Route from the City to Dunstable

cjcp
cjcp Posts: 13,345
edited September 2010 in Commuting general
Can anyone recommend one?

I need to go to Dunstable tomorrow night. I'm all right getting to Highgate, but the roads beyond that don't look very inviting.

I really don't fancy taking the train, but with the AA route planner saying it's a 37-mile trip, I may have no chance.

Cheers.
FCN 2-4.

"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."

Comments

  • Oddjob62
    Oddjob62 Posts: 1,056
    I did Hampstead to Dunstable earlier this year (fixed but would def take gears next time)

    Go up the A5 and miss highgate hill, there are plenty more hills on the way (no Rolf not "proper" hills :P).

    Unfortunately the quieter route is a LOT longer, so i ended up taking a pretty direct route.

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/24506492
    As yet unnamed (Dolan Seta)
    Joelle (Focus Expert SRAM)
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Cheers, mate.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    I've cycled from where I live in Brockley, SE4 to where my parents live in Luton and further, to my sister's place near Ampthill 40-50 odd miles. I think I pretty much followed the A5 all the way. Definitely doable but I wouldn't want to do it when it was dark though, those country A roads have no street lighting so it would just be you and cars travelling at 60+mph with only their headlights and your bike lights to pick you out and to light your way. A large part of the route would be on pretty much unlit roads.
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • Oddjob62
    Oddjob62 Posts: 1,056
    One thing, keep a look out for shared bike/ped paths alongside the road. As i cycle in Central London mostly i dont' really look out for them, but after cycling down a rather fast moving stretch i noticed that the path running alongside was a shared path and it was much more pleasant to have a curb and a couple of feet of grass between me any the metal boxes.
    As yet unnamed (Dolan Seta)
    Joelle (Focus Expert SRAM)
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Thanks, chaps. Train it is!
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    You could cycle to Kings X, get Thameslink from there to Luton (trains are pretty fast and frequent) and then cycle from Luton to Dunstable if you fancied a bit of a ride. That would keep you on lit urban roads
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Headhuunter wrote:
    You could cycle to Kings X, get Thameslink from there to Luton (trains are pretty fast and frequent) and then cycle from Luton to Dunstable if you fancied a bit of a ride. That would keep you on lit urban roads

    Thought about that, but I think I have to get on a train before the no-bike rule stops. You wouldn't know what time that is, would you?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    cjcp wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    You could cycle to Kings X, get Thameslink from there to Luton (trains are pretty fast and frequent) and then cycle from Luton to Dunstable if you fancied a bit of a ride. That would keep you on lit urban roads

    Thought about that, but I think I have to get on a train before the no-bike rule stops. You wouldn't know what time that is, would you?

    Hmm not sure, probably not before 7pm at least. I usually do that journey at weekends so it doesn't affect me. It's probably somewhere on the First Capital Connect website
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Headhuunter wrote:
    cjcp wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    You could cycle to Kings X, get Thameslink from there to Luton (trains are pretty fast and frequent) and then cycle from Luton to Dunstable if you fancied a bit of a ride. That would keep you on lit urban roads

    Thought about that, but I think I have to get on a train before the no-bike rule stops. You wouldn't know what time that is, would you?

    Hmm not sure, probably not before 7pm at least. I usually do that journey at weekends so it doesn't affect me. It's probably somewhere on the First Capital Connect website

    Opted for the train. Some of the roads near where I was going were certainly dark, so glad I didn't ride.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    cjcp wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    cjcp wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    You could cycle to Kings X, get Thameslink from there to Luton (trains are pretty fast and frequent) and then cycle from Luton to Dunstable if you fancied a bit of a ride. That would keep you on lit urban roads

    Thought about that, but I think I have to get on a train before the no-bike rule stops. You wouldn't know what time that is, would you?

    Hmm not sure, probably not before 7pm at least. I usually do that journey at weekends so it doesn't affect me. It's probably somewhere on the First Capital Connect website

    Opted for the train. Some of the roads near where I was going were certainly dark, so glad I didn't ride.

    Yeah the ride from London to Dunstable in the dark would have been pretty damn scary unless you had bought an MTB lighting system and tried to seek out country B roads...
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • Oddjob62
    Oddjob62 Posts: 1,056
    Yeah when i did it, it was in summer, and i took the afternoon off work.
    As yet unnamed (Dolan Seta)
    Joelle (Focus Expert SRAM)

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