ToB stage 6: watching it at Wiveliscombe

[vorsprung]

Mrs vorsprung and I will be cycling up to the Devils Elbow above Wiveliscombe to watch the Tour of Britain stage 6 on thursday
We'll be coming from the A38 via Holywell Lake

The race gets to the Devil's Elbow at approx 1230

Mrs vorsprung will also be checking out stage 7, which passes within a couple of miles where we live.  But I have to work that day

[Thing2]

The Things are taking a couple of days off work to see bits of stage 6 & 7, before heading to Andover for the camping weekend.

We are planning to try and park up and cycle the folders to be somewhere between Bampton & Black Cat, then jump in the car and shoot down the link road to try and see the finish in Bideford. We'll see the start from Hatherleigh on Friday, then try and catch them again either near Honiton or down on the coast.  It would be nice to be on Devils Elbow as it's a hill we know quite well, but it's not the easiest place to get to/from quickly.

Emma

[vorsprung]

i think the route goes from Bampton up the B3227 to Black Cat, north along a short section of the A396 and then to Dulverton at the Royal Oak pub

The B3227 out of Bampton does climb a slight hill and you could watch there or at the very sharp corner at Black Cat.

For getting to Bideford, not sure if back tracking to Tiverton and getting on the link road would be quicker, or using the B3227 (join A361 near South Molton) up your favourite hill
In fact you could park up at the top of your favourite hill and then ride up it after seeing the Pros go by 

[richie]

I'll be watching it on Cothelstone Hill.  Unfortunately the route sends them the 'easy' way over the Quantocks. I was going to try and watch part of it elsewhere as well, but i'd have to pedal faster than the peloton to make it....

[Ian H]

I'll be on Sidmouth Road out of Honiton with a mate. Then we're planning to get over to Tytherleigh, south of Chard.

Might try for Wiveliscombe on Thursday.

[thing1]

i think the route goes from Bampton up the B3227 to Black Cat, north along a short section of the A396 and then to Dulverton at the Royal Oak pub

The B3227 out of Bampton does climb a slight hill and you could watch there or at the very sharp corner at Black Cat.

For getting to Bideford, not sure if back tracking to Tiverton and getting on the link road would be quicker, or using the B3227 (join A361 near South Molton) up your favourite hill
In fact you could park up at the top of your favourite hill and then ride up it after seeing the Pros go by 

Yeah, I think the hairpin by black cat might be pretty nice spot to see them whiz by.
Good idea to drive back on the B3227. Would be nice to hack up our favourite hill afterward, but I fear by the time we wrestle our 2-speed folders up it (let alone get in car, get to BF, find a parking spot & get into town!), the peloton will already be receiving masseur treatment in the North Devon hotel of their choice!

I guess the only way to get updates on the progress whilst we're stood at side of road is the twitter feed. Doubt there's much T-mobile coverage by black cat. Must remember to pack the company Voda SIM!

[andygates]

The Tivvy road and that big hill for me!

[alan]

I have an invite to attend the Stage 5 post-race p%ss up party at the CandiTV  sponsors premises tomorrow.My access pass will be awaiting me at the door courtesy of one of the sponsoring company's Directors whom we know professionaly & (slightly) socially

[David Martin]

I have an invite to attend the Stage 5 post-race p%ss up party at the CandiTV  sponsors premises tomorrow.My access pass will be awaiting me at the door courtesy of one of the sponsoring company's Directors whom we know professionaly & (slightly) socially

jealous, me?  Big Yay to Russ Downing who I think could win this one if he can drop boyson haggis in the hills of the south west.

..d

[alan]

I have an invite to attend the Stage 5 post-race p%ss up party at the CandiTV  sponsors premises tomorrow.My access pass will be awaiting me at the door courtesy of one of the sponsoring company's Directors whom we know professionaly & (slightly) socially

We had a power cut at 0830 hrs this morning so I couldn't do the work I had planned before  I was forced to go & watch the tour pass by just down the road so then had to catch up this afternoon,thus missing the post-race jollies

[vorsprung]

Climbing towards the KoM point out of Wiveliscombe


Eric Dekker

[thing1]

In the end we made it to that same hill out of Wiveliscombe (or Wivelscum as Hugh Porter called it), right on Devil Elbow (next to a group of smurfs would you believe it!).

Didn't get any decent photos there, but we also go into Bideford and matched to catch the sprint:

Quite pleased how that came out (Given I was 2 rows back and hanging the camera over the edge!)