Looking for commuter routes Basingstoke to Thatcham

[MrCJF]

Hi,

I'm switching jobs soon and will be working in Thatcham. Currently I cycle Fleet to Brookwood using a mix of road, canal path and army land. Route varies according to weather, traffic etc. and is 11 - 14 miles

I won't manage a full cycle commute to Thatcham from Fleet, but Basingstoke Rail station to Thatcham looks to be a similar distance, just on roads I don't know at all.

Is anyone familiar with those roads (or any off road paths) at rush hour times able to give advice?

[ChrisP100]

Have you tried using the Komoot app (Free map bundle with UK cycling membership)?

https://www.cyclinguk.org/member-benefi ... map-bundle

[richardfm]

You could see what cycle.travel suggests
[Edit]
This is what it came up with
https://cycle.travel/map?from=Basingsto ... ,-1.257412

[MrCJF]

I was hoping for personal experience from any forum members.

I've used Garmin Connect and I'm going over the suggested gravel/unpaved route with Google Street View. I'll try there road route suggestions as well ( it's always good to have multiple options). I can try Map My Ride, Komoot or other software as well.


I'll try the Fleet Cycling facebook page, but it's a bit cheeky, as I only rode with them once about three years ago.

[ChrisP100]

I was hoping for personal experience from any forum members.

I've used Garmin Connect and I'm going over the suggested gravel/unpaved route with Google Street View. I'll try there road route suggestions as well ( it's always good to have multiple options). I can try Map My Ride, Komoot or other software as well.


I'll try the Fleet Cycling facebook page, but it's a bit cheeky, as I only rode with them once about three years ago.

It's been over 20 years since I lived in the area (near Hook) and I've only been back a couple of times since then (Farnborough & Fleet). The roads have changed quite a bit since I lived up that way. I seem to recall the rush hour traffic being quite sketchy at the best of times and it seemed to come in waves.

[basingstoke123]

Hi CJF

I know most of the area, but not Thatcham, and no idea what the yellow roads are like during rush hour. But (to me) they are good for leisure weekend cycling.

I've just tried Google Maps, with the cycle option, and it gave me the same route as I would have chosen. Except for escaping Basingstoke.

Route going northwards
Sherborne St John (not A340), cross A340 (short section on), Monk Sherborne, Charter Alley (narrowish road immediately north of Charter Alley), skirt the western edge of Baughurst (Baughurst & Tadley (AWE) merge together), Brimpton. Google then suggests the canal (I assume a tow path!). Alternatives: keep going north to the A4 (no idea what that is like), or use the yellow road south of the canal to the eastern end of Greenham Common. This is actually a main road.

Main alternative: A340 to Tadley.
Bad alternative: A339, turning of at Headley (the ford has a footbridge). Although only a bit further west, it is much hillier, besides being very busy, and nasty for cycling on. No way I would (except wider short bits near Basingstoke).

Escaping Basingstoke

Google is poor for cycling, as the suggested route is mostly CRAP, or just RAP - (Cycle) Route Along Pavement.

The simplest: initially depends on which side you leave the railway station.

If leaving from the main entrance (south side), turn immediately right, join the road to go under the railway, forking left up Chapel Hill (*), right at the small roundabout to Sherbourne Road. At the road junction (give way) with Oakridge Road, go straight over (no through road), through underpass (*). At the road, turn right, follow east, then bends north. Turn right onto Popley Way, then left at the lights. Follow signs to Sherborne St John (right, then left just past school).

If leaving from the north entrance: left out of station, right onto Vyne Road. Go up, road turns left into Darlington Road. At give way to Sherbourne Road, turn right. Then as above.

There is a footbridge over the Ringway you could use instead of the underpass (further east), which would be shorter, but involves footpath cycling. Personally, I use the underpass and roads route.

My OS map shows a (yellow) road to the left of the school (Everest). It is wrong - this road was blocked when the school was built. But would have been the ideal route!

(*) Chapel Hill has a brand new shared use cycle path. The road is safer.
(**) The underpass and connecting paths either side are segregated!

OS Maps
174 (Newbury & Wantage) covers most of the area
175 (Reading & Windsor) only need the bottom left corner (excluding the overlap with the Basingstoke map, just need 3 squares, 2 of which are optional). Yes, a pain!
185 (Winchester & Basingstoke) But OS Landrangers are limited use within towns.

[MrCJF]

Thanks for such a detailed reply. Sounds similar to the Garmin Conect suggested gravel route - mostly backroads with occasional bridleway. The road to Greenham Common has always been quiet when I've driven it, and there are one or two off-road sections indicated along the road.
I may pop out one weekend to see the roads when they are quiet - and to check for flooding/ surface issues on the bridleways.