A386 road (Great Britain)
Encyclopedia
The A386 is a primary route in Devon
, England. It runs from Plymouth
on the south coast to Appledore on the north coast.
The road starts in the centre of Plymouth, and forms Tavistock Road, the main route out of the city to the north. It crosses a section of Dartmoor
to Yelverton
and Tavistock. The A386 then heads northeast across the western fringe of Dartmoor past the village of Lydford
to the A30
west of Okehampton
. It passes to the west of Okehampton to reach Hatherleigh
, where the road joins the valley of the River Torridge
. It follows the valley to Great Torrington
, Bideford
and finally Appledore.
and then to Appledore on the former route of the B3236. The route originally went through the town of Okehampton. In about 1971 it was realigned to its present route on the former route of the B3219. In the north of Plymouth the road was rebuilt in the 1970s to bypass the village of Crownhill
.
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. It runs from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
on the south coast to Appledore on the north coast.
The road starts in the centre of Plymouth, and forms Tavistock Road, the main route out of the city to the north. It crosses a section of Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
to Yelverton
Yelverton, Devon
Yelverton is a large village on the south-western edge of Dartmoor, Devon, in England.When the village's railway station opened in the 19th century, the village became a popular residence for Plymouth commuters...
and Tavistock. The A386 then heads northeast across the western fringe of Dartmoor past the village of Lydford
Lydford
Lydford, sometimes spelled Lidford, is a village, once an important town, in Devon situated north of Tavistock on the western fringe of Dartmoor in the West Devon district.-Description:The village has a population of 458....
to the A30
A30 road
The 284 miles A30 road from London to Land's End, historically known as the Great South West Road used to provide the most direct route from London to the south west; more recently the M3 motorway and A303 road performs this function for much of the route and only parts of A30 now retain trunk...
west of Okehampton
Okehampton
Okehampton is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated at the northern edge of Dartmoor, and has an estimated population of 7,155.-History:...
. It passes to the west of Okehampton to reach Hatherleigh
Hatherleigh
Hatherleigh is a small market town in west Devon, England.It hosts an arts festival in July, and a carnival in November featuring two flaming tar barrel runs. The Walruses meet on New Year's Day to jump into the River Lew to raise money for local good causes...
, where the road joins the valley of the River Torridge
River Torridge
The River Torridge is a river in Devon in England. It was the home of Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson's book. The Torridge local government district is named after the river....
. It follows the valley to Great Torrington
Great Torrington
Great Torrington is a small market town in the north of Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge below...
, Bideford
Bideford
Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
and finally Appledore.
History
The route is little changed from its original alignment in 1922. It originally ended at Bideford, and was extended north first to NorthamNortham, Devon
Northam is a small town in Devon, England, lying north of Bideford and south of Westward Ho!. It is thought to have been the site of an Anglo-Saxon castle, and is said to have been where Hubba the Dane attacked Devon and was repelled . A little over a mile away along the coast is a town called...
and then to Appledore on the former route of the B3236. The route originally went through the town of Okehampton. In about 1971 it was realigned to its present route on the former route of the B3219. In the north of Plymouth the road was rebuilt in the 1970s to bypass the village of Crownhill
Crownhill
Crownhill is an area of northern Plymouth, in the English county of Devon.-Overview:It was originally known as Knackersknowle, meaning "the hill of the knacker's yard". In 1860 a fort was built on a high piece of land, just to the north west of the village, on the site of a building called Crown...
.