Rundlestone to Princetown
Category 35.6 km
Distance
285 m
Elevation Gain
5.1%
Average Gradient
10%
Max Gradient
The climb from Rundlestone crossroads up to Princetown — the highest town in England at 435m — follows the B3357 across the exposed western moor in conditions that can be dramatically different from the surrounding lowlands. The gradient is relentless rather than savage: a long, grinding 5% that eats into legs already tired from moorland miles. Princetown sits on the high plateau surrounded by open moorland on all sides, and the final kilometres are fully exposed to prevailing south-westerly winds — a strong headwind can turn this into a genuinely difficult effort. The climb rewards with a proper café stop at the Fox Tor Café in Princetown, a cyclist-friendly stop well used by touring and road cyclists traversing the moor. Dartmoor Prison looms overhead — an atmospheric backdrop that somehow suits the grimness of the upper moor.
Pro Tip
The B3357 from Tavistock east to Princetown gives a longer, more gradual approach adding 8km and 180m of additional climbing. Combining both directions across the moor — Princetown east to Two Bridges then north to Postbridge — builds a big moorland loop that showcases Dartmoor at its most expansive.
Part of
Cycling in Devon & Dartmoor