LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

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OldHippo
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Joined: 17 Apr 2013, 9:38pm

LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by OldHippo »

Hi everyone!

I am a newbie poster to this forum but have been studying it closely in recent weeks whilst planning my 1st LEJOG attempt in June - it has been extremely useful so very many thanks to all the previous contributors who have so freely given such good advice.

I am attempting a 12-day LEJOG, averaging around 80 miles per day. Tickets and accomodation are booked, so now I'm down to planning the detailed route each day (using OS maps, etc).

I'm hoping to stay clear of A-roads wherever possible, using B- and C-class ones instead (plus the odd cycle track and canal path). Day 5 is Tewkesbury to Shrewsbury: I'm sorted as far as Worcester, but wondering if anyone with local knowledge could advise a good route(s) from there northwards please?

A443 + B4196 + B4194 to Bewdley then B4194 + B4555 to Bridgnorth, then B4363 to Ironbridge, then B4380 to Shrewsbury looks the obvious non-A-road route. But are there any better options using some C-class roads? (preferably with not too many big hills!) I'm quite happy navigating the C-class lanes.

Thanks in advance...
bikepacker
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by bikepacker »

I do Worcester to Oswestry a couple of times a year and know the route you have chosen is very lumpy, no real big climbs but lot of short sharp ones. In fact the only way to avoid this type of terrain is by using the A roads. You will find the smaller roads on OS are much longer and will not avoid climbs. Beauty is if you are keeping to the west side of the country, once you get north of Ironbridge the terrain starts to level and it is almost flat until the Lake District.
There is your way. There is my way. But there is no "the way".
Richard Fairhurst
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

You can avoid the hills between Bridgnorth and Ironbridge by using NCN45 (good quality gravel path), as per this map. Then continue to Buildwas and B4380 from there.

Bridgnorth-Ironbridge map (data © OpenStreetMap contributors)
Bridgnorth-Ironbridge map (data © OpenStreetMap contributors)
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OldHippo
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by OldHippo »

Thanks Richard, just what I wanted. In fact, looking at the Sustrans site I might even try NCN 45 all the way from Worcester.
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trogg
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by trogg »

As Richard said, the NCN45 between Bridgenorth and Ironbridge is great, however the NCN45 between Bewdley and bridgnorth is very poor in my opinion.... it tends to go all round wrekin and the off road sections can be dangerous.

Last summer me and a friend of mine travelled the NCN45 between Ironbridge and Bewdley (north to south) my friend came off twice on the off road sections causing a large gash to his knee, basically the descents were very steep and had washed away ..... may be different now but I think this section (Bewdley to Bridgenorth) meanders too much.

good luck
boing boing
Richard Fairhurst
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

Worcester to Droitwich is fine - mostly canal towpath.

Droitwich to Bewdley starts out on country lanes, nothing too hilly, and then enters Stourport on a railway path. Minor roads and then a cycle path (bit of a hill) from there to Bewdley.

The next bit through the Wyre Forest, as trogg alludes, is a bit rough in places. I enjoyed it unladen on a hybrid but I'm not sure it's suitable loaded-up on a LEJOG. You then have some very undulating lanes down into the Severn Valley and up again as far as Bridgnorth. There was a fairly infamous section at Chelmarsh but I think the route might have since been diverted onto lanes there.

In short, if you're following NCN 45 on that section, don't stick to the route slavishly - you might get a better experience on the B roads. Unfortunately there isn't really any way to avoid the hills in that part of the world!
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OldHippo
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by OldHippo »

Thanks gents: point noted. Bewdley to Bridgnorth for me will be on the B-roads!
OldHippo
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by OldHippo »

I did this route as part of my LEJOG about 10 days ago. One point to note is that in Bridgnorth the NCN 45 route going north is very poorly signed.

I came into Bridgnorth not on NCN 45 and got to the old bridge over the Severn in the lower part of the town. To find the 45 going north you need to get to the golf course about half a mile north of the town on the west side of the river. Then follow that lane about another half mile northwards and you will find it well signed. The route is along the old railway line (continuation of the Severn Valley line) beside the River Severn and takes you to Coalport / Ironbridge.

Once located it was a pleasant ride of approx 8 miles.
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Si
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by Si »

As Richard said, the NCN45 between Bridgenorth and Ironbridge is great,


You must have a different definition of 'great' to me :wink:
It destroyed my M+ tyre a couple of weeks ago - the surface was so bad. Really unpleasant ride, and I regretted not using the roads despite the traffic and hills.
I actually preferred the bit to the south of Bridgnorth as although rough and muddy, it didn't give the impression that they'd just lifted the railway track and left the old ballast in place like the bit north of Bridgnorth.
Richard Fairhurst
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

Apologies for necroposting, but I thought this was a good place to put it...

NCN 45 from Bewdley to Bridgnorth immediately northwest of Bewdley is not currently rideable (in my 'umble opinion). The old railway path, running roughly east-west, is fine. But when it turns 180° and follows a forestry track, it becomes two miles of mud, plus large stones which the Forestry Commission has "helpfully" put down to manage the mud. Possibly great if you're driving a tractor, but my Bike Friday has rather smaller wheels than a tractor. It's much worse than the last time I rode it a few years back.

The new Sustrans LeJOG guidebook (generally very good) suggests that you go this way. I've emailed the local office to make sure they're aware. For now I'd suggest anyone following the route takes the B-road instead.

(Shame the road on the east bank of the Severn doesn't continue all the way to Arley...)
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hughwill69
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Re: LEJOG route advice please: Worcester to Shrewsbury

Post by hughwill69 »

Sorry- a bit late on this one. Agree entirely about the NCR from Bewdley to Bridgnorth- it's ludicrous in places.
I did a bit of working on this route- I don't think you need to go to Droitwich. The NCR from Bridgnorth to Ironbridge
is fine and you get to ride over the Ironbridge! (Even though I think you're supposed to walk). The B road from
Ironbridge to Shrewsbury is fine and pretty. As you will see, if I were going from Bewdley to Bridgnorth I would
take the B road- it's hilly but only 1200 feet in 14 miles....

Map can be found here:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1533028375
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