In Plymouth: Pork Hill

September 10, 2022

Conditions are excellent for a ride today, with one exception: the elevator is still out of service. It makes for a difficult overture to the day’s outing.

Three flights of this to start off the day. I was luckier than Rachael here - when I started down a service worker volunteered to give me a hand.

The ride is an out and back of course. The first ten miles are easy if a bit rough as we follow the River Plym upriver from its mouth - first on a cyclepath that parallels busy, loud Plymouth Road along the estuary for three miles and then on Drake’s Path following the route of a former rail line as it rises at an almost uniform 2% slope for the next seven miles. This section of Drake’s Path is especially pleasant today, a Saturday, as we share the trail with many families on foot, bike, kiddie bike and the odd pony. The trail includes a longish tunnel - maybe a fifth of a mile - that is weakly lit and a bit spooky but of course greatly appreciated for the climbing it spares us.

On Drake’s Trail. Toward the end of this part of the ride we leave the woods and enter Dartmoor National Park.

Drake’s Trail continues on north to Tavistock - it’s the route we would have ridden into Plymouth before we changed our plans and took the train to Plymouth instead. We leave it after ten miles though and angle off to the northeast toward Pork Hill, a destination I pulled out of the hat because it allegedly offers fine views and is a popular if challenging biking destination.

I was a little anxious about the climb up Pork Hill itself which looks like it will be a challenge alright, climbing almost 500’ in a bit over a mile. And it is a challenge when we get there, but a well behaved one that lets us grind up at a steady 8-10% the whole way. The real challenge by that time is already behind us though, a short gut buster climbing up from the River Walkham that caps out at 23%. We surprise ourselves by both staying upright the whole way, but just barely.

Once up that we’re suddenly in the open, crossing a small moorish area that gives us good views around and let’s us see ahead to Pork Hill rising to the east.

Remains of the old mill, at the crossing of the River Walkham.

Pork Hill rises just to the east. Doesn’t look too challenging, but we know better. Roads here never take a gradual way up.

The view east to Pork Hill. Unfortunately we have another dip and climb ahead to soften us up before we get there. This would make a great spot for a viaduct, actually.

Video sound track: Come Saturday Morning, by The Sandpipers

As we approach the summit of Pork Hill we cross a cattle/sheep/horse guard and are warned to please proceed carefully and be mindful of possible livestock in the road. The sign’s accurate, as we soon discover. The animals totally own the road at the top, with sheep lying unconcernedly on the margins of the narrow asphalt ribbon and horses crossing back and forth with abandon. It’s a beautiful scene, and none of the drivers appears at all bothered or impatient from being held up by some gorgeous mare and her colt walking across right in front of their hood.

Moor of that dry British wit you hear so much about.

There’s a large parking area at the summit, which is filled with cars and caravans today. We take our place on the edge of the lot, sitting on the grass watching the animals milling around - including many dogs, which are out here running freely. While we’re sitting there we watch in amazement as a string of thirty or forty horses rises from behind the hill and marches straight at and through the parking lot, pausing along the way to see if the sightseers sitting there in their lawn chairs brought them any treats today.

Afterwards Rachael walks to the edge of the parking lot to collect her own treat - a well-earned ice cream bar from a van parked there.

On parade. Beautiful animals, every one of them.

Quite a mouthful. He’s fetched a stick nearly as large as he is.

Wouldn’t it be great if more climbs had rewards like this at the top?

Heading back. It’s lumpy in reverse also, but fortunately much easier than the ride out.

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Ride stats today: 39 miles, 3,300’; for the tour: 2,549 miles, 157,700’

Today's ride: 39 miles (63 km)
Total: 2,548 miles (4,101 km)

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Janos KerteszEin schöner Ausflug! Euren Bilder und das Videos sind super! Britannien ist auf meiner Wunschliste ganz weit nach oben gerückt!
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2 years ago