Cycling UK Forum

Does anyone know if route 51 between Oxford and Cambridge is fully signed? I can't seem to find a map of the route on the Sustrans website.

I don't know if it's fully signed. According to http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx (click on "cycle"), it is incomplete between Sandy and Eaton Ford.

Hi
thanks for that - I see what you mean. I have tried emailing Sustrans but got no reply.

Can I ask why you are interested? I ask because there is generally little point in following NCN routes. I don't know about the westerly portion, but cycling from Eaton Socon to Cambridge via Huntingdon is a long diversion. A more sensible route takes country lanes via Abbotsley, Gransden, Longstowe, Toft, Comberton and Barton. There is little traffic outside peak hours. (Although a brand-new cycle track will soon open between St Ives and Cambridge.)

I've done the bit from Oxford through Bicester and the Claydons. It's signed but was very difficult to follow through Bicester as it heads through housing estates.

I agree with the suggestion that you should work out your own route using country lanes and the like. Use the town roads through Bicester - busy but safe. The only off road bit I would recommend is the section from Winslow to the east of Milton Keynes. From here the original off road route was a disaster with a sand surface virtually unrideable and had to be diverted back on to the road.

Hi
I've followed a number of NCN routes in the past and like the fact that they are generally very well signed, use cycle tracks and quiet lanes and provided you keep an eye out for the signs, you can't get lost. I am looking for a reasonably comfortable route that is accessible by train from the start and finish which is why I was interested in this particular route. The fact that it takes you from two such lovely cities was the main attraction. To be honest, I wouldn't trust myself to do my own route! One of the good things about the NCN is that you can just take off and enjoy the ride without worrying about stopping every few miles to check you're on the right path! But thanks for all of the useful comments. I'll have a look at the map and see if I can work it out.

Have you found websites like open cycle map?

http://www.opencyclemap.org/

Looks like you're OK from Oxford to sandy on route 51. Cambridge CTC have some nice routes from Sandy to Cambridge on their blog

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en& ... urce=embed

There's the sustrans online mapping tool as well...

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/map?searchKe ... earch=Find

This shows a proposed route heading north from the Bedford to Sandy route (NCN12) to St Neots. This rejoins route 51 there and goes via Huntingdon to Cambridge. If you can follow NCN51 to just before Sandy and then make your own route (or follow the proposed route) to St Neots you should be back on signed NCN51.

See http://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/n ... m/route-51 for full information on the route and available maps.

Whole website devoted to Ox-Cam route here:

http://www.squarewheels.org.uk/bike/routeCamOx/

Thanks to all of you for the advice and help. If I can't find the way to do it from the various websites, I probably shouldn't be out on my own on a bike!