Get your local loop in Cycling Plus

np@cyclingplus

In a bid to escape my desk for a day a month I've suggested we run a Reader's Ride loop in Cycling Plus' Ride Guides section where I join you for a ride around your favourite local circuit.

To start with I'm looking for rides in the south west, starting within and hour and a half's drive of Bristol/Bath. The ride would be between 35 and 50 miles - I'm up for longer one's too if they're worth it. The ride should take in your favourite scenery/climbs/descents and stick as much to traffic-free roads as possible - if it includes any or entirely NCN or byway routes so much the better.

Obviously we want you to come with us and show the way - and probably feature in a few of the photos - so if we pick your ride to feature we'll have to arrange a suitable day where we can all get the day off to ride it. But if it has to be the weekend then so be it!

If you're interested, email me with a 20-odd word description of your proposed route and a few words about yourself, your bike and the kind of riding you're into.

I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully meeting you on the road.

Neil Pedoe
Cycling Plus

Rob Sallnow

Bugger.....the A379 between Dartmouth and Kingsbridge....(following a very attractive stretch of coast line) is not within 1.5 hours drive of Bristol/Bath....unless you were driving in a very cyclist unfriendly manner[B)]

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I'd rather walk than use Shimano.

Ribble Cycles is the devil in bike shop form!

zimzum42

Traffic free roads????

What about London cyclists? I do an wonderful loop from central out to the Woolwich Ferry and back. Some amazing sights, and really interesting places.

If you want a hill I can add Highgate Hill or something

where's the fun without the traffic?





[:D] www.addiscombe.org [8D] [8D] www.darhotwire.com [8D] [8D] www.muzikmedia.com [:D]

1x1

Why would 'entirely NCN or byway' routes be 'so much the better'?
(serious question)

road-runner

If you venture beyond a commuet from the C+ office, myself and others could show you a good time in the Chilterns.

np@cyclingplus

I'd love to ride in all these areas, and there's no reason I can't get round everyone here in the fullness of time - especially when the days get longer. But as this is a new feature I wanted to try it out with some local(ish) rides first to cut down on cost and journey time. If it works out and proves popular, maybe I'll be able to go further afield and get more budget and time...

1x1: sorry to mislead - don't worry about the NCN and byway too much, but if it's there, it's always good to give it a plug in the mag. By the way - your area is precisely where i'd like to do a ride very soon. I used to live in Avening and there must be some great, if hilly, riding round there. If you're keen give me a mail and we'll sort something out.

Cheers all for the response.
Neil

on the road

Traffic free roads? Is there such a thing?

road-runner

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by on the road</i>
Traffic free roads? Is there such a thing?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
On my weekly CTC club ride on Wednesdays we love "road closed" signs. It's usually either road works, bridge repair, or police forensics after an RTA, and 99 times out of 100 there's enough room for a bike (or 12) to get through otherwise traffic-free roads. Loverly! [^]

rogerzilla

There was one of those in Appleton, near Oxford, all last summer for sewer works. They meant it too - the road was gone - just a big hole, and I had to creep past on the pavement even at 8am!

--
I am become Death, the destroyer of cake

np@cyclingplus

Reminds me of last year's Dragon ride where there was a dual carriageway section with cones blocking off one of the lanes for a couple of miles. It didn't look like there was any actual work being done in the closed lane, so we all (hundreds of us in a long bunch) pulled into it to let the traffic past. Happily spinning along at 20 odd miles an hour chatting to the guy next to me when everyone starts swerving and braking suddenly in front of us. Turns out there's a one foot wide, two foot deep trench across the whole lane. I just manage to bunnyhop it on reflex, but the guy I was talking to didn't and punctured - the road for the next mile was littered with others mending pinch puntures... Totally our fault of course.

pauluscp

When you decide to come east a little I could show you some good rides around Hertfordshire starting at Barnet/Potters Bar. 30/40/50 miles all catered for.

So many roads, so little time!!!

np@cyclingplus

Good idea Paulus. We've got a Herts route in the issue that's out on the 23rd written by our racing correspondent and snapper Robert Lampard who lives there too. We'll have to organize riding one of yours later in the summer perhaps.
Neil

dgibby

Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire is about 40mins north of Bristol. A number of good rides around here that you may be interested in. West are the Malverns and East the Cotswolds with stunning scenery around Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham. A few forummers live around here and I'm sure we'd all be happy to help.

np@cyclingplus

Now we're talking. There must be some cracking climbing/descending up Cleeve Hill. I remember playing a wild and windy wide game (a bit like an all-night game of British Bulldogs over a really big area) up there one night as a 12 year old. There must be some great views too. Malvern's spot on too. I'll be in touch soon!

velocitizen

Let me know when you have enough expenses to get to Nottingham i've a nice route around the Trent Valley, pub car park to start and finish, at the m1/a50/m42/east mids.airport junction and a stop in Nottingham by the canal for refreshments mid-ride, let me know how many miles you want to do and ill post a Gpedometer map of the route.
why not ask all contributors to do that youll be swamped just look at the commuter thread.

ricadus

There's a good route from Faversham or Whitstable around the Kent coastline to Dover - or if you put on a good pace you can get further on to Folkstone. Mostly cycle path / bridleway or quiet minor roads - and a 50 metre section of beach. About a dozen different resorts, all quite different in character, tacky Herne Bay, genteel Sandwich & Deal; ferry port Dover, etc.

For MTB or tourers, I guess.

eurobikers.net

Unknown

Hi Velocitizen,

Can you post the map for me as I live in Derby and would like to try a different route nottingham way as my rides go towards Staffordshire side of Derby.

Thanks

robbarker

I can take you on aclassic loop from here

robbarker

OK

robbarker

As I'm sure you know

Cunobelin

"Round the Harbours" ride - Portsmouth Harbour

From Portsmouth to Portsmouth!

Takes in NCN2 from Harbour Station to Hayling Island, Hayling Billy trail to Havant, main (busy) road over Portsdown Hill (stunning views and lunch at the Churchillian) and then down through Stubbington on off road paths to Lee on Solent and then NCN2 to Gosport and Portsmouth.


Developed by the Local Councils for a Bike Week ride, but now adopted and run in June by the BHF

Edited (good move by others) http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=82694

My wife and I do this route several times a year - Portsdown hill is the one big climb, and was categorised by the Tour when it was in Portsmouth.

When you have lost your inns, drown your empty selves for you will have lost the last of England
<i>Hillaire Belloc</i>

velocitizen

matty 1235 try this link
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=82445
of course theres lota of ways to extend it if you ride out of derby on the A6005 or the ncn you join the route just after leisure lakes and the M1, my commute to work is on a bit of this route (gmap r64450)
the best bit is the quiet lanes between sawley and kegworth, attenborough nature reserve has a nice new visitors centre and cafe, let us know if you enjoy it,

Unknown

Thanks velocitizen,

I'll let you know when I have had chance to enjoy the ride.

Matty1235

MikeX

Hi

My training ride which is every other Saturday starting at 7.30 am meets about 50 cars total over approximately 40 to 50 miles (depending on which add ons we do) rides through some lovely new forest scenery and places of interest - biggest hazards are cattelgrids & cows/horses with no cycle sense what so ever. Roads are pretty good on the whole and we have 3 (or 4) hills to speak of (well they are hills for round here).

Ride goes from Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Rhinefield (Ornamental drive), Burley & Picket Post I mile 'climb' (stop for a banana at viewing point then loop back down through Burley Street) toward Rhinefield then up to Bolderwood 2 mile uphill drag (to the Deer Sanctuary) and onto to Stoney Cross up a mile long hill (open flat plain - WWII air fields) and over the other side for lovely sweeping 'descent'. We turn back on this road as it so FAB. Back to Bolderwood and turn off for Emery Down (nearly 3 miles of 'gentle' down). Turn to Lyndhurst and onto Beaulieu Road Station/Bealieu (classic New Forest heathland) for final 3/4 mile climb then 3 mile sprint on billiard table smooth tarmac to home.

Myself and a mate Jago got into cycling last February to take part in the RBL Pedal to Paris. depending on fitness levels we add/take parts out of the ride and this route gives plenty of options. Scenery is great - lack of cars on the whole better. Occasionaly we have another guy Bob come along with us who usualy rides a Giant. We both ride Scott CR1's and by the end of last year were doing a 60 mile version of this in a tiny bit over 3 hours - have lost some form over winter!!!

By the time we did P2P we were well prepared and had a superb time in the fast group on a very well organised event. Going back for second go this year.

MikeX

Why is the wind always head on?

robbarker

Gmap for my favourite training loop:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=85140.

jpembrokecp

Right, come and join me on the Sheepscombe 'Classic' then. Only 40 miles from Bath (may be less). 35 mile circuit with about 11 climbs on quiet Cotswold lanes starting in Cheltenham. Gradients vary from 10-20%. Begins and ends with Leckhampton Hill so you will encounter some traffic for a total of 2 or 3 miles (but not much) along the entire circuit. It's an awesome circuit: a bit of a stamina fest in the Flanders-style. Come and have a go (if you think you're hard enough).

[}:)]

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well, yes <i>and</i> no......but mainly no.

wjhall

Severn Beach station, over the Severn Bridge, NCN41 to Shirenewton, then Tintern, back across Kilgwrrug Common to pick up NCN41 East again, Mathern, Bulwark and back across the bridge to take the train back home.
About 70km.

And other variants involving Usk or Caerwent.

John Hall

wjhall

And surely any local loop near Bristol has to include the Avon Cycleway:

Lawrence Hill station - Bath cycle path - Mangotsfield - Yate - Wickwar (pub lunch) - Severn Beach and train back to starting point. About 80 km.

John Hall

stiffbackcp

You should come to the Rhondda sometime. To start your ride you have to either climb the Rhigos or the Bwlch mountains, both of which feature in the Dagon Ride. After that you can have a play in the Brecon Beacons! If you don't like climbing though, you are probably not going to have a happy day!

Aahh,I Love the smell of road kill in the morning

Unknown

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by stiffback</i>

If you don't like climbing though, you are probably not going to have a happy day!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

The descending either side of the Storey Arms is awesome.

John C.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by on the road</i>

Traffic free roads? Is there such a thing?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I'd tell you where to find traffic free roads even on a bank holiday but Gunner Rodgers will shoot me !!

He who spins lasts longest