What's your favourite ride?

[nez]

It's the border between Essex and Suffolk. Constable country. It undulates - nothing a Welshman, Yorkshireman an or inhabitant of the Peaks (I wonder what they're called?) would call a valley.

[ukdodger]

My favourite local loop http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1019958

Unfortunately, Wark bridge http://goo.gl/maps/DhCTT is going to be closed for most of this year so I'm going to have to find an alternative. Not easy as there aren't many bridges across the North Tyne.

Nice one. Looks like ut picks up a river too. I love cycling alongside rivers which is one thing I miss down here. There arent many rivers in Surrey.

[Vorpal]

My 'favourite' depends on my mood and the conditions. Generally, I'd rather take a short ride with the whole family and stop for a snack or lunch, than anything else. But if I just need to get away for a while or something, I'll pick scenery and quiet roads. My current favourite serenity ride is to here. It's a lovely lake, and the cycle path is good.

The Stour Valley seems to approximate to the Painters Trail where I shall go in late June. Is there a good central campsite I can use?

I don't know if it central enough for you, but there's a campsite (and a good pub the last time I was there) at Polstead. I guess it's about 7 or 8 miles from Flatford.

It's also possible for groups to arrange to stay near Flatford cottage (I know a couple of people who've stayed there for art weekends), but I don't know how that works, nor how to make arrangements.

Otherwise, I'd probably ask a farmer for spot in a fallow field, or something.

[ukdodger]

My 'favourite' depends on my mood and the conditions. Generally, I'd rather take a short ride with the whole family and stop for a snack or lunch, than anything else. But if I just need to get away for a while or something, I'll pick scenery and quiet roads. My current favourite serenity ride is to here. It's a lovely lake, and the cycle path is good.

The Stour Valley seems to approximate to the Painters Trail where I shall go in late June. Is there a good central campsite I can use?

I don't know if it central enough for you, but there's a campsite (and a good pub the last time I was there) at Polstead. I guess it's about 7 or 8 miles from Flatford.

It's also possible for groups to arrange to stay near Flatford cottage (I know a couple of people who've stayed there for art weekends), but I don't know how that works, nor how to make arrangements.

Otherwise, I'd probably ask a farmer for spot in a fallow field, or something.

.
Never been to Norway. That bit looks really nice. If only all cycle paths were like that. Although having been cycling for nearly fifty years without them I guess I should be grateful for what we've now got.

[Mick F]

Mick what's the flattest way of getting from Liskheard to Hayle? Have to do that in the summer and I know what Cornwall is like. The last time I did this it took me eleven hours. All because of the hills!

Liskeard to Hayle eh?

Here we go:
Start in the middle of Liskeard and go round to the north of the town past the Primary school, then down the steep hill and under the A38 to follow the Old A38 up through Dobwalls. If you follow signposts to Dobwalls - or look at a map - you'll be on the dual carriageway and it's awful.

From there, follow the A390 through the Tap Houses - East, Middle and West - and turn off for Lanhydrock and Bodmin. If you stay on the A390, you have to climb out of Lostwithiel - horrible hill! - and end up going through St Austell and Truro.

From Bodmin, go via Quintrell Downs, just south of Newquay and Goonhavern and you can get onto the Old A30 for Indian Queens, then Redruth, Camborne ...............and Hayle!

Route here: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... rse=492143

[pioneer]

For the Stour Valley, parts of which I use at least once a week, you could use the YHA at Brantham. Also a camp site at East End, East Bergholt, though haven't stayed at either myself. At Edwardstone (a little further north than Polstead), is the White Horse PH. It's a micro-brewery with it's own camping field. Excellent grub too.

One of my favourite routes is getting the train up to Norfolk (leaving Ipswich at 0709 gives all day up there, back at about 1730) and riding over through Holt, Wells next the Sea, then over to the Burnham's if it's a summer ride and there's plenty of time, or going the other way and doing a loop of the Northern Broads. Salhouse to Acle for coffee via South Walsham, up through Thurne and Potter Heigham to the Pleasure Boat Inn at Hickling Broad for lunch, pootle down through Worstead and back to Wroxham for the afternoon train. Perfect!

Compared to Suffolk, Norfolk is less populated (especially mid-week when all the second-homers are away) and the skies are just enormous. You can go for miles without seeing a soul.

Suits me!

[meic]

At the moment: The B road from Hay on Wye to Hereford.
Because you have finally broken out of the hills on to some nice fast FLAT road where you can hold a good speed (normally with a tail wind) and which I havent ridden on hundreds of time before.
With the obvious pre-requisite that it is fairly traffic-free.

[pete75]

One that sticks in the mind is the coastal route from Warkworth down to Tynemouth. About the best and least known bit of coastline in the country and an interesting mix of rural/urban.

[ukdodger]

Mick what's the flattest way of getting from Liskheard to Hayle? Have to do that in the summer and I know what Cornwall is like. The last time I did this it took me eleven hours. All because of the hills!

Liskeard to Hayle eh?

Here we go:
Start in the middle of Liskeard and go round to the north of the town past the Primary school, then down the steep hill and under the A38 to follow the Old A38 up through Dobwalls. If you follow signposts to Dobwalls - or look at a map - you'll be on the dual carriageway and it's awful.

From there, follow the A390 through the Tap Houses - East, Middle and West - and turn off for Lanhydrock and Bodmin. If you stay on the A390, you have to climb out of Lostwithiel - horrible hill! - and end up going through St Austell and Truro.

From Bodmin, go via Quintrell Downs, just south of Newquay and Goonhavern and you can get onto the Old A30 for Indian Queens, then Redruth, Camborne ...............and Hayle!

Route here: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... rse=492143

Cheers Mick. That's what I wanted.

[ukdodger]

For the Stour Valley, parts of which I use at least once a week, you could use the YHA at Brantham. Also a camp site at East End, East Bergholt, though haven't stayed at either myself. At Edwardstone (a little further north than Polstead), is the White Horse PH. It's a micro-brewery with it's own camping field. Excellent grub too.

One of my favourite routes is getting the train up to Norfolk (leaving Ipswich at 0709 gives all day up there, back at about 1730) and riding over through Holt, Wells next the Sea, then over to the Burnham's if it's a summer ride and there's plenty of time, or going the other way and doing a loop of the Northern Broads. Salhouse to Acle for coffee via South Walsham, up through Thurne and Potter Heigham to the Pleasure Boat Inn at Hickling Broad for lunch, pootle down through Worstead and back to Wroxham for the afternoon train. Perfect!

Compared to Suffolk, Norfolk is less populated (especially mid-week when all the second-homers are away) and the skies are just enormous. You can go for miles without seeing a soul.

Suits me!

'and the skies are just enormous. You can go for miles without seeing a soul. '

Yes please. That's for me!

[Mick F]

Cheers Mick. That's what I wanted.

That's ok!
Just thinking - without re-doing the BRT route - when you leave St Columb on the Quinrell Downs road, you could cut the corner off and turn left to go via Gummow's Shop and St Newlyn East. Quieter and a bit shorter, but no better really.

[pioneer]

The sun's just come out and I can't help thinking.... must do some miles.If still OK at the weekend, might be just be jumping on the train again.

[Vorpal]

Compared to Suffolk, Norfolk is less populated (especially mid-week when all the second-homers are away) and the skies are just enormous. You can go for miles without seeing a soul.

Suits me!

'and the skies are just enormous. You can go for miles without seeing a soul. '

Yes please. That's for me!

Then avoid it during summer weekends. The roads, especially in coastal areas, are chock full of people who are in such a hurry to go somewhere and relax that they forget that they are pulling a trailer full of the stuff they need to do it.

Other than that, there is some lovely cycling there.

[ukdodger]

Compared to Suffolk, Norfolk is less populated (especially mid-week when all the second-homers are away) and the skies are just enormous. You can go for miles without seeing a soul.

Suits me!

'and the skies are just enormous. You can go for miles without seeing a soul. '

Yes please. That's for me!

Then avoid it during summer weekends. The roads, especially in coastal areas, are chock full of people who are in such a hurry to go somewhere and relax that they forget that they are pulling a trailer full of the stuff they need to do it.

Other than that, there is some lovely cycling there.

Thanks. I'm probably going to pass through it on my Round the Edge tour this summer. If Norfolk is where I think it is that is. Geography was never my strongest subject.

[Vorpal]

Thanks. I'm probably going to pass through it on my Round the Edge tour this summer. If Norfolk is where I think it is that is. Geography was never my strongest subject.

I don't think you can go round the edge of Great Britain and miss Norfolk