I thought that yesterday might be a bit of a break, but it was not to be.  Despite being the shortest distance I have travelled so far, the climbing meant that it was as hard as any other.

The girl who checked me in at Leonardo Hotel, Plymouth (formerly Jurys Inns) was friendly and efficient.  We chatted about my challenge which I described as Watchet to Whitstable via Weymouth.  “Whitstable in Kent?” said she, “I grew up there!”  My bike was put into a store-room overnight and I was assigned Room 227 which proved to be about as far from the lift as possible which wasn’t a great start.  The room was spacious and the shower worked well.  I hung the washing up and ventured out for something to eat.  On the way to the hotel I noticed a Chinese buffet, eat all you want for a fixed price and that was where I went.  In the event the £9.99 increased to £15.99 on a Friday night and the pint of cider cost £6.  Unfortunately, it was a bad choice.  The food was unappetising with soggy batter and swimming in liquid that I hesitate to call sauce.  I made a meal of it and went back to the blog.  Whilst writing there was a great deal of loud music coming from the street below together with the noises of cars and motorbikes one expects in a city.  I closed the window which had been open to dry the washing; but it made not the blindest bit of difference.  I hoped that, at least, the dance music would cease at a sensible hour, but no it went on into the wee small hours and coupled with boy racers taking off down the road after midnight, meant that I got no sleep at all, and got out of bed this morning feeling groggy.  Breakfast put me in better humour; help yourself a la Premier Inn, with everything from fresh fruit to a full fry up (and particularly good sausages). I checked out and complained about the Room.  The different receptionist accepted the complaint and suggested that I write to HO as well, which I have done this evening. I’ve booked to stay in the Leonardo Hotel in Southampton on Monday so I trust it will be a better experience.

I was on the road just before 0930 and made my way along pavements to the Laira Bridge which has a dedicated cycle bridge, formed from a former rail bridge, running alongside the dual carriageway road bridge. 

It is firmly closed for safety reasons but there are dedicated cycle lanes marked on the main bridge so no great problem even with the fast moving early morning traffic.  As usual I got myself lost: it’s all too easy to get in a cycle lane that takes you in the wrong direction and I had to back track and make some looping diversions before I hit the A379 which makes its way towards Dartmouth.

My route took me away from the main road and up some steep hills, giving me views of the rolling Devon Countryside with Dartmoor in the distance.  I’ve cycled across and round Dartmoor on many occasions but not this time.

I decided quite early in the planning not to venture into the South Hams, keeping away from Kingsbridge and Salcombe.  There’s basically only one way in and out and it involves a lot of steep hills so I cut the corner and headed directly to Dartmouth where I crossed the River Dart on the Higher Dart ferry at a cost of £1 for a cycle.

I was agreeably surprised on the other side to hear and see the steam train for which we had to wait before the long climb out of the valley

The climb isn’t especially steep, and I was able to avoid using the motor for a lot of it; but it does go on for over 2 miles.  It was then largely downhill until I reached the sea at Paignton with views across the red sands to Torbay

Cycle tracks, though a bit hit and miss in places, take you all the way to Torquay which was buzzing in the autumn sun.  Lots of people on the streets at lunchtime but not many on the beach in the fresh breeze.

There’s a significant hill out of Torquay and the motor had to go on as I made my way over the headland to Meadfoot beach

More climbing past Kents Cavern, Torquay’s answer to Cheddar and Wookey Hole and on through Babbacombe, now four hundred feet above the unseen sea. The motor was going on more than I had hoped, and the battery level was, once again, looking a bit low for comfort.  Back down to sea level at Shaldon before crossing the estuary of the river Teign by the long bridge, in the middle of which I stopped to take a picture.  Unfortunately the cycle way ran out just as traffic was beginning to merge for some road works and, although I signalled, I cut up an angry driver as I was trying to stay upright.  In the event all was well.

The road switchbacks to Dawlish Warren where I picked up the Exe Estuary cycle path.  The railway journey between Exeter and Newton Abbott, which I was shadowing on this stretch of road, is one of the most picturesque in Britain, staying close to the river estuary and sea, indeed so close that in February 2014 a section of it at Dawlish was washed away in a storm, leaving  West Devon and Cornwall without any rail link to the rest of the UK.  Amazingly, given the devastation, they were able to re-open the line eight weeks later, although it took eight years before the sea wall was completed.

The estuary cycle path is a 26 mile round journey from Exmouth to  Dawlish but I only had to cycle about 10 miles of it and then through the southern ‘burbs of Exeter to my hotel at Middlemoor.  It’s chucking it down as I write and more rain is forecast tomorrow on my way to Dorchester but I’ve been lucky with the weather so far.