Cycling to Cornwall from Surrey

chronyx

I intend to cycle to Cornwall in the summer. I have driven it quite a lot of times and know Cornwall well - but can members recommend a nice route to get to the south west? Once I'm there I should be OK, but I'm not sure what the niceest route for the 'in between' is!!

Thank you

alfablue

How about National Cycling Route 4 to Bristol, then 3 can take you all the way to Lands End, see:
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webfiles/gen ... p_2007.pdf

Rob Sallnow

If it was me I'd get to Reading and then A4 to Marlborough, a surprisingly nice road to cycle on, then Devizes, Trowbridge, Frome,Wells, Glastonbury, Somerset Levels to Taunton, A38 to Exeter....and then it depends where in Cornwall you are going.

How many days are you planning to take? What kind of things do you want to see?

chronyx

Cool link thanks alfablue!

Rob, good questions, I'm not really sure. I imagine I'll be able to do about 60 miles a day so about 4/5 days. I'm not doing sight seeing as such, just after a route that will be pleasant to cycle. (Which normally comes with fairly nice views anyway) So quieter roads with less traffic I guess.

I'm staying near Polzeath on the North Coast.

andymiller

Going via Bristol or Reading seems like the long way round. Personally I'd go south west to Winchester and then either go north west via Salisbury and Warminster to join the NCN3 at, say Wells, or carry on through the New Forest and along the south coast (following the proposed NCN2 if you wish) into Devon.

chronyx

Thanks Andy!

Rob Sallnow

andymiller wrote:

Going via Bristol or Reading seems like the long way round. Personally I'd go south west to Winchester and then either go north west via Salisbury and Warminster to join the NCN3 at, say Wells, or carry on through the New Forest and along the south coast (following the proposed NCN2 if you wish) into Devon.

Towards the end of last year I cycled from Guildford down to Chichester, along to Winchester, Salisbury then the back road up to Warminster and got the train home from Westbury. On other rides I've ridden from Westbury to Plymouth via Frome,Wells, Glastonbury, Somerset Levels to Taunton, A38 to Exeter etc.

I would recommend the New Forest, done the A35 through there many times....the problem with doing the south coast will be the hills west of Weymouth....most of my rides I'm planning in that area are taking me back up towards Crewkerne and on to Taunton rather than Exeterfor the train home.

Jon G

The A30 or minor roads roughly parallel to it make the most direct route.

There is a good minor road route from either Hook or Farnham through Upton Grey and the Candover Valley to join the A30 at Chilbolton. If you can handle some firm but unsurfaceed tracks, then you can bypass Salisbury without adding many miles by using green lanes for crossing the Downs South of the town.

chronyx

I certainly can, but I don't think SCR 2 would appreciate it

Shame actually as I like green laning, oh well can't have everything!

Lens Voigt

I went down to Bournemouth last year, through north Hampshire. Went through Alresford, 'the Worthy's' and north of Winchester down to Hursley, Romsey etc. It was really nice and even the busier roads are not so bad. I was then aiming to go through the new forest, north of the A31, but got a bit lost and ended up on the A35. It wasn't too bad, but wasn't quite what I had in mind. if you can get to Ringwood (where i was aiming for), you can probably get some nice roads west of there.

I can probably send you the route I took if you like.

I'm interested in coming back the other way actually, so if you get any info on the cornwall end it would be good to hear.

Aggieboy

Go the straightest and fastest way possible to Cornwall and then enjoy your tour!