Route summary: A ride around the edge of the wonderful Woodbury Common, on some great hidden singletrack. A few short sharp ups and downs but no big hills.
Stats: Distance: 12.5km (7.8 miles). Climbing: 300m (984ft). Time: 45mins to 1hr 20mins.
Location details: Woodbury Common is common land used by the Royal Marines, so don’t enter areas where there’s a red flag flying. It’s predominantly heathland, with a band of trees around the outskirts that hides some great singletrack.
Start/finish: Four Firs car park (grid ref SY 032/864, postcode EX5 1JL).Getting there: Woodbury Common is near Exmouth, just south-east of Exeter, at the end of the M5. Join the A376 and follow the signs for Exmouth, then take the B3179. Go straight over the crossroads with the B3180 and the Four Firs car park is immediately on your right.
Facilities: There’s nowhere to buy refreshments on the route. The St George & Dragon in Clyst St George (www.vintageinn.co.uk, 01392 876121) does food and accommodation, and there’s lots of choice in Exmouth (www.exmouth-guide.co.uk, 01395 830550). Knobblies Bike Shop in Exmouth is very good and offers guided rides and bike hire (www.knobbliesbikes.co.uk, 01395 270182).
Directions: Cross the B3179 (the road past the car park) and then go left over the B3180. Join a doubletrack trail, uphill. Keep right to cross the road (the B3180 again). Then keep left, past the old fort, out of the trees and (north) across the common on a wide track.
Continue to follow this track as it bears right. After passing a clump of trees (on the left), join a section of singletrack to the left that runs parallel to the doubletrack. Go left at the track crossing, down to another track crossing at the bottom. Turn right on a wide track here, downhill to the bottom. Then go left on a footpath (OK to ride) into the trees.
After 1km turn right by a signpost, up a steep singletrack climb. Go left at the top, through the trees and then immediately left down some steep singletrack. Go right on the singletrack at the bottom, uphill and over a wide track. Follow the bridleway ahead/right through the trees on the edge of the common.
Head downhill along the edge of the woods. Go right at the T-junction, then bear left off the main track, staying on the bridleway until you reach another T-junction (marker post 17). Turn left here, on the singletrack to the right of (and parallel to) the main track. Go through a pine wood and ford, then go right and left on some singletrack along the edge of the trees.
Go left at the doubletrack, then right. Keep left by the barrier to follow the edge of the wood on some tight singletrack (Crook Plantation). Follow a vague downhill to some doubletrack. Turn right and then take the first left to head up a steep hill on a wide track. Shortly afterwards bear left, along the edge of the woods.
Go right on the doubletrack at the end, then left to/over the road and right at the T-junction. Go left at the top (car park to your right), downhill. Pass the water dips at the bottom and head uphill, bearing to the left of the steps. At the top of the hill turn right.
Turn right again at the T-junction, then left at the major junction that follows. Keep ahead/right, steeply uphill. Go right, through the trees, then left at the fork (pink arrow) and across the open ground, back to the car park.
Route type: Cross Country