Finding cycle-friendly routes....

Si J

Hi I want to do some extended rides to visit friends and family but have never done this before. How can I find a cycle-friendly route from Nuneaton to St Albans (or anywhere else)? I presume there must be an internet-resource which will help find a route on quieter roads...?

Si J

nwallace

With it being very unlikely someone has conveniently done this journey and posted it on one of the many route show off sites.

The resources you are looking for are called Maps and Local Knowledge (which you can get from here I guess), combined with your definition of cycle friendly.
You can trick many route finding software to get you a cycling route by putting low preference on Motorways and medium on Dual Carriageways. THe "WAlking" routes suggested by most planners are terrible, they stick to roads where much shorter footpaths are available and avoid dual carriageways despite some having good footpaths alongside them (which amy or may not be shared use)

I guess what you are looking for is an alternative to the A5 to Nuneaton
Example done with OS mapping and no local knowledge
Leave Nuneaton on the B4114, pick up B4065 nr Wolvey, B4112 to Withybrook, thr Pailton, find rout through Rugby to Kilsby, A425? to Daventry, Pick up NCN 70 towards Newnham, Unclassified (yellows) roads to Everdon, Farthingstone, Greens Norton, Towcester, A413 to Whittlebury then Yellow to Denshanger, then roudn Milton Keynes on Yellows to Newton Longsville, Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable, (all on yellows), through to Luton, B653 to Harpenden, B651 to St Albans.

It is entirley possible that the B4112 is buisier than the A5. or the A425 is deserted and excellnt. It is enven possible that the A5 is hte best road for you to take and that certain death lies on the others,. Thats why the Local Knowledge is the important bit.

priory

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp? ... m=7&sPan=S

sustrans is worth a look, but through towns it can be ridiculous ( or great)and it is rarely a quick route. usually nice in the country, though. pick and choose .Some of the old railway lines can be a good thing .

http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/srchkey ... egion/5392
a great idea and much used, but hard to see many routes which go exactly where one wants.

If you go to google, look at the centre of the area you want, then search 'bikely' you will get some routes, not all of those on bikely though.

http://www.thenationalbyway.org/national_map.asp

there does not seem to be much byway near nuneaton

As was said before, after a look at the above sites it's quicker to get a road map and use the minor roads unless you like the A5.

Have you gone out with the local ctc ? They know .

TerryJ

zenzinnia

When planning longer rides in places I don't know I tend to use google maps to go through a route and any road I'm unsure about I go to the satalite view and zoom in to see just what sort of road it is. You can often get a very good idea if it's just a fairly normal A road or something mor like a motorway. I also check big junctions to see if they are treacherous looking or not - this can also give you a good idea about what to expect wen you get to them. Google eart can also be good for this but it no-longer works on my PC!

The other thing with Google maps is you can get directions and then alter the route by grabbing it and moving points - it then recalculates the route for you - Bikley dosn't do this.

priory

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Manchester-London

I just realised this is in my favourites list. I is not a quick way, though

Special K

use viamichelin.co.uk and select the bike option

then combine with any good national routes you find nearby - you will find those listed on sustrans as mentioned above

strikes me that this is a real easy combination without making your directions impossible to follow