A5/Watling Street

Ste_S
Ste_S Posts: 1,173
edited March 2008 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
I've been meaning to cycle from Wolverhampton to London for a while now, and the article in this months Procycling on London-Holyhead has got me wondering about doing it on the A5/Watling Street

Anyone had any experience of riding on any part of it recently ?

Comments

  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    Ste_S wrote:
    Anyone had any experience of riding on any part of it recently ?
    The bit local to me is OK - not great fun to ride as it's busy, but it's wide enough that it doesn't feel like you're about to be wiped out all the time.

    The new section through Milton Keynes is best avoided as it's fast dual carriageway.............follow the old route (now called V4 using the MK grid system).

    Dunstable town centre is very busy, but no more than any town centre. After the M1 J9 it's a fair bit quieter through to St Albans.

    Good thing about it is that those Romans didn't DO bends, so you get where you're headed in the minimum distance!
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • Ste_S
    Ste_S Posts: 1,173
    Thanks Bronzie, doesn't sound too bad.

    V4 sound like a TT course though. Were Milton Keynes town planners testers ? :wink:
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    Ste_S wrote:
    V4 sound like a TT course though. Were Milton Keynes town planners testers ? :wink:
    :lol:

    It's a simple grid road system - north-south roads start at V1 in the west to V11 in the east. East-west roads start at H1 in the north down to H10 in the south. The roads all have names as well (V4 is Watling Street funnily enough), but it's just easier to give directions as "Off V4 between H6 and H7".............even if it makes you sound like a deranged tester!

    Each intersection is a roundabout hence MK's "home of the roundabout" tag. There's also an extensive network of "redway" cyclepaths so you can cross the city without ever having to cycling on a busy road.
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • roadiesean
    roadiesean Posts: 577
    I've ridden the bit from London to Harpenden (Junction 10 of the M1) plenty of times, too much traffic, and the road is a bit shagged. Just take care. Like Bronzie says it gets better north of Dunstable but it is busy.
  • davman
    davman Posts: 31
    Personally, if you're thinking of riding from Wolverhampton to \london, I wouldn't do any of it on the A5. I now live in Rugby, but work in \daventry, so have experience of driving \9and riding when i have to\0 the A5. Not recommended for cyclsits.

    The bit from Towcester to Daventry is okay, but can get busy. From Weedon north to Magna Park/M69 junction, it's a combination of fast, slightly hilly road and dual-carriageway, but the traffic can get very bad, especially around DIRFT (near Crick on Jnct 18 of the M1). DIRFT is a major distribution centre for the likes of Tesco. Magna Park near Rugby is similar.

    If you are keen on riding, then you might want to consider trying to get to Coventry, then using the A45 as a the basis for your ride. If you run parallel to this, you will find excellent, quiet roads from Coventry to Daventry. From there you can then ride parallel to the A5 all the way down to MK (keeping on the west side of the A5)

    Simon

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