Route for East Coast of Britain?

[mnichols]

I was thinking back to rides and tours that I've done, and I think I've ridden the coast from Weymouth down to Cornwall and then up the Severn, around Wales up the West Coast of Scotland to Durness, along the top to John O'Groats, down the A9 to Inverness and then to Edinburgh

So, I was thinking about maybe cycling down the East Coast from Edinburgh to Dover, and then (probably separately) from Dover to Weymouth

I don't want to be slavish or pedantic about taking every coast road especially if a slightly inland route is better, but does anyone have a route or can suggest sections?

I might do Ireland as well but will put up a separate post about that nearer the time

[Cunobelin]

We did the Coast and Castles, Hull to Harwiich,and Garden of Eden Sustains routes as a basis with some alterations where we thought it was too far off the coast

Depends on the definition of "Coast" we had friends in WIsbech, but counted that in as it is still a "tidal" river

[mnichols]

We did the Coast and Castles, Hull to Harwiich,and Garden of Eden Sustains routes as a basis with some alterations where we thought it was too far off the coast

Depends on the definition of "Coast" we had friends in WIsbech, but counted that in as it is still a "tidal" river

Thanks I'll have a look at these - can you recommend any resources or guides?

Just plotted a basic route, and there are definitely some bits I would want to avoid. I don't like big cities, so I would probably cut inland if there is a more scenic route. I would also want to avoid industrial areas/ports and want to take in areas of outstanding beauty such as the South Downs Way.

I would probably do it as a series of short tours: maybe Edinburgh to London; Then London to Brighton (around the coast); South Downs Way; and then from there to Weymouth/Home (which is in Bath)

If anyone can offer local advice about any of these sections: bits to do; areas to avoid I would be grateful as I don't know this part of the country

[mnichols]

We did the Coast and Castles, Hull to Harwiich,and Garden of Eden Sustains routes as a basis with some alterations where we thought it was too far off the coast

Depends on the definition of "Coast" we had friends in WIsbech, but counted that in as it is still a "tidal" river

Thanks I'll have a look at these - can you recommend any resources or guides?

Just plotted a basic route, and there are definitely some bits I would want to avoid. I don't like big cities, so I would probably cut inland if there is a more scenic route. I would also want to avoid industrial areas/ports and want to take in areas of outstanding beauty such as the South Downs Way.

I would probably do it as a series of short tours: maybe Edinburgh to London; Then London to Eastbourne (around the coast) or do the London to Brighton route; South Downs Way (Eastbourne to Winchester); and then from there to Weymouth/Home (which is in Bath)

If anyone can offer local advice about any of these sections: bits to do; areas to avoid I would be grateful as I don't know this part of the country

[mnichols]

Are there any iconic or Sportive Routes I could use along the way?

My thoughts are firming up; so thinking of Coast and Castles from Edinburgh to Newcastle

I've got a gap from Newcastle to Hull - any recommendations?

I'll look at the Hull to Fakenham/Harwich Sustrans Routes - any others to consider for East Anglia?

I've got another Gap from Harwich to London - any recommendations?

Possibly the London to Brighton, unless there is a nice coastal route?

South Downs Way on a MTB from Eastborne to Winchester

Winchester to Weymouth/Home (Bath) should be straight forward

[NUKe]

What about the North sea route
http://www.northsea-cycle.com/

gets you as far as Kent,

[hamster]

There is also the Tour de Manche route from Portsmouth to Penzance.

[gbnz]

I've got a gap from Newcastle to Hull - any recommendations?

I've just had a quick look at the Coast/Castles route; personally I'd have a wide sweep inland to avoid the post industrial landscape between Amble and Middlesborough. Roughly speaking, anything east of the A1 in this patch is worth giving a miss, you'll be cycling in a post industrial landscape full of degraded council estates, empty 1980's industrial estates, with the obligatory bit of "public art" thrown in here and there. To be fair, it's quite incredible how the several open cast mines still open in the early 1990's have been landscaped on their closure; they form some of the most attractive parts of the landscape (Nb. It may give you an idea as to just how bad the rest of it is (Other than the centres of Newcastle and Durham City, which are stunning).

Avoiding the post industrial North East is quite possible via train, while still having access to the centre of Newcastle and Durham City (Pick up a train at Morpeth, disembark at Darlington).

A harder, but thoroughly worthwhile approach, is to head inland from Amble, roughly via Morpeth, Ponteland, Stocksfield, head south over the Durham Dales via Stanhope, MIddleton in Teesdale, with a multitude of routes available from Barnard Castle onwards I.e. head back over to the coast, ensuring you stay south of Middlesborough, or head straight down the Vale of York

[mnichols]

I've got a gap from Newcastle to Hull - any recommendations?

I've just had a quick look at the Coast/Castles route; personally I'd have a wide sweep inland to avoid the post industrial landscape between Amble and Middlesborough. Roughly speaking, anything east of the A1 in this patch is worth giving a miss, you'll be cycling in a post industrial landscape full of degraded council estates, empty 1980's industrial estates, with the obligatory bit of "public art" thrown in here and there. To be fair, it's quite incredible how the several open cast mines still open in the early 1990's have been landscaped on their closure; they form some of the most attractive parts of the landscape (Nb. It may give you an idea as to just how bad the rest of it is (Other than the centres of Newcastle and Durham City, which are stunning).

Avoiding the post industrial North East is quite possible via train, while still having access to the centre of Newcastle and Durham City (Pick up a train at Morpeth, disembark at Darlington).

A harder, but thoroughly worthwhile approach, is to head inland from Amble, roughly via Morpeth, Ponteland, Stocksfield, head south over the Durham Dales via Stanhope, MIddleton in Teesdale, with a multitude of routes available from Barnard Castle onwards I.e. head back over to the coast, ensuring you stay south of Middlesborough, or head straight down the Vale of York

Thanks I'll look into that

[mnichols]

I've got a gap from Newcastle to Hull - any recommendations?

I've just had a quick look at the Coast/Castles route; personally I'd have a wide sweep inland to avoid the post industrial landscape between Amble and Middlesborough. Roughly speaking, anything east of the A1 in this patch is worth giving a miss, you'll be cycling in a post industrial landscape full of degraded council estates, empty 1980's industrial estates, with the obligatory bit of "public art" thrown in here and there. To be fair, it's quite incredible how the several open cast mines still open in the early 1990's have been landscaped on their closure; they form some of the most attractive parts of the landscape (Nb. It may give you an idea as to just how bad the rest of it is (Other than the centres of Newcastle and Durham City, which are stunning).

Avoiding the post industrial North East is quite possible via train, while still having access to the centre of Newcastle and Durham City (Pick up a train at Morpeth, disembark at Darlington).

A harder, but thoroughly worthwhile approach, is to head inland from Amble, roughly via Morpeth, Ponteland, Stocksfield, head south over the Durham Dales via Stanhope, MIddleton in Teesdale, with a multitude of routes available from Barnard Castle onwards I.e. head back over to the coast, ensuring you stay south of Middlesborough, or head straight down the Vale of York

Thanks I'll look into that

[mnichols]

There is also the Tour de Manche route from Portsmouth to Penzance.

Thanks I'll have a look at that, though I'll only need to go as far as Weymouth. It's well trodden path after that for me, as we have been holidaying in that area for years

[captain offensive]

When you say London to Brighton did you mean including via Dover? If to Dover then route one but with diversion from Whitstable to follow the coast around to sandwich on the viking trail is good ( well once you're through Rochester).

If you went direct London to Brighton if you don't mind adding some miles the avenue verte route via Newhaven is good: If you don't want to add the miles I'd still look at plotting a route around Hartfield and Lewes rather than following the direct route which if largely horrible

West from Dover to Brighton is lovely (that's my manor!). From Folkestone follow the coast around Dungeness and then pick up route two again at Lydd. Follow it through rye Hastings and Bexhill. From there can carry on route two which heads inland towards Lewes but drops along the cuckmere valley and the coast near Seaford. Prettier way is to stay on the coast towards Eastbourne and go over beachy head. A nasty bit of main road from east dean to Seaford but it's worth it for the south downs

[mnichols]

When you say London to Brighton did you mean including via Dover? If to Dover then route one but with diversion from Whitstable to follow the coast around to sandwich on the viking trail is good ( well once you're through Rochester).

If you went direct London to Brighton if you don't mind adding some miles the avenue verte route via Newhaven is good: If you don't want to add the miles I'd still look at plotting a route around Hartfield and Lewes rather than following the direct route which if largely horrible

West from Dover to Brighton is lovely (that's my manor!). From Folkestone follow the coast around Dungeness and then pick up route two again at Lydd. Follow it through rye Hastings and Bexhill. From there can carry on route two which heads inland towards Lewes but drops along the cuckmere valley and the coast near Seaford. Prettier way is to stay on the coast towards Eastbourne and go over beachy head. A nasty bit of main road from east dean to Seaford but it's worth it for the south downs

Why one of these options would you recommend?

[mjr]

Depends on the definition of "Coast" we had friends in WIsbech, but counted that in as it is still a "tidal" river

Visiting Wisbech means missing the lovely Sutton Bridge out. Not worth it IMO.

My suggestion would be http://cycle.travel/map/journey/51209 - I've ridden most of Boston-Cromer at various times and it's all fine, and I've ridden some of the Suffolk/Essex border section. There's a few places on the Norfolk coast which might be worth adding as a loop from Route 1, but I wouldn't find it fun to ride far along the coastal A road except in daylight in late autumn or early spring and adding all the loops could easily double the distance. The sea views are possibly better from the ridge of hills used by Route 1 anyway. Pick and mix. One loop I have added is Holkham front gate to Wells-next-the-Sea, which would also allow you to "enjoy" a mile of the A road.

There are a number of ferries involved which would need checking for cycle-friendliness and times and so on, plus I've noticed two routing errors (probably map errors, which I'll check later) - in the centre of King's Lynn it won't go the obvious, direct, signposted, best route along Waterloo Street between the bus and railway stations; and there's a ferry at Burnham-on-Crouch which doesn't connect to the land on the map yet.

[mjr]

http://threecornerscycleride.org.uk/ (hat-tip to smsm1) might give some ideas.