Haldon Belvedere and the Estuary — Exeter gravel routes

Enjoy some spicy MTB trails on this Tour to the west of the city with this longer Tour taking in the hillside of Haldon and some blue-rated singletrack. The Spicers and Kiddens trails at Haldon Forest Park are fairly flowy with few technical features to navigate, so they’re perfect for gravel riders that like to test the limits of drop bars!

You’ll need to start the ride with a fairly sizable climb, but at least that’ll warm up your legs! From central Exeter, head west on the Dunsford Road and cross over the A30 to Ide, where you can climb on quieter lanes towards the white castle of Haldon Belvedere. From up here you can look across the Exe Estuary to Woodbury Common and East Devon on a clear day.

Take the forest gravel road to the trail centre at Haldon, picking up the flatter Spicers Trail to start before the thrilling zig-zag descent of the slightly more technical Kiddens Trail. If at any point you feel like it’s a bit much, simply peel off onto one of the fire roads to head back to the trail centre.

Cross over the A30 by the racecourse to continue, dipping into the woodland on forest tracks to Harcombe. After the descent to Crammers Cross, climb back up to cross the A38 at Ashcombe Cross and take lanes towards Mamhead.

The last part of the Tour is much flatter and easygoing, but still incredibly scenic as you trace up the western shore of the Exe Estuary through the Powderham Estate, past the Exminster Marshes and into Exeter along the ship canal.