London - Reading

cento percento
cento percento Posts: 14
edited October 2008 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Hi everyone,

Does anyone have any experience of riding from London (west London really) to Reading? I have a regular appointment out there and I am thinking of cycling rather than taking the train or driving, but I can't seem to find a good route. The most direct routes seem to be on the A4 quite a bit and I don't know what that is like (although I suspect it is really busy).

Any advice (even general advice on how to plan a route) will be gratefully received.

S.

Comments

  • Gavin Gilbert
    Gavin Gilbert Posts: 4,019
    I'll do that route several times a year, the A4 west of Maidenhead isn't too bad, but forget anything east. The London stretch is seriously nasty and Slough a succesion of traffic lights.

    It depends how busy or lanesy you want to get really. If you don't mind reasonably busy:

    1. A4020 Uxbridge Road to the Denham A40/M40 Roundabout
    2. A40 to Beaconsfield
    3. Turn south towards Wooburn & Marlow
    4. In Bourne End head either for Cookham and then Marlow for the pretty route, or directly through the arse-end of Marlow
    5. Get on the A4155 to Henley, and either stay on that road for Caversham & Reading, or there's a nicer route through Rotherfield and Sonning.
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    The easiest way I know to get out West is Richmond - Kingston - Chertsey. From there I would go Virginia Water - Ascot - Binfield - Wokingham or Sonning to get to Reading. It is not the most direct route but the easiest way to cycle out of London imho.

    http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2349464
    <a>road</a>
  • DaSy
    DaSy Posts: 599
    I do a regular ride from Pangbourne to Windsor and back that is mostly quiet roads, so if Windsor is any help, try:
    take B3024 toward Oakley Green and Fifield and follow for about 5 miles until you reach a T junction with the A330and turn left. After 1/4 mile take a right turn to continue on the B3024towrad Paley Street and Twyford. Follow for about 6 miles into Twyford centre.
    From Twyford centre there are a few options to get into Reading depending on where you are aimiing to go.
    I carry on into Twyford to the main crossroads, straight over toward Sonning after about 1.5 miles go straight over the big roundabout still heading for Sonning, over the river bridge and go left at the next roudabout onto the A4155 and into Caversham which is a stones through from the town centre.
    Si
    Complicating matters since 1965
  • cento percento
    cento percento Posts: 14
    Thanks everyone - that is really useful. I have bought a map today and I will plot your routes on. I suspect the person I'm going to see will be a little confused when I turn up on the bike, but it does seem preferable to the train or the car... I am glad that it is possible to do it without resorting to cycling along the M4 :D
  • Russell Smith
    Russell Smith Posts: 229
    Another alternative is

    Kew
    Richmond
    Kingston
    Hampton Court
    Lower Sunbury (Left at the Pumping Station)
    along the Thames
    Chertsey
    Thorpe
    Virgina Water
    Ascot
    Bracknell
    Wokingham
    Winnersh
    Earley
    and Reading

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