Cinder tracks around north Northampton

[Mikeq666]

Hi

Going to be away for work and staying north of Northampton. EastHaddon or Crick ... around that way. Anyone know any decent cycle paths around there. I'll be on a HT 29 MTB so doesn't need to be tarmac. Plenty of country roads but from what I've seen they are full of mental speeding drivers.

Looking to do 20-30 miles with a bit of elevation if possible?

Cheers

Mike

[Hemipode]

You'll be ideally located for the Brampton Valley Way https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/rou ... valley-way .
Not much elevation on the BVW as such as it's an old railway line, but there is plenty if you divert off it along the country roads that disect it. Many of them are quiet and free from "mental speeding drivers"

[Mikeq666]

Great ... looks good. If I stay market harborough I might be able to commute to Northampton for 3 days if the place I'm working at has showers. Worst case a bit of after work riding.

Cheers

Mike

[Hemipode]

It's a good run between Northampton and Market Harborough. Make sure you have decent lights for the tunnels, some areas of the surface in them can be a bit rough at times!

[Tigerbiten]

If you want a hill then there's a 200' climb on a track between the BVW and up towards the Brixworth country park that's not tarmaced.
I have great fun dropping down it on my bent trike.
There's a short section of road to the park and the track around the res has gentle undulations.

The Northampton end of the BVW is a PITA on my bent trike.
Thick clay mud under the railway line and an anti-cycling barrier that's virtually impassable with my trike-trailer rig.
But you should be fine on a bike.

Luck ...........

[Mikeq666]

Just double checking ... is this track best with knoblies or semi slicks. Is it going to be pretty muddy or is it fairly compact cinder track.

Cheers

Mike

[Tigerbiten]

It's a few years since I've used it but ........

99.9% of the BVW was good macadam.
But there where patches in the cuttings where vegetation had covered the track in muck.
The tunnels was floored in thin mud over macadam.
And then there's the bit under the railway line.

So semi slicks should be fine.

Luck ............

[mjr]

It's a few years since I've used it but ........

99.9% of the BVW was good macadam.

Just to make sure everyone realises that macadam is often far rougher than tarmacadam due to the lack of, well, tar smoothing over the gaps. I was quite surprised by how much slower it was on road bikes. I don't think we have much macadam in Norfolk or Cambs.

[Mikeq666]

Haha ... indeed ... google images are your friend. Just googled it ... looks easy enough!

Thanks for the feedback.

[Hemipode]

Pretty much as Tigerbiten has already said, firm but a little slippy in places. I've seen road and mountain bikers use it happily. Enjoy!