Best long distance routes....

mpatts
mpatts Posts: 1,010
edited April 2014 in Road general
Mrs Mpatts and I are currently contemplating plans for the long easter weekend. One of the ideas is to ride out from the house, into the cotswolds, and back again. However, we did think of getting a train/driving somewhere, and doing a nice long distance routes.

On a road bike, has anyone got some good ones? Is the C2C doable entirely on road? Are there any less hilly ones?

Cheers

mcihael
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Comments

  • simona75
    simona75 Posts: 336
    Where (roughly) would you be starting from?
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    simona75 wrote:
    Where (roughly) would you be starting from?

    to be honest, anywhere! I live in Milton Keynes.
    Insert bike here:
  • whoof
    whoof Posts: 756
    Devon Coast to Coast. Get the train to Barnstaple and ride to Plymouth then train back from there. Would recommend a tourer rather than full on ride bike as there are some short sections that are a bit rough.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    mpatts wrote:
    On a road bike, has anyone got some good ones? Is the C2C doable entirely on road? Are there any less hilly ones?

    It certainly is doable on road, although it isn't the traditional path and parts around Sunderland etc are best done using the off road paths (which have a good surface) but that's only the final few miles.

    But it's certainly very hilly and 130 miles.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    If you want to leave from home then do The Buzzard.
    http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-122/
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    Well a train to Lancaster may be worth looking at - to do the coast to coast via the Way of the Rose (Lancs / Yorks). Its 170 miles through some stunning countryside and depending on the distances you both normally ride should make a comfortable 2 day tour.

    http://wayoftheroses.info/

    Loads of articles are only a google search away

    I'm thinking of a single day ride across this route in June myself - should be fit enough after LEJOG at least
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    Grill wrote:
    If you want to leave from home then do The Buzzard.
    http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-122/

    just checking that out now - looks good.
    Insert bike here:
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    Wirral_Paul wrote:
    Well a train to Lancaster may be worth looking at - to do the coast to coast via the Way of the Rose (Lancs / Yorks). Its 170 miles through some stunning countryside and depending on the distances you both normally ride should make a comfortable 2 day tour.

    http://wayoftheroses.info/

    Loads of articles are only a google search away

    I'm thinking of a single day ride across this route in June myself - should be fit enough after LEJOG at least

    looks great too!
    Insert bike here:
  • simona75
    simona75 Posts: 336
    One option would be to start in the Cotswolds or Oxfordshire, head south through the Vale of White Horse, through the Hampshire downs and into the New Forest. You could then stay overnight down there (or get the ferry to the Isle of Wight and stay there). You could then head back north the next day through similar areas but on different roads. Lots of nice scenery, some decent hills and plenty of quiet lanes down that way.

    Would probably be 200-300 miles all in depending on which way you went. I've ridden in all these areas but never pieced them together into one ride
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    An option not far from your front door is the chiltern cycleway - 170 miles of signposted route

    http://www.chilternsaonb.org/cycleway.html

    I have never ridden the whole thing, but much of it is my main cycling area and there are some fabulous lanes on the route. As you probably know, the chilterns are not flat and there are some stern little climbs along the route.

    I think it would make a great 2-3 day tour. I think there is a book available describing the route and stuff to see.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    mpatts wrote:
    simona75 wrote:
    Where (roughly) would you be starting from?

    to be honest, anywhere! I live in Milton Keynes.
    I live not too far from there; on Royal Wedding Day the other year I had a weekend pass-out from OH and rode to Cheltenham on day 1 (101 miles), Hereford on Day 2 (about 80) and then back home via the in-laws, staying at pre-booked B&Bs en route. Plot a route that avoids main roads and you should be fine.
  • whoof
    whoof Posts: 756
    The Avon Valley cycleway. An 85 mile loop surrounding Bristol can start and finish in Chipping Sodbury (train or car) as the loop passes very close to this.
    http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/rout ... 8953911655

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