Good road routes in the Chilterns...?

jacksondavis

Hi, I'm new to bikeradar, and relatively new to road riding. I'm coming from a primarily XC background, and have been riding a mid geared fixed wheel road bike for almost a year now, but I've had my first proper geared road bike for about a month. I live in Nottingham, and have been enjoying the roads around here (plus a day in the peak district - beautiful!), but in August I'll be riding home to see my family and friends in Watford, Herts. At some point over the fortnight I'll be spending there, I'd love to get out to the Chilterns and spend a day in the hills.

Can anybody suggest any good routes of anywhere between 50 and 100 miles (depends how ambitious/fit I'm feeling!) around that area? I don't have a car, so plan on using trains to get there and back, so I'm also looking for some advice on where to travel to. I'm guessing High Wycombe will be my best bet!

Any advice would be massively appreciated, and I only hope I can return the favour soon enough.

Regards,
Jackson

softlad

I would get a train to Henley (or Twyford, if easier) and ride north from there. The area around Stonor, Stokenchurch, Chinnor, Wycombe, Marlow, Amersham, Wendover and Gt Missenden is comparitively hilly, I suppose.

But if you ride in the peaks now, I think you will be disappointed with the Chilterns. I took my bike back there last year, and I certainly was...

fnb1

get the MEt line out to Great Missenden, good start/finish point for many a ride, alternatively what part of Watford are you visting, no reason you cannot make that the start of your ride, out through Sarrat, Amersham, Chesham towards Tring, Ivinghoe back through Wendover (good cafe stops here if you wish) , towards Princes Risborough, lots of option to give your self some challenging hills back up the ridge such as Whiteleaf, Kop etc, OR carry on out from Risborough to Chinnor then back over Bledlow Ridge to West Wycombe then back into to Wycombe, head up the Hughenden Valley then take something like Hatches Lane back up to Great Kingshill,here two options, back down the hill to Great Missenden for train or the lanes down to Little Missenden and Amersham then cruise back to Watford on the A404 or retrace through the Ches Valley through Latimer, Sarrat and back to Chandlers Cross dropping you into to North Watford again.

You could do a web search for the Chiltern Hilly Hundred, sportive that goes up and down EVERY (or so it seems) significant hill in the Chilterns, you could follow that route it starts in Great Missenden also

Alternatively if here on a Sunday, come meet High Wycombe CC 0900 Sunday in the HIgh St, Wycombe go for a ride with them (details on their website, www.highwycombecc.org , good bunch that cater for all levels , there are also some routes on their site that they use for their reliabilty rides, 100k, flat 50 miles, hilly 50 mile and 100 miles routes. There is also Amersham Road Club, do rides from Great Missenden on Sundays, or if your stuck, give me a shout and I will ride with you, but you may need to wait for me on the hills

Rouge Penguin

Isnt there an organised Chiltern ride on BHF around then?

+1 to Henley heading North though (at least you'd avoid Renmenan(sp) hill)

cookiemonster

Here's a route that I used as a training run before I moved to north west london

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=35252

"only" 100km and 1280m but you've got 10 chunky climbs in there including a fairly daft one up to speen that must be over 25%

let us know how you get on

jon

jacksondavis

thanks for all the advice.
I'll let you know how I get on.
If anyone fancies coming out, then I'll post up again nearer the time to try and drum up some numbers.

cheers!