Drake's Trail up the Plym Valley from Plymbridge

This is the family stretch of Drake's Trail, the cycle route from Plymouth to Tavistock. From the National Trust car park at Plymbridge it climbs the wooded Plym valley on the South Devon and Tavistock Railway, which opened in 1859 and lost its passenger trains in 1962. It crosses four viaducts, Cann, Riverford, Bickleigh and Ham Green, and goes through the curving Shaugh Tunnel before coming out on the edge of Roborough Down above Clearbrook.

It is 15.7 km (9.8 miles) there and back with 168 m of climbing; allow about 1¼ hours of riding. The grade is Easy. The trail is tarmac and climbs steadily all the way out, at a railway's gradient, so the return is an easy run. It suits children, trailers and any bike. The tunnel is long, curved and only dimly lit: bring lights.

It is traffic-free from the car park to the turning point, and shared with walkers. From mid-March to mid-July there is a peregrine watch point on Cann Viaduct.

The car park at Plymbridge is free and has no toilets. The pub in Clearbrook village is a short way down the lane from the turning point. The trail itself goes on across the down to Yelverton, another 4 km, partly on access roads.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.