Weekend away cycling location help

Stylo26

I am seeking advice on the best English cycling locations.
Myself and a couple of mates are road bike beginners, cycling for fun and fitness.
We were hoping to get a long weekend away, Friday, Sat and Sunday. Travelling Friday morning, riding friday afternoon and all day on Saturday and again on Sunday morning before going home.
My question is this:- Does anyone have a good location suggestion where we might find several loop routes of say 40miles and 70 miles on roads of low car traffic?
Within a few hours of Norfolk.

..... and with a good pub and hotel!

Monty Dog

I was going to suggest East Anglia but seeing as you are from around those parts....

Depends on what kind of rides / terrain you are looking for - whether you want the challenge of hills or a howling headwind?

pipipi

I think I've got a similar weekend away coming up. I'm in Kent so I'm thinking that I might cycle down to dover /Folkestone and catch a ferry/Eurotunnel and spend an afternoon and evening cycling around France.

I don't know Norfolk but there should be some similar ferry routes if you look.


Other than that, I would suggest checking out some sportive maps. You don't have to do the sportive, but just follow the same map. (I couldn't do a sportive last year due to a clash of dates, so did the same route a week later and donated my entry fee to BHF.)

sfichele

The Peak District! Many quite and scenic roads

pilot_pete

+1 for the Peak District, which is on my doorstep. If you want to get in touch I may be able to help out and even take you on a few routes if you fancy and the dates suit. Let me know via PM and I can give you contact details if you want.

PP

jgsi

A tick for Dorset by the way.
I had an early cottage break (Maiden Newton) last March and altho was on the comeback from a coughingitis malaise, I was out for daily rides for the week on the lanes there...nice challenging routes and set me up for the rest of the season as well. As I wanted to sightsee with the OH I wasn't even out that long.... max 40 - 50 miles each time.
'Worst bit' for coughing my way up a hill was getting out of Cerne Abbas back up to the ridge one frozzy morning... I'll not forget that one.

Wirral_paul

I used to live in Oakham, Rutland. Some stunning scenery around that area and not too far away at all. Check out the routes available online for some of the sportives for any area you're considering. If you have a garmin then its a great starting point for putting a couple of rides together.

Garz

Being restricted to how far your willing to travel I would agree the peaks is probably the best for now. I would say Wales and Northumberland were fantastic areas when I experienced them (from a cyclists viewpoint) but well beyond your travel range I'm afraid.

gog555

How about combining a weekend away with a challeng sportive?
Would make finding routes easier.

Stylo26

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm doing as many sportives as I can this year around this area, as gog suggests perhaps it's time I ventured further afield!

ilm_zero7

+1 for Dorset - nice quieter roads too - try down near Corfe and Brownsea island

flasher

Northern France, Belgium, much nicer roads than the UK and drivers that (generally) give way to cyclists rather than aim for you!

notlongnow

Lake district

TommyB61

You could do worse than cycle East Kent & Romney Marsh, & then head over to France / Belgium.

fnb1

shame you are limiting yourself to the UK, I would suggest Majorca, early flight out on Easyjet, 'in resort' (suggest the Pollensa Area) before noon. Pick up hire bike (one of the few places where you can rentproperly good quality bikes) ride Friday PM, ride all day Saturday, and ride Sunday AM and catch evening flight home. Job Done