A382
A382 | ||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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From: | Newton Abbot (SX857711) | |||
To: | Whiddon Down (SX700929) | |||
Distance: | 19.1 miles (30.7 km) | |||
Meets: | A381, A383, A38, A3124, A30 | |||
Former Number(s): | A30 | |||
Highway Authorities | ||||
Traditional Counties | ||||
Route outline (key) | ||||
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The A382 is a scenic, if occasionally narrow and frequently twisty, drive from Newton Abbot to the A30, crossing part of the Dartmoor National Park.
Route
Newton Abbot - Whiddon Down
We start on a one-way system on the A381 in Newton Abbot, heading north along Exeter Road. We pass the Ashburton Road (A383) roundabout, then past a second roundabout where the A383 turns right along a northern bypass to the town centre.
From here, we run north west along a tree-lined road, past Stover School and Stover Country Park to reach the A38 at a grade-separated roundabout. It's then a straight run to Bovey Tracey where we pass the end of the B3387 which will take you to Widecombe in the Moor where you will meet Ol' Uncle Tom Cobleigh an' all. We cross the River Bovey then climb, occasionally steeply, to reach a narrow valley, lined with trees, which takes us into the Dartmoor National Park. The road through here is fun to drive, provided you don't get stuck behind anything as overtaking is generally very difficult.
Moretonhampstead is an attractive village, nestling in low lying ground between some very steep hills. We cross the B3212 in the village centre - a left turn along here will take you through the steep valleys of east Dartmoor, via Postbridge, to Princetown and across the wilder part of the moor. The right turn picks out a very scenic but tortuous route to Exeter.
The next stretch of the A382 is relatively easy - it's not too steep or narrow. However, after passing the B3206 and crossing the River Teign at Sandy Park, the road climbs again and becomes very narrow - almost single track in places. The A382 bypasses the village of Whiddon Down (or is it a hamlet?). As we approach, we turn left to skirt around the south-west, then turning sharp right where we meet the original A30. We then skirt the northern part of the bypass, passing the end of the A3124 before terminating at a GSJ on the current A30.
Original Author(s): Simon Davies
History
Bovey Tracey Bypass (Monks Way) - The 1.9 mile road was opened on 16 October 1987 by Ena Stacey, County Council Chairman. The 7.3m wide carriageway road had a cost of £2.25 million.