New to North Devon Roads - routes/tips please!
Hello all - looking for some advice on best routes in North Devon! We have an airstream, and are booked at Stowford Village campsite this May. We are newbies of 2 years, and have so far only taken her local to us in Sussex /East Sussex/Surrey, being really careful with routes. But this trip is with other friends/family in mind, so we haven’t had the luxury of choosing the most practical part of the country to tow an airstream…
We’ve chosen the site itself as it accepts twin axel, and the actual site access looks doable, but we’re acutely aware that we are big and cumbersome at the best of times, let alone for North Devon roads, and particularly when it comes to turning. We want to make sure that we get there safely ourselves, but also that we don’t cause upset /blockages for locals and other road users. I’ve been using a combination of google earth and traditional maps to try and get a handle on road widths, angles and gradients, but I’d really appreciate any insight from those significantly more experienced than us, on the best way /possible way to get there. Coming from Sussex and absolutely not looking for the fastest way - just any practical way?? 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Comments
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Campsite website has How to Find Us instructions on their website. Note that they tell you what not to do. But from M5 at junction 27 and the North Devon Link road A361 to Barnstaple town is easy - but thereafter I am afraid you will sweat.
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You'll be fine ... there are bigger vehicles on the road than a large twin axle caravan, just take your time. There are times when turning left that you might need to use some of the opposite side of the road. It might be handy though if you can reverse but reading the road far enough ahead should avoid doing so.
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EuroT is absolutely right in that the A361 from jcn 27 of the M5 is by far the best way to reach N Devon.
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The main thing I find when navigating small country roads is to slow down and not be intimated by anyone else otherwise rushing will cause mistakes. Normally campsites are not situated too far down these lanes. Not in their best interest to be hard to reach so that customers are put off for good.
It's a popular site so plenty of others will have made the trip and locals will be used to seeing large caravans and motorhomes along their lanes. They may not like it but it does keep the local economy going.
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Evening
The best route mentioned above is J27 (Tiverton), A361 to Barnstaple. The towing time for that is approx 1 &1/4 hours, there's a long stretch of 40 mph limit where road improvements are going on for a couple of years!. There are also 18 large laybys on that route should you need to take a break or if you're maybe running early for site arrival time. I followed a wagon with a large static caravan on going into Stowford last week and there were no issues with road width etc.
JK
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Do your research ahead, take your time and don’t be intimidated and you will be fine. You might want to consider an overnight stopover as well, as that’s quite a trek East to West. Ok, the drive in might be a tad challenging, but once you are there, it’s a fabulous area with lots to see and do, and places of interest. Not sure if you do tow with a 4x4, but possible given your heavy outfit, that’s a bonus being slightly higher up on the road. 😁
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And we never heard how the OP got on. Perhaps they're still wandering the lanes?🤔
They're asking elsewhere about route planning so who knows🤷♂️
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Only just seen this post Tinwheeler, must have missed it last year. If they followed the route JK suggested they will have been fine. In the past we have bought all our caravans from Stowford and used to store a couple of them there. The roads to Stowford are not country lanes but all main roads....well main roads for North Devon 😁
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There's still two massive potholes just past Stowford, luckily they're right at the side of the road. Saying that the road from Lynton Cross to Ilfracombe is even worse!
JK
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