Route for a Liverpool to London ride

[philrobinson]

Hi Guys and girls

Just wondering if anyone here may have ridden from Liverpool to Hatfield, Herfordshire and if so do you have a good route. I will be on a road bike and I am looking to challenge myself at the end of the summer when fitness will be peaked to do it in a day. My dad lives in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Any help with tried and tested routes would be gratefully received so any routes going from Liverpool to London would work and then I can detour off near the end to Hatfield. Hoping to stay off major trunk roads if possible I know its going to be around 230 miles. Thank Phil

[jgurney]

As with many city to city rides, exactly where in each you start and finish can make a big difference to the route. Riding from Moreton to Uxbridge would be a quite different route from going from Huyton to Romford.

Do you mean that you want to go from centre to centre via Hatfield? That would be on the order of 210 - 230 miles. To be able to maintain the speeds needed do that in one day, you would have to stick to the direct main roads - the first part would depend on whether you to planned to cross the Mersey by the Runcorn-Widness Bridge or the ferry, then to Stone, then the A51 to Tamworth and the old A5 to Harpenden, then over to Hatfield and down the old A1 to London.

[philrobinson]

sorry not going to London just to Hatfield. Hoping to stay off the Trunk roads if possible. Would go over the Runcorn bridge

[jgurney]

Still about 190 - 200 miles. To cover that in a day you won't be able to choose routes that involve picking your way among unsigned paths around new housing estates or meandering along country lanes. I've not done such a ride, but it looks to me like Runcorn - Comerbach - Middlewich - Sandbach - Alsagar - Stoke on T. - Stone - Litchfield - A5 to Dunstable - Hatfield.

In theory a cyclist could get most of the way, from near Runcorn to Leighton Buzzard, following canals, but that would take about three days riding at practical towpath speeds. A country lane route might get up to 250 - 300 miles.

[philrobinson]

thanks just looking on ride with GPS now will keep you posted

[philrobinson]

Hi what do you think of this ride used ride with GPS and then went in and changed routes where it was taking me on tow paths etc

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27229234

[jgurney]

It is adding about 30 miles in order to avoid 2-lane A-roads, mainly Watling Street / the original A5 route. That road is quite busy but is quite rideable - it is an expanded country lane rather than a purpose-built main road and much of it is superseded by newer roads (e.g. the M1) which have removed much of the larger and faster traffic. Use Google Earth to get a look at some points along it and decide if it is worth adding 20+ miles to avoid it.

On a smaller scale, I don't see the point of the diversion between mile 41 and mile 47, doing 6 miles instead of 3 to avoid this road: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.23998 ... authuser=0

[Norman H]

I have to agree with jgurney concerning the use of A roads. They are invariably straighter and generally less hilly. In particular I would be looking to pick up the A5 somewhere south of Rugby. You should avoid the dual carriageway through Milton Keynes by using the old road.

[Annoying Twit]

Hi what do you think of this ride used ride with GPS and then went in and changed routes where it was taking me on tow paths etc

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27229234

I think that the route that cycle.travel is better and about the same length. http://cycle.travel/map?from=liverpool& ... -0.2258741

For the cycle.travel route, it takes a number of roads and goes through areas that I'm familiar with between Burton on Trent and Lutterworth. The ridewithgps route, much less so.

[philrobinson]

hi Annoying unfortunately I only have a road bike and some of that route is on tracks so not sure how the bike would handle it or me to that matter but will have a look at the section in the middle thanks

[Annoying Twit]

hi Annoying unfortunately I only have a road bike and some of that route is on tracks so not sure how the bike would handle it or me to that matter but will have a look at the section in the middle thanks

I find that any route I get from any map needs to be refined a bit. The bit of Route 63 north of Measham is partially on a dirt track, but I have only ever ridden it on a road bike with skinny tyres. Never had a problem as it's quite firm. Riding after lengthy rain may be a problem, however.

[philrobinson]

thanks for that

[Pali]

Hi,

I am going to be doing a Charity Ride in March from Liverpool to London, and was wondering about routes you have done or the best way to plan it with a support van. i will be riding on my own.

thank you in advanced

[philrobinson]

How many days are you cycling it over and also do you want to go via B roads

[Pali]

Hi,

Will be cycling over two day with a stop over in Coventry. I don'd mind going on B roads as longs as a SUV can drive along them.