice enough to say yes. It was a scorching day so we chained our bike jackets & helmets to the bike and went to explore. Lunch at Cherry Trees Coffee House was phenomenal! A hot & cold seafood platter with a fresh cream and fruit roulade chaser. The plates were practically licked clean. Their cake selection is impressive.
We had a quick wander around Padstow town and harbour but wished we had more time. We’ll definitely go back again and would love to eat at No.6 by Paul Ainsworth.
St Ives was around an hour along the coast where we had two nights camping booked at the lovely Hellesveor campsite. The owners were really nice and friendly. We put a load of washing on while we got the tent up then walked into St Ives for a pint and some food. We basically had a fancy KFC at Beer & Bird - it was great!
Day 6: a day in St Ives
This was the first real day off the bike. We were supposed to ride to Lands End but we fancied some time on our own feet for a while. There was a coastal path from the campsite to St Ives so after our breakfast of fresh, homemade croissants delivered by the owners children, we walked into St Ives. You couldn’t ask for a nicer summers day.
We had a look around and kept an eye out for some fresh local food for dinner. At some point we were eating ice cream looking over the harbour and we’d been warned to watch for the seagulls as they swoop in and steal them from your hand. I thought I was being pretty guarded but they work in pairs! As one gull swooped in I moved my ice cream away only for another gull to snatch it in a synchronised bombing run. Sneaky little b@st@rtd$!
Lesley had been looking up the best fish & chips in the area and it looked like Becks was the place to go but it was just out of town at Carbis Bay. With the bike back at the campsite we took a bus out around lunchtime only to find that Becks opens at 4:45 - disappointing! We walked down to the beach looking for food and ended up taking the scenic train back to St Ives. Nice little impromptu explore.
Just off the train we found a cool rooftop bar overlooking the bay so we started on a liquid lunch. We met a lovely couple and their miniature schnauzer and had a chat and some drinks with them.
We then headed back to the campsite with our haul to cook in the orchard where our tent was pitched. Scallops, chorizo, black pudding & rice + some local white wine. Nice!
Day 7: St Ives to Exeter via Lands End & Dartmoor
We’d originally planned to explore more to the south but seeing as we missed Lands End the previous day, we headed there via Penzance for a nice breakfast at Zebra Crossings. I’m not sure we’d spend much more time in Penzance, it had a Blackpool kinda vibe. A few months after this trip I found out that the St Ives to Lands End road (B3306) is one of the best riding roads in the U.K. Ah well, that just gives us one more reason to head back this way - on separate bikes.
Lands End is worth a visit. Especially on the sunny day we had. It’s a lot nicer than John o’Groats is and there’s a fair bit to see & do, including a pirate band - of course! We met a biker on a 125cc doing LEJOG (Lands End to John o’Groats) - hats off and good luck to him!
We got back on the road and headed east towards Exeter via Tavistock and Dartmoor. It was a super hot day and we were sweltering on the bike - visor & jacket open most of the way.
Tavistock is a lovely little town, defo worth a visit. We parked up and got chatting to an old salty biker on a Honda Rebel that had been riding since before we were born; nice guy. We had a wander around and got some bread, cheese, & pickle from the local shop for a picnic on Dartmoor. It was definitely memorable - sitting outdoors on the vast moor making your own sandwiches and a brew with wild horses cantering around you.
It was then onto Exeter and the road in (B3212) was a cracker. I didn’t realise a 2-up, heavily laden Tiger 800 could be ridden so “spirited“ - great fun! We parked up in Exeter and headed down to the River Exe for a few drinks and food. It was an absolutely stunning evening so we sat on the waterfront and had a good few gins from the appropriately named, Waterfront Exeter. They also did takeaway pizza so we shared one out in the sun, with gin. We then went for a tipsy ramble into town to see the Cathedral.
Day 8: Exeter to Chipping Norton via Cotswolds & Bourton-on-the-water
A slightly later start than intended due to kicking the ar$e out of it the night before. We headed into town to get a descent breakfast at The Little Orange Cafe and see what we’d seen the night before in the daylight. Exeter is a nice place, definitely worth a visit.
It was then back north on the M5 to Gloucester then onto the A417 to the Cotswolds. We stopped off at Bourton-on-the-water for lunch & to stretch the legs. It’s quintessentially, picture-postcard English! We don’t have anything like this in Scotland - it’s well worth a visit. We spent an hour or so in the Cotswolds Motor Museum before having a walk around. We have 101 photo’s inside the museum but a lovely little GT185 will do for this blog.
On the afternoon leg to Chipping Norton we had another “incident“. As usual, it was in The Danger Zone (most incidents I’ve had on a bike have been around 3:30-5 after a long days riding - tired, hungry and down on concentration AKA The Danger Zone). We were at a T-junction turning right and the car to our left on the main road stopped and flashed us to go out. I wasn’t expecting it nor ready to set-off but I went anyway and stalled the bike mid turn. The bike was almost down but I pushed as hard as I could with my right leg while punching the starter and, with a fistful of throttle, somehow managed to keep us and the bike from eating tarmac. From my perspective - bit of a legend! From Lesley’s perspective, she literally came out of her seat and had her right leg on the ground and most of her weight on it. She still had a grip of the pillion handles and was pushing up with all her strength to keep the bike from going down. When I gunned it forward it basically scooped her back into her seat. Also a legend! We’re lucky nobody got hurt though. Next time that happens, I’m not going until I’m ready.
We got into Chipping Norton tired, hungry, hot, sweaty & cranky. As far as we could see, there’s not one flat square inch in the town. Trying to park a heavy touring bike on an incline is a drama. I genuinely tried 4 or 5 spots and no joy. I ended up riding round to the car park at the back of the hotel. Guess what - super slopey too! I eventually found a tiny space between a wall and a car which I had to remove the panniers to squeeze into. I really needed a pint!
So, Chipping Norton is pretty unique! It’s a wealthy Londoners holiday home hotspot with the likes of David Cameron, Jeremy Clarkson & Natalie Imbruglia living there. We were there on a Friday night and it was pretty lively including a Elvis impersonator who had the well-heeled, middle-aged, gin drinking ladies up on the dance floor.
Day 9 & 10: Chipping Norton to Edinburgh via Newcastle
The least favourite part of a big road trip - the long journey home. We did have a few “incidents” to keep us on our toes though. While riding by Leeds on the M1 we were gambling on fuel, hungry and Lesley needed a pee. Problems all solved by a service station. However, we saw an unexpected sign saying “No services on M1”. We’re on the M1 to Newcastle, how can that be? Executive decision, head into Leeds. A cheeky Subway solved two of the problems and we also found a petrol station. All good, time to get back on the M1. Good old TomTom pointed the way, that was until the road was closed due to roadworks. There didn’t seem to be a diversion but we followed the traffic and came to more roadworks - possibly the same ones, we don’t know Leeds at all! No matter what we tried, we kept coming back to the one blocked slip road that would get us back on our way. The high-vis crew directed us down into an industrial estate where we came to a dead end at the Royal Mail sorting office. Needless to say I was having a sense of humour failure by this stage and ended up sitting by the side of the road - I’d “tapped out” of this drama. Lesley stopped a Royal Mail truck and asked the driver - he apparently just drove in on the road we wanted to go down. Is someone playing a trick on us?!? We went up to the same roundabout and the high-vis crew let us through on the newly ripped-up road. Maybe a timing thing, who knows but we got through and back on our way. On a subsequent trip on the M1 we realised that the M1 turns into the A1(M) a few miles after “that sign”. And there’s a service station a few miles after “that sign”. Maybe there’s no need for “that sign”?
We also had a few squeaky bum moments as the wind was so strong that we got blown out of our lane a few times. When crossing one really exposed bridge I had to stay to the right of a lorry to shield us from the side wind. Fun & games!
There’s no pictures for today apart from the obligatory service station brew shot…
In summary
It was a fantastic trip and we’d thoroughly recommend exploring some or all of the places we visited. Not necessarily visiting Cornwall & Devon on a motorbike though as everyone seems to drive at 70-80% of the speed limits. That and the high hedgerows is a little frustrating. In retrospect, we wish we’d added a few more days so we could have seen a few more places and had more time off the bike. It’s tricky to strike the perfect balance between travel and explore time. You also have to factor in cost and time off work.
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