Overview:
Date: 3 February 2025
Location: East Devon, England
Total distance: 57.5 kilometres (35.7 miles)
Elevation gain: 889 metres (2917 feet)
Summary: A challenging winter day ride on my new bike, following the National Cycle Network Route 2 from Axminster to Exton, featuring steep climbs and scary descents, plus some mud and a flood
Highlights: Beautiful views of coastal cliffs, eating lunch overlooking the bay at Beer, hot chocolate and cookie break in Sidmouth, fun descent from Peak Hill to Otterton, riding along the Exe Estuary at golden hour
Background:
In less than 65 days, I'll be setting off on my PhD fieldwork by bike. The Farming Futures Cycle Tour will start in mid-April at Land’s End and (all going well) finish in early July at the Scottish border near Carlisle. Although the second-hand Schwinn bike I bought from Ride On in 2023 was suitable for training rides and shorter bikepacking trips close to home, I needed something more robust for my three-month tour across England.
Throughout the autumn, I researched different bike brands and did a handful of test rides at various bike stores. I scoured Facebook Marketplace for second-hand bikes, but was not able to find anything suitable within my budget. In December, I visited Saddles and Paddles for a test ride on the Genesis Tour De Fer – a bike fully kitted out for touring, with disc brakes, mud guards, multiple bottle cages, and pannier racks. The bike felt great, and I liked that Genesis is a British brand that focuses on designing bikes built for adventuring. Saddles and Paddles only had a small and a large frame in stock, so Heather, the shop's owner, kindly offered to order in a medium frame for me to try after I got back from the Christmas holidays.
As January flew past, my mum kept asking when I was going to try out the new bike. On a grey morning in early February, I walked over to Saddles and Paddles for a test ride. I felt almost sick with nerves. I was nervous the bike wouldn't fit and I'd have to start my bike search from scratch. But I was also nervous that the bike would fit, and that I'd have to buy it. It felt like a turning point – once I’d bought the bike, there was no going back, the fieldwork ride had to happen. As excited as I am about my upcoming trip, I’m also very nervous, so buying the bike felt like a big (and frightening) moment.
Cycling around the quayside, however, my nerves faded into the background. The bike rode beautifully and I even found myself getting emotional as I realised this bike was going to be my home for a few months – what an adventure we were going to have together! The following day, my friend Annabel joined me as I went to buy the bike. In farming, futuring, and cycling, women are often underrepresented or underestimated, so it meant the world to me to be able to support a local bike store that is female-owned!
After fitting my bike lights, QuadLock, and mini saddle bag, I took my new bike out on its first ride – a 16-kilometre loop around Exeter. Although the geometry isn't quite what I'm used to, the bike felt fantastic and I was excited to test it out on more challenging rides.
Trip log:
The following morning, the weather forecast promised sun all day, so I hopped on the train to Axminster to test out my new bike on the coastal hills of East Devon. For months, I’d wanted to explore the Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 2, but I was too intimidated by the steep hills near Sidmouth to attempt the ride. It felt like the perfect challenge to test out my new bike!
As I left the train station, I was disappointed by the grey skies overhead. The first part of the ride followed a cycle path alongside a busy road. After leaving the road, signs along the cycle path warned that the path might be flooded. I was relieved to see the path was not underwater, however, the underpass was incredibly muddy – my first challenge of the day! There was no way I could ride through the mud, so I carefully walked my bike, trying my best not to let my feet slide out from underneath me. I had been so excited to get some pretty pictures of my new bike and it was already completely covered in mud! Genesis bikes are built for adventure, though, so I didn't let the mud stop me from doing a little photoshoot!
The cycle path eventually ended and the route led me onto a series of quiet country lanes passing through agricultural fields and small towns.
Recently, I’ve been reading From What Is to What If by Rob Hopkins, a book exploring the importance of imagination in addressing the multiple (and intersecting) crises we face. One of the chapters is titled “What If We Fought Back to Reclaim Our Attention?” The chapter laments our addiction to our phones, something I’m acutely aware of. Hopkins encourages us to disconnect from our screens and let our minds wander. I’ve realised that cycling is one of the few times that I’m forced to be fully in the moment. In my day-to-day life, I’ve become accustomed to listening to music, podcasts, or YouTube videos while I’m doing various activities – walking, cooking, showering. While cycling in England, however, my sense of hearing is important in assessing potential risks, so I don’t feel safe to wear headphones (unlike while cycling in the Netherlands). I obviously still take photos and videos, but otherwise, I’m able to disconnect from my phone and let my mind truly wander. At certain points, I’m ultra-aware of my surroundings and at other times, I’m completly lost in my thoughts. Climbing up hills, I can hear the sound of my heart thudding. I notice a bird of prey flying over the road. A magpie stands comfortably on a sheep’s back. Lambs peer at me through the hedge as I stop to take their photo.
After passing Colyton, I was faced with my second challenge of the day – Cownhayne Lane was completely flooded. Oh, the joys of winter cycling in England!
It was impossible to tell how deep the water was, so at first, I tried to cycle through the flood. I probably made it about 20 metres before the water was reaching the pedals and I finally sacrificed my dry shoes and dropped out of the saddle. My feet disappeared in the muddy water as the water rose above the bottom of my leggings. It was a little disconcerting not being able to gauge how deep the water was and at one point, I almost lost my balance as I stepped into a pothole and my left leg was submerged up to my mid-calf! I had set off on this ride to test the bike – this was certainly giving me the opportunity to do so!
I slowly waded through the 100-metres of flooded road and emerged back onto dry land with my socks and trainers completely soaked through. I was worried my feet would end up freezing as I kept riding, but luckily, it wasn't too cold out, so it didn't end up being a problem, even though my socks never fully dried out. I laughed as I rode past a "flood" sign and an Environment Agency van – at least anyone approaching from this direction would have a warning! I guess the tall flood guages along the road should have been a warning I might encounter a flood!
After passing Colyford, I enjoyed riding through the Seaton Wetlands before emerging into the seaside town of Seaton. I was thrilled that the clouds had finally cleared and the sun was shining, illuminating the dramatic white cliffs of the Jurassic Coast.
After climbing back out of Seaton, I was determined to eat my lunch in the charming village of Beer, even if it meant losing some precious elevation. Sitting on a bench overlooking the bay, I warmed up in the sun while my lunch warmed up over my camping stove. Listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach below me and the birds chirping in the hedge behind me, you could have been fooled into thinking it was a beautiful Spring day. This was my second meal cooked outdoors over a camping stove this year – but I have many more in store for me!
As I ate, I reflected, once again, on the magic of cycling to bring me to places that are difficult or impossible to access by public transport. I've only visited Beer twice before, first, on a multi-day hike on the South West Coast Path and second, on a day-hike from Branscombe (which we had driven to from Exeter). And here I was again, having cycled here from Axminster!
By my lunch break, I had cycled around 16.5 kilometres with 180 metres of elevation gain (according to Komoot). The next 16.5 kilometres would have 460 metres of elevation gain – in other words, it was about to get real hilly!
Although I didn't know it at that point, the descent into Branscombe ended up being one of the most frightening parts of the day. My front brake squeaked in protest as I eased my way down the steep hill towards the small village. I remember being frightened while driving on this road in a car, and now, here I was on my bike! At one point, I had to stop to let a car pass in the opposite direction – getting back on and starting on such a steep descent was definitely a little scary!
After climbing out of Branscombe, I was rewarded with a fairly flat stretch for awhile. As I passed a large pig farm, one of the sows watched me as I cycled slowly past. I also cycled past the Donkey Sanctuary – will definitely have to stop by when I ride this stretch during my fieldwork! It was a weird to realise I would be back here in just a few months, cycling in the opposite direction towards Dorset on my fieldwork ride.
All too soon, the flat section was over, and it was time to descend into Sidmouth. It was the first (and only) time I saw a gradient road sign on the day's ride. Although it may have been slightly steeper in places than the descent into Branscombe, the road was wider, so it felt less likely I was going to be hit by oncoming traffic.
In Sidmouth, I stopped for a hot chooclate and cinnamon and pecan cookie at Arches Beach Cafe. As I relaxed in the sun, looking out over the beach, I couldn't help but feel apprehensive for the next stretch of my ride, in particular, the climb out of Sidmouth. Peak Hill is known to be one of the toughest climbs in Devon, with Komoot estimating a top grade of 26% (and a helpful note that I would probably need to walk my bike at points). I'd been warned by multiple people about this hill, so I was definitely feeling nervous as I set off.
My thighs burned as I began the climb up Peak Hill. I stopped a couple times to admire the beautiful view over Sidmouth.
I stopped half way up the hill to take some self-portraits with my bike, a perfect opportunity to give my legs a rest. Like Komoot predicted, I did end up walking my bike for part of the climb, but I was still delighted to make it to the top, where I stopped to take a triumphant picture at the Peak Hill sign.
After conquering the dreaded hill out of Sidmouth, the descent into Otterton felt incredible – it was a perfect gradient to fly down the country lanes! The low afternoon sun cast a golden haze over the gently rolling hills and the sunlight sparkled on the sea, visible in places beyond the coastal cliffs.
Once I'd arrived into Otterton, I was back on familiar territory – cycle paths and roads I've ridden many times before. As I joined the cycle path following the Otter River, I felt a mix of relief and pride that I'd successfully navigated the steep hills of East Devon.
As I was cycling through the park in Budleigh Salterton, I spotted my first crocuses of the season. It felt like a sign that Spring is on its way! Spring has always been my favourite season, so watching the landscape bloom back to life is one of the things I'm most excited for about my upcoming fieldwork cycle ride.
From here, it was mostly cycle path back to Exmouth...
...and then along the Exe Estuary trail to Exton. I was planning on cycling all the way back to Exeter, but as I was approaching Exton, my shoulders and neck started aching badly, so I decided to call it a day and get the train back to Exeter.
Initial thoughts of the bike:
I really like it, but it's still too early to know if that's because it's actually the right bike for me, or if it's just because it's the first new bike I've ever owned! Compared to the second-hand Scwhinn I’ve been riding for the last year, the Genesis bike feels so smooth to ride and I feel like I actually have some power when I’m going up hills – yay! It seemed to deal with the mud and flood pretty well, although the front brake remained very squeaky throughout the ride.
I'm still a little nervous about the gearing – while going up the hills, I was always in my lowest gear, and I’ll be much more weighed down during my fieldwork ride. I have to consciously stop myself from spiralling into despair that the reason I’m always in my lowest gear is because I’m not strong enough to be cycling on the hills of Devon!
The geometry is less comfortable than I’m used to (I grew up in the Netherlands, so I’m used to very upright bikes!), so I’ll probably swap out the handlebars to make it a bit more comfortable.
I need to come up with a name for the bike (it’s definitely a her). I'm currently leaning towards "Elphie" because she's green, like Elphaba in Wicked, but am open to other names as they come to me (do let me know if you have any suggestions!).
Resources:
Getting to Axminster: Catch the train from Exeter St Davids or Exeter Central on South Western Railway (40 minutes). Booking is required to bring your bike on the train, which is why I would suggest starting in Axminster and riding back towards Exeter (South West Railway's bike policies are available here).
Getting back to Exeter: You can get on the train at any of the stops along the Great Western Railway Exmouth-Exeter line, so you can make the ride longer/shorter as you wish. No reservation is required to bring your bike on this line.
Komoot route: https://www.komoot.com/tour/2040623829?share_token=aNIeiBxWoYoYlBosqFHNpC7bok9Aj9JFTRtlCTz9dsMcukDSVX&ref=wtd
Sustrans NCN Route 2: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-2/
Explore Devon website: https://www.exploredevon.info/activities/cycle/south-coast-ncn-2/
East Devon National Landscape website: https://www.eastdevon-nl.org.uk/explore/get-active/cycling
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