Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

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Jamesh
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Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by Jamesh »

As per the title I'm riding from Donny to bury st Edmund (he passed away last week!) To pick up a camper van I've brought.

Any route suggestions apart from avoiding the A1!

Leaving 7am - 10 hours ride time.

Cheers James
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foxyrider
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by foxyrider »

Jamesh wrote:As per the title I'm riding from Donny to bury st Edmund (he passed away last week!) To pick up a camper van I've brought.

Any route suggestions apart from avoiding the A1!

Leaving 7am - 10 hours ride time.

Cheers James

What a ghastly ride you have in store! Retford, Newark, Sleaford, Kings Lynn, down to Thetford then along to BSE. On the plus side, its pretty damn flat but its very open and featureless most of the way and if the wind's blowing the wrong way, well sooner you than me! There are huge lengths where your only viable route is down the main road - ie from Newark to Kings Lynn, you might escape for short bits but there just aren't the river/drain crossings to avoid the likes of Wisbech, Sutton Bridge and Lynn without adding considerably to your ride distance and time.

Good luck :wink:
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Jamesh
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by Jamesh »

Thanks wind for Saturday us 10-15mph on the nose!!

And there's no turn and roll home!!!

I'll update Saturday evening or Sunday morning!!!

Cheers James
Grandad
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by Grandad »

Reminds me of doing the same. One May we bought a campervan in Salisbury after an inspection by an engineer from Bournemouth. He took it to his garage for some work. When it was ready I rode overnight from Maidstone in Kent to collect it. Journey home was a bit quicker :D
gbnz
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by gbnz »

foxyrider wrote: What a ghastly ride you have in store! Retford, Newark, Sleaford, Kings Lynn, :


:shock: . Thirteen years since I've ridden down there (NB. Apart from taking a short cut from Heathrow to Newcastle upon Tyne in 2008), but god I miss it! Stunning, unique countryside as you head down past Newark & Lincoln, ancient villages & towns and at this time of the year, verges in full flower with unique low land plants, covered in a multitude of butterflies! Definately worth an overnight stop enroute
gbnz
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by gbnz »

Jamesh wrote: Cheers James


James, thank you :wink:

Your post has led me to recognize that heading down to the scenic Dales and/or the Lakes post lockdown in a desperate move to get away, isn't a necessity (NB. Love the areas, but aside from having done it too often, they're bound to be crowded post lockdown

In contrast; if a cheap train ticket can be sourced to head down South, a superb several days cycling beckons heading back North :D . East of the A1 the roads and landscape are quiet, having been largely passed by industrial Britain; yet superb, with every settlement demonstrating centuries of history.
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by Vorpal »

Ghastly? It sounds like a nice ride to me.

I've cycled in both areas, but never from one to the other, and I haven't been in the Doncaster area since the late 90s, when I used to work there occasionally.

Rather than going via Newark, you could go over to Lincoln and pick up NCN1?
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Plus One for Lincolnshire, is it the most beautiful ceremonial county?
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PH
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by PH »

Vorpal wrote:Ghastly? It sounds like a nice ride to me.

Me too, I thought he was joking, but maybe not.
I've ridden Derby>Mildenhall at least a dozen times, which covers much of the same ground, I don't recognise that description at all. There's loads of choice without adding any significant mileage. Here's a route I knocked up in 2 mins, you'll see it's pretty much a straight line and doesn't go anywhere near most of those "Ghastly" places (Not that they are IMO)
https://cycle.travel/map/journey/161137
Jamesh
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by Jamesh »

Sounds good

I've got to get thee earlier so I'm being dropped of at Newark so about 100 miles.

Cheers James
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mjr
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by mjr »

I'd go B road to Fernwood, back road to Claypole, National Byway East to Barkston, back roads to Ropsley, Lenton, Edenham, Manthorpe, Wilsthorpe, West Deeping, Maxey and Glinton, Bourges Boulevard through Peterborough, National 63 to Whittlesey, B roads to Benwick, back road to Chatteris, National Byway and A142 to Ely and Prickwillow, back roads to Mildenhall, Tuddenham and across to National 51 to finish. 111 miles.
https://cycle.travel/map/journey/161249
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Jamesh
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by Jamesh »

As predicted a windy day.

Confirmed purchase details night before but guy had evening date so wanted to leave at 3.30pm

So got dropped off at Grabtham

Grantham to Bourne - nice road not too busy at 6.30 Saturday morning lists to see quaint villages!

Bourne to paterbourgh uneventful taking the old road.

Peterborough is a dump tbh best avoided.

Route across fens via ponder bridge and Ramsey forty food. Blowing a gale reduced to 12mph at times.

Soham Chippenham kentsford nondescript places

All typical little places.

Wicken worth a return visit.

Many thanks for the advice!

Cheers James.
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by PH »

Well done, it would have been a tough day in the fens.
There's good reason my link above skirts around Peterborough, it does have it's charms if you've time to find them, but I usually find it quicker to add a couple of miles going around it.
Jamesh
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by Jamesh »

Yes peterborough is best avoided!!
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mjr
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Re: Route from Doncaster to Bury st Edmunds

Post by mjr »

Surely if you use Bourges Boulevard and the riverside, thereby avoiding most non-priority junctions but not some tightish curves, the detour to avoid Peterborough is only worth it if you cruise at maybe 25mph?
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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