UK weekend route suggestion

[jackt]

I'd missed that the OP was in SE London.

In that case I'd suggest heading for Canterbury/Whitstable/Margate area.

Direct trains from Victoria. Some of them stop at Bromley South which may be useful for the OP. e.g https://cycle.travel/map/journey/393068

Nice thing about those Kentish lines is that there are lots of intermediate stopping stations, in case a bail out is required.

[JayM]

These are such great suggestions, thanks for getting behind this.

I'm especially loving all the east of England or Midlands suggestions. I'm a Nottingham lad originally and know the "triangle" between Nottingham, Newark and Mansfield very well; but the rest of the region surprisingly little!

[JayM]

Thanks for introducing me to cycle.travel, group! I'm finding it very addictive, much better than Cyclestreets.

Have used it to plot a Hereford-Worcester route and another that goes from Rugby to Warwick (only 20 miles BUT you can cycle right round the reservoir near Rugby too).

[sjs]

These are such great suggestions, thanks for getting behind this.

I'm especially loving all the east of England or Midlands suggestions. I'm a Nottingham lad originally and know the "triangle" between Nottingham, Newark and Mansfield very well; but the rest of the region surprisingly little!

I used to cycle often with my friends, from home in Ilkeston to Matlock, Chatsworth, Newstead Abbey, Hardwick Hall etc, from age 11 onwards. Happy days!

[axel_knutt]

You say a weekend, are you looking for one route with accommodation/transport midway, or two sepeartate routes? Is your mileage each day or total?

[JayM]

You say a weekend, are you looking for one route with accommodation/transport midway, or two sepeartate routes? Is your mileage each day or total?

Ideally, one route with a stop at least halfway through.

[zenitb]

“Downslink” Guildford to Shoreham, very flat, but surprisingly bumpy surface in places, has a nice continuation along the seafront to Brighton on NCN2, easy trains both ends.

Here is the route that Nearholmer suggests in a clickable cycle.travel url

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/398758

Nice route - plenty of tea shops along the way

[JayM]

Thanks zenitb. Is it suitable for a tourer?

I like the idea of a seafront extension. Or I could extend it the OTHER direction to Kingston as a kind of "alternative London to Brighton"...

[al_yrpal]

Reading to Oxford is also a contender but the hills are scary!

That used to be a day ride (there and back) for me when I lived just North of Reading. The route up to Stoke Row from Reading is pretty gentle so if you ride from Reading you will miss the Benson Hill which is easily avoided anyway.

In Reading you can view the replica Bayeaux tapestry and on the way enjoy the ride through the woods, clock the Maharaja's Well, pay homage at Lord Nuffields headstone and see some lovely countryside. Plenty to see and do in Oxford.

Al

[Nearholmer]

You can easily do it on a tourer; I’ve done it on one, and a CX, and a gravel-ish bike, all loaded for light touring. It’s not a nice smooth path throughout, some of it is, but some seems to be surfaced with builders rubble, and some with peaty mud on wet weather. There is one short, sharp hill where it goes over the top of. Rather than through long bridge/short tunnel, and one mild hill, but the rest is railway gradients.

Do continue to Brighton - that bit is a dead flat run along the sea front mostly on reserved cycleway and only takes about an extra half hour.

Last time I went that way, I came down via Windsor and Woking, and you are right: eminently suitable for a start from Kingston-upon-Thames. I couldn’t find a decent off-road path Woking to the edge of Guildford, but the back roads were pretty quiet.

As a PS, there is a Kingston in Shoreham too, so I got a bit confused about what you meant at first.

[pete75]

These are such great suggestions, thanks for getting behind this.

I'm especially loving all the east of England or Midlands suggestions. I'm a Nottingham lad originally and know the "triangle" between Nottingham, Newark and Mansfield very well; but the rest of the region surprisingly little!

Newark to Boston - about 55 miles. Flat, much offroad on well surfaced cycle tracks and almost all the rest on quiet lanes. One large city to go through, Lincoln, but almost all of that is off road.

[JayM]

Thanks to everyone who responded.

With your help, I have decided on either:
1) Eastbourne to Three Bridges
2) Hastings to East Grinstead
3) Swindon to Didcot via the Vale of the White Horse (think you can see it from the road?)

Best wishes.

[matt_twam_asi]

Re: route 1 - my recommendation is to reverse it. Eastbourne is a nice destination, Three Bridges is.... not.

[Nearholmer]

Agree about three bridges, but if the OP lives in London they can be home from there on the train in half an hour.

[scoot]

Hi,

I know I'm a bit late to the post but maybe consider this at a later date.

My sons and I did what I termed the Eat Anglian Coast to Coast (EAC2C), it woyuld be perfect from SE London with trains to both the start and finish locations via Liverpool Street.

My ride was from Wivenhoe (just beyond Colchester) overnight in Thetford and finish in Sheringham. Its about 110 miles, relatively flat - typical East Anglian undulations.

Wivenhoe is on the Colne, has its own station and several Cafes and shops to stock up pre ride.
The Thetford Area is pretty much midway and has lots of accomodation options.
Sheringham is a lovely seeside town, trains direct to Norwich and has allsorts of cafes bars, accomodation.we did'nt go on anything big apart from a short stretch entering Thetford where I missed a cycle path.

There are several NCN's to give different route options, lots of quiet roads and

I was on a light tourer, my eldest was on an endurance bike and my youngster was on a mountainbike with 2 inch slicks. You'll be great on a tourer.

Give it a go, we totally enjoyed it.

Paul