Chilterns Route

adh038

Does anybody have any good ~80-100km routes for the Chilterns (from Gt Missenden station or nearby) in google maps format?

Thanks

Bronzie

Not in Google maps format, but have a look at the route of the Chilterns 100 Sportif - you'll have to chop part of it off obviously, but it's a lovely ride although I should warn you that the organisers found EVERY hill in the Chilterns!!
http://www.chiltern-hundred.org.uk/pages/03_2.htm

PaulJHart

I'm tempted to give the route a go - and I'm looking for a challenge for next spring/summer so may well enter the sportive. I know some of the route as I'm in St Albans - Bison Hill in particular is a killer!

Bronzie

Aye, Bison is steep, but not too long. Christmas Common and Kingston Wood are both harder climbs in my book - they both seem to go on for ever.

Gussio

Cops Hill out of Princess Risborough is another tough drag. That looks like a comprehensively painful route!

pauljohnhart

Bronzie wrote:

Aye, Bison is steep, but not too long. Christmas Common and Kingston Wood are both harder climbs in my book - they both seem to go on for ever.

think i may try at least one of these climbs at the weekend - help me judge how much work i'll need to do between now and june!

jhop

Gussio wrote:

Cops Hill out of Princess Risborough is another tough drag. That looks like a comprehensively painful route!

I rode this and seem to remember that the route referred to went up Whiteleaf Hill and down Cop Hill which in my view is the slightly harder way. The Archer GP goes up this hill but not down Cop Hill..

The Chilterns certainly have quite a number of short sharp hills and combined into a route like this pose a cumulatively wearing challenge to match many a UK sportive.

Gone Fishing

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1457284

A bit longer than 100Km but does pass close to gt missenden and also stoke mandeville stations.

oldwelshman

jhop wrote:

Gussio wrote:

Cops Hill out of Princess Risborough is another tough drag. That looks like a comprehensively painful route!

I rode this and seem to remember that the route referred to went up Whiteleaf Hill and down Cop Hill which in my view is the slightly harder way. The Archer GP goes up this hill but not down Cop Hill..

The Chilterns certainly have quite a number of short sharp hills and combined into a route like this pose a cumulatively wearing challenge to match many a UK sportive.

Personally I don't think the Chilterns route matches most of the other sportives. To get the hils in you have to create loops on the route to get them in. This is the case for some of the reliability rides in Feb March.
Also as stated the hills tend to be short and steep so not the most pleasent experience if you lump 8 or 10 of them together just to get the climbs in and not much use as prep for European sportives
Also the routes are not so scenic and some of the road surfaces are not the best.