Nice Places To Ride for 2 / 3 Days ????

[Witterings]

Given your location, it may be staring you in the face - the Isle of Wight.

Of course, you may already know but everywhere's always different on a bike. Here's my blog on touring the island a few years ago:

https://roundthebendpart1.wordpress.com ... -may-2013/

Graham

The Isle of Wight is lovely but it isn't flat!

The IOW was somewhere I had considered, I googled best places to ride before starting this thread and it came up in the results a couple of times .... my 1st thought was I didn't remember it as being fairly flat but as it's on my doorstep I'm sure I'll do it one day in the relatively near future.

I'm going to start picking one / two a year working my way through them ... really looking forward to getting out and seeing some different scenery and hope others find the replies / info useful to them as well and A HUGE thank you to everyone for all their input

[groberts]

The Isle of Wight is lovely but it isn't flat!

No but it isn't that hilly either, so long as you pick your route carefully - more rolling.

[Witterings]

The Isle of Wight is lovely but it isn't flat!

No but it isn't that hilly either, so long as you pick your route carefully - more rolling.

I meant to say thank you for the link to your blog as well because I'll definitely look at when I do go there!!

[Witterings]

Bit of an afterthought but roughly how many miles do you do a day touring ... I appreciate it'll vary depending on terrain etc.

Our 30 mile rides over a mix of gravel / roads we normally do in about 2 1/2 hrs but that is just riding without out any stops / site seeing. I was thinking we'd get there about 11.00am on day one, do 30 odd miles on that day, 40 the next and 30 on the last day to roll in mid / late afternoon.

The 1st venture will be the Kennet & Avon - Reading to Bristol route ... maybe I'm not allowing enough time and as a lot of it's canal which may keep our pace down as there'll probably be quite a few walkers and probably ant a "reasonably" relaxed pace just to enjoy the views.

Interested to hear what other people typically do in day touring as opposed to an out and out ride.

[mjr]

Bit of an afterthought but roughly how many miles do you do a day touring ... I appreciate it'll vary depending on terrain etc.
[...]
Interested to hear what other people typically do in day touring as opposed to an out and out ride.

First tour had consecutive 50ish mile days IIRC. That was a bit much. You're not only trying to add sightseeing and having to add restocking or eating, but also navigating unfamiliar routes and maybe dealing with unfamiliar surfaces. My route into the local town is a classic example: I can do the five miles in 22 minutes because I know which routes are quickest through the many junctions based on the state when I approach, but a rider unfamiliar would at worst play it safe and take about 7 minutes to get through one interchange.

Anyway, that first tour had one day of about 60 and I was ready to throw the bike - luggage and all - when the hostel fortunately came into view.

Last tour we aimed for 40 more or less and that worked well. 60-90mins, coffee, 60mins, lunch, 90-120mins, look around the town and check in. Occasional day over is OK.

[Witterings]

Cheers for that mjr .. hadn't thought about the checking maps etc slowing you down and I do fancy "taking in the scenery" ... to go and just peg it would totally defeat the object of going somewhere nice / scenic so think my 30/40/30 should be about right

[Oldjohnw]

The phrase 'cycle touring' implies to me that it isn't just about covering most miles in a day but stopping and staring, pouring over a map, taking in a view, having coffee.

[gregoryoftours]

I haven't read the other posts on this thread but up the Suffolk/Norfolk coast from Felixstowe say to Kings Lynn is really nice. The are some cool ferries in Suffolk, including one rowing boat service from walberswick. The ferrywoman here is the 5th generation to do the job in an unbroken family line of 125 years! When I got the ferry she had a sun-bleached Stephen king novel for the down time.

[Bonefishblues]

I haven't read the other posts on this thread but up the Suffolk/Norfolk coast from Felixstowe say to Kings Lynn is really nice. The are some cool ferries in Suffolk, including one rowing boat service from walberswick. The ferrywoman here is the 5th generation to do the job in an unbroken family line of 125 years! When I got the ferry she had a sun-bleached Stephen king novel for the down time.

They work hard when the tide's flowing, don't they!

[gregoryoftours]

I haven't read the other posts on this thread but up the Suffolk/Norfolk coast from Felixstowe say to Kings Lynn is really nice. The are some cool ferries in Suffolk, including one rowing boat service from walberswick. The ferrywoman here is the 5th generation to do the job in an unbroken family line of 125 years! When I got the ferry she had a sun-bleached Stephen king novel for the down time.

They work hard when the tide's flowing, don't they!

I've heard that yes but it wasn't when I crossed.

[Witterings]

I haven't read the other posts on this thread but up the Suffolk/Norfolk coast from Felixstowe say to Kings Lynn is really nice. The are some cool ferries in Suffolk, including one rowing boat service from walberswick. The ferrywoman here is the 5th generation to do the job in an unbroken family line of 125 years! When I got the ferry she had a sun-bleached Stephen king novel for the down time.

They work hard when the tide's flowing, don't they!

Ferry person today didn't have to work too hard with a 200 hp lump on the back

[Vorpal]

Bit of an afterthought but roughly how many miles do you do a day touring ... I appreciate it'll vary depending on terrain etc.

It depends...

I like to stop & take pictures, take my time about lunch, and see some things.

If I have a bunch of sight-seeing stops planned, or other things to do on the way, I will plan mileage around those things. Sometime I get it wrong, and stay somewhere longer than planned, or leave earlier.

If it's off-road, or mostly off-road, I don't plan more than 50 miles or so per day.

On days that I don't have much planned, and just want to get from one place to another, I might do 60 or 70 miles. I don't really like to do more than, though I can in case of problems.

So, anywhere from 30 to 70 miles?

[gxaustin]

I was in Glastonbury last week and we went on some good rides. We rode to Weston and up the Mendips. Wells was very nice and so was Stowe. We even saw the Queen on our way (in Bruton). There are of course other rides too, eg south towards Somerton or south west towards Taunton. Large areas of Somerset are flattish but there are the Mendips too for a few hills.

[rmurphy195]

The Peak District - yes I know the name indicates it wouldn't fit with your flat requirement, but there are enough converted railway tracks to get you most places without overdoing it, Tissington, High Peak, Monsal, Manifold, plus routes round some of the reservoirs and valley roads. Unless you go looking for them, most of the climbs are of the short sharp variety, I've pushed a bike up many of them and it doesn't take much longer than riding.
Plenty of accommodation to suite all, things to see, pleasant towns, good cafes and without the crowds you get in some of the other National Parks.

I'd endorse this one in spades - wonderful views, can travel miles withj only railway gradients (well, except for the ends of the High Peak Trail!) lots of interesting things to see - especially the ends of the High Peak trail! - plus wonderful views, villages, mines and all sorts of stuff. Meander off the tissington Trail at Hartington and go down to the village (bit of a climb back up though), or visit Tissington and other such places.

I would add the that Forest of Dean can be nice. Or how about the Midlands (Stratford, areas south-west of Brum etc.).