The best gravel rides around Teignmouth

Stunning little cycle path, quiet so expect walkers with dogs off lead. They were all good boys and girls when I was there though.

Forget the bucket and spade—at Budleigh Salterton, it’s all about the "Budleigh Buns!" These giant, smooth, oval pebbles are the beach’s signature, making it a paradise for stone-stackers and rock-pool explorers. Part of the Jurassic Coast, the beach is framed by dramatic, red Triassic cliffs that look like they’ve been toasted. It’s a wonderfully "posh and peaceful" spot where you can swap noisy arcades for the gentle crunch-crunch of your footsteps. Grab a crab sandwich, watch the colorful fishing boats, and see if you can find a pebble with a hidden fossil. It’s geology, but make it fashion!

Harnessing the power of moving water to drive a mill wheel is an ancient invention of human ingenuity, whose origins can be traced back to ancient times. Thanks to such a design, a watercourse – natural or artificial – made it possible to simply replace human or animal muscle power with the power of natural elements, for example, to grind grain into corn or press oil from fruit. There are essentially two drive variants for watermills: * Either the flowing water simply hits the blades of the water wheel from below to set it in motion; or * the water is guided above the wheel – usually through a so-called "mill channel" – and falls onto the blades. This design utilizes natural gravity to achieve greater efficiency.

this road becomes flooded would avoid when on yellow 🟡 weather warning cause you might need a boat, but otherwise it's very pretty and worth a visit great pubs for food nearby and air BnB places

Exmouth Beach, renowned for its expansive two-mile stretch of golden sands and captivating rock pools. As the gateway to the UNESCO Jurassic Coast World Heritage site, Exmouth boasts a treasure trove of geological marvels waiting to be discovered. Explore the cliffs teeming with ancient fossils and immerse yourself in the rich history of the area. Plus, with the South West Coast Path.

A nice place to stop if you have done the ride from Exeter, sandy of course so not much chance of cycling along the beach!

Using the power of moving water to drive a mill wheel is an ancient invention of the human spirit of discovery, the origins of which can be traced back to times long past. Thanks to such a construction, human or animal muscle power could be replaced by the power of the natural elements through a watercourse - natural or artificial - in order to grind grain into corn or press oil from fruit, for example. There are essentially two different ways of driving watermills: * Either the flowing water simply hits the blades of the water wheel from below to set it in motion; or * the water is guided above the wheel - usually through a so-called "mill channel" - and falls onto the blades; this type of construction is more efficient due to natural gravity.

Haldon Forest Park opened the new start to the red trail in mid December 2023 and it's fantastic. It's packed gravel with berms at the start, then splits in two. Take the right 'short cut' to cut the entire red in two (or take it to ride back to the start and do the new section again) or stay left to carry on along the new bit and then get onto the usual red. This new section is nowhere near as challenging as the main red, but it's super fast and fun. As it spits you out on the fire track after a short distance, it's great for kids too, who can have a great time on this punchy gravel but bail before the red gets hairy. The way it's set up means it's easy to only do this bit, ride back to the start, and do it again and again.