Brighton to Cornwall

[eileithyia]

Those are long days in the saddle. You might just about cope with 2 days running but not 3. One of the hard parts is getting up and going again each day.
Where do you plan to stay. Camping; do not underestimate how tiring camping can be after a long day's riding that you are not used to. Constantly walking to and fro between tent and facilities, possibly queuing post C-19 re-opening of facilities. Sorting out tents, kit food and cooking.

Devon and Cornwall are hilly... and hard work you may well find you are in your 24 inch gear... ie walking....You could be lucky to achieve an average daily speed of 10mph.

At least one weekend away to practise is a good idea... take the kit you think you need, go a day's ride away from home, set up, put away and ride home again to see what it is like... once home discard unused stuff and think what you actually need.

[Cowsham]

Good advice there -- I've done 100 miles in one day and it's a long way on hilly ground. I didn't get much time to admire the views when stopping to eat. Took me an hour to find, buy food and eat ( cos you need to eat so much stuff ) some stops. Also take plenty of t shirts on each leg of the journey as I found it's nice to get the wet sweaty one changed before eating and/or setting off again. Managed to do about 10MPH average. ( non electric and travelling light ie full circle don't know how I'd do fully loaded with camp gear -- you could probably half that journey per day.

[whorse@live.co.uk]

Thanks for the comments, they are all really helpful. I usually commute 50miles a day with an average speed of 18/19mph. But this is from Kent to Redhill so it’s pretty up and down, but no long climbs.

Perhaps I am biting off more than I can chew and the more direct route through Exeter seems like a better idea. I was thinking around 10mph average speed would be about 10-11 hours.

I am staying in hotels and booked comfort. However, the Barnstable leg I could cancel and book somewhere a little more central.

I have arranged for luggage transfers to take our stuff from one place to the next so I’ll just be carrying the the usual tools I take on all my rides. I was thinking a chain link, but would it I better just buying a spare chain? (All these things to think about)

It would be nice to see a bit of Cornwall, I have never ever been and that’s why I have chosen to cycle this route.

I’ve looked into returning by train but tickets are £67.00 each and takes 5.5 hours to reach london. Then I have to get the train to kent. Our preference is a mini bus takes us back home. I think it will only be a little more than the train but direct and quicker.

[Cowsham]

Thanks for the comments, they are all really helpful. I usually commute 50miles a day with an average speed of 18/19mph. But this is from Kent to Redhill so it’s pretty up and down, but no long climbs.

Perhaps I am biting off more than I can chew and the more direct route through Exeter seems like a better idea. I was thinking around 10mph average speed would be about 10-11 hours.

I am staying in hotels and booked comfort. However, the Barnstable leg I could cancel and book somewhere a little more central.

I have arranged for luggage transfers to take our stuff from one place to the next so I’ll just be carrying the the usual tools I take on all my rides. I was thinking a chain link, but would it I better just buying a spare chain? (All these things to think about)

It would be nice to see a bit of Cornwall, I have never ever been and that’s why I have chosen to cycle this route.

I’ve looked into returning by train but tickets are £67.00 each and takes 5.5 hours to reach london. Then I have to get the train to kent. Our preference is a mini bus takes us back home. I think it will only be a little more than the train but direct and quicker.

50 miles round trip cycle commute a day is a lot (I only do 30 but not every day ) so I don't think you'll suffer on the journey -- what about your mates are they as bike fit as you?

[Cowsham]

Oh and just take a chain link and change the chain, if it's done a load o miles, before you go.

[whorse@live.co.uk]

They do not cycle as regular as me but they have got some big days in them. 4 of us commute but this tour will push them to do more as they are all keen to get fitter.

30 miles is still good, that would be my ideal commute because that is not too short and not too long. In the rain, 25 miles can be hell.

I did recently change my chain so perhaps just a chain link.

Thanks again for taking the time and commenting

[jgurney]

I’ve looked into returning by train but tickets are £67.00 each and takes 5.5 hours to reach london. Then I have to get the train to kent. Our preference is a mini bus takes us back home. I think it will only be a little more than the train but direct and quicker.

If there are three of you, a freight van with a three seat cab should do, and would probably be a lot cheaper than a minibus for a one-way hire. I just looked and was surprised how cheap they might be: Enterprise are offering a Vivaro van collected from Penzance and returned at Sevenoaks the next day at £160 (£60 1-day hire and £100 for dropping off at a different depot), although there may be more fees that would only appear once inside the booking process, which I did not start, and of course add fuel costs.

On the other hand with fuel that would still come to much the same as the train fares, but one of you has to do the driving and you will have to stop for breaks on route.

[Cowsham]

I’ve looked into returning by train but tickets are £67.00 each and takes 5.5 hours to reach london. Then I have to get the train to kent. Our preference is a mini bus takes us back home. I think it will only be a little more than the train but direct and quicker.

If there are three of you, a freight van with a three seat cab should do, and would probably be a lot cheaper than a minibus for a one-way hire. I just looked and was surprised how cheap they might be: Enterprise are offering a Vivaro van collected from Penzance and returned at Sevenoaks the next day at £160 (£60 1-day hire and £100 for dropping off at a different depot), although there may be more fees that would only appear once inside the booking process, which I did not start, and of course add fuel costs.

On the other hand with fuel that would still come to much the same as the train fares, but one of you has to do the driving and you will have to stop for breaks on route.

I have a vivaro and we could put 3 mountain bikes in each fully loaded up ( panniers stuffed ) for a weeks camping tour. 4 bikes wouldn't be possible. You'd need a Renault master or maybe a long wheel base van -- mines short wb

[jgurney]

4 bikes wouldn't be possible. You'd need..

Ah, if there are 4 or more of them than no freight van would do as none have more than 3 seats.

[whoof]

I've ridden Brighton/Bristol or reverse a few times it's about 150 miles but relatively flat so no problem in a day. From Brighton the route follows near the coast and then towards Chichester, Wa terrlooville, Havant, Eastleigh( fish and chips at Wetherspoons), Sailsbury. If you are heading to Cornwall I would then head towards Exeter via Shaftsbury ( can recommend John Peel cafe), Sherborne and Axminster . From Exeter old A30 to Launceston.
You then need to decide of you want to get over Bodmin moor fast (A30) or scenic possibly NCN 3 and then up to Newquay.

BTW the are a lot nicer places in Cornwall than Newquay.

[Mick F]

...................and then up to Newquay.

BTW the are a lot nicer places in Cornwall than Newquay.

Indeed there are.

[whorse@live.co.uk]

I would prefer the scenic route, what is Bodmin mood, doesn’t sound nice. Good point, we said Newquay because we could get a train home. However, if we hire a mini bus it can perhaps be open to finishing in another place. Somewhere with some nice pubs to sinks few on the Saturday would be ideal

[Mick F]

Pubs!


Where are you wanting to go in Cornwall?

The problem with cycling into Cornwall, is Bodmin Moor.
Bodmin Moor can only be crossed by using the A30 dual carriageway, so you have to go south of it or north of it.
Away from the coasts, south of Bodmin Moor has more hills than north of it ............. but the actual coast-roads are just as hilly north or south.

Cornwall is a peninsula, and it gets narrower and narrower as you go into it, so routes are a bit difficult to choose between.
Widens up a bit down the end though.

100ft of ascent per mile is normal here.

[whoof]

I would prefer the scenic route, what is Bodmin mood, doesn’t sound nice. Good point, we said Newquay because we could get a train home. However, if we hire a mini bus it can perhaps be open to finishing in another place. Somewhere with some nice pubs to sinks few on the Saturday would be ideal

Providing you stick to the path and avoid the Beast you should be alright.
I really like Bodmin Moor, from the remains of the runways of the WW2 base at Davidstow there are quite lanes as you pass things of interest like a small clapper bridge then a section of the Camel trail to Bodmin and you get a good view of Brown Willy! Of courses of it's blowing a gale and lashing down it's not very pleasant but where is?

Depends what you mean by nice pubs! Newquay has plenty of pubs whether they are nice or not it's a matter of opinion. IMO St Ives also has plenty of pubs and it's a nicer place and it's also on the train line. But it's further to ride!

[Mick F]

......................... and don't forget that places such as St Ives are pronounced as "sen-ives" and the village of St Ive is pronounced "sen-eeve".
............... not to mention St Austell ....................... pronounced Snozzle.

Get it wrong, and you sound like an emmet.