Day Three – Launceston to Silverton

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”


The hills in Devon are different to the ones in Cornwall.  Short sharp shocks are replaced by long sweeping climbs up and long rallies down.  The climbs are hard work.  Unlike the Cornish hills, these were too long to get off and push so there was nothing for it but to switch into  low gear and just keep peddling. We had been well set up with an enormous breakfast at the bed and breakfast in Launceston, and the first run, from Launceston to Okehampton went well.  We were going up the old A30 which was now pretty quiet.  Mick found a balloon to decorate his bike with in the hedge.



As we neared Okehampton we were pleased to have Phil Horsley’s little guide with us –instead of linking up with the busy main road into Okehampton we took a left turn towards Sourton and after a few yards joined the Grantite Way which was a fantastic cycle path into town, crossing the very impressive Meldon Viaduct.
I was hoping to upload this blog at Okehampton but none of the cafes appeared to have a wifi connection.  I asked in the library, and whilst the two old ladies behind the desk appeared impressed at the concept, they clearly had never heard of such a thing.
Coming out of Okehampton was far less pleasant.  We were heading for a village called Sticklepath and when we saw a sign for a cycle path to the village we foolishly took it.  Ten minutes later we were climbing up an enormously steep country lane which resulted in the first tears of the trip (mine unfortunately).




Rather than dip and dive through any more country lanes we stuck to busier (though not crazily so) roads until we got to Crediton.  After a pint at the Three Little Pigs, a very idiosyncratic decor!) we struggled back up country lanes through to Silverton.
I had marked the village as having a pub in Camra’s Good Beer Guide.  It turned out to have three and as I couldn’t remember which one was in the guide we decided to try all three.  The Silverton Inn offered accommodation but a local told us that the landlord had only that day flown off to Sharm el Sheik for a week so it was possible we would not be able to get a room.  As it was, we did a deal with the cover staff at the pub to let us stay without breakfast for a discount.  We then checked out The Lamb and the Three Tuns, both of which were also fine pubs.   We had an excellent meal at the Lamb for a price that was so reasdnable that I twice protested it was not enough.  The landlord assured me it was correct so I decided not to argue a third time!
All the beer was excellent
Silverton is very pretty, with thatched cottages and whitewashed walls, and everyone seemed very friendly.  There was a darts match going on in all three pubs, or perhaps we had unknowingly stumbled upon Silverton Darts Festival?  It turned out they were catching up on some matches missed during the icy weather earlier in the year.  We had an enjoyable evening before stumbling into bed at ten o’clock.

Stats
Miles: exactly 50
Pints of Beer Drunk: Mick 5, Ellie 4 and a quarter as I tipped the rest over in the Lamb

Blubs: 1 (Ellie)

Route here: