Cycling from Heathrow to Swanage ( dorset ) what route

Cycling from Heathrow to Swanage ( dorset ) what route

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Tampon

Original Poster:

4,637 posts

226 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
Fancy a bit of a trip and thought I would cycle down to Swanage, I am in Uxbridge ( near Heathrow ) and have been trying to get Google maps to give me a nice route but to no avail.

I did the London to Brighton ride on a whim on the morning of the event, and they were lovely little country roads down there, would like something similar.

Any advise or websites that could help ?

itsnotarace

4,685 posts

210 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
Not trying too hard on google maps then

A4 to Newbury
A343 to Salisbury
A354 to Blandford Fourum
A350 to Poole
A351 to Swanage

145 miles

Tampon

Original Poster:

4,637 posts

226 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
itsnotarace said:
Not trying too hard on google maps then

A4 to Newbury
A343 to Salisbury
A354 to Blandford Fourum
A350 to Poole
A351 to Swanage

145 miles
Little country roads though, A4 ?

itsnotarace

4,685 posts

210 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
Shall I do the rest of your homework for you while I'm here?

I gave you a basic route outline that is safe for cycling. If you want to find narrow country lanes then you knock yourself out.


Tampon

Original Poster:

4,637 posts

226 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
itsnotarace said:
Shall I do the rest of your homework for you while I'm here?

I gave you a basic route outline that is safe for cycling. If you want to find narrow country lanes then you knock yourself out.
No thanks, maybe you grow up, not take things so personally and calm down a bit, I just asked if there were any websites or if any one knew of a route via similar roads to the London to Brighton.

You start off a reply with a smart arsed first line saying I hadn't tried very hard and then point out a route which I have found on google maps but doesn't fit my original question so I questioned the A4 being a small road.

You seem quick to dish out a bit of attitude but totally unable to handle a question in return to your not useful ( although appreciated effort, sans the smart arsed first comment ) answer.

So to anyone else who might be able to help, is there any website's where I might be able to plan my route along pretty country lanes on my way down to swanage. If any one knows or has done something similar and could share their experience that would helpful and appreciated as well.

Cheers
Ben

scubadude

2,618 posts

198 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
Can't help you much with the heathrow end, sounds daunting but the Swanage end is my neck of the woods.

You can either head into Poole and cross the chain ferry or loop around to Wareham and hack through some lovely backroads (hillier option)

The route level of detail will depend on your preference to avoid main roads, you could spend hours nailing down a complicated B-road route, or accept one or two a roads and greatly simplify things.

We have some cracking routes around Purbeck/South Dorset and generally pretty quiet roads, so long as you don't mind hills you can go miles without seeing a car :-) National Cycle Route 2 through Purbeck between Wareham and Moreton is delightful.

Omaruk

632 posts

160 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
Use http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com, select OSM maps and then chose route for bikes. It will avoid all the main highways and also output to a GPS and provide turn by turn instructions. It also gives you the elevation profile. Used this for our LeJog a couple of years back with a Garmin 705 and it was invaluable.


Tampon

Original Poster:

4,637 posts

226 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
Scubadude, Omaruk that is great, thankyou very much.

Big shiney stars the pair of you thumbup

Right off to France for Easter, the dream would be to cycle down to Limoges one day. Small steps first though.

Gooby

9,268 posts

235 months

Thursday 21st April 2011
quotequote all
Swanage is cycling nirvana both on and off road. You will love it! Hope to see you down here!

timbo48

688 posts

183 months

Friday 22nd April 2011
quotequote all
Gooby's absolutely right, Purbeck's a brilliant place for cycling, on and off road. Incidentally, it's almost worth doing the Sandbanks chain ferry route just to pursuade yourself that you're crossing to an island, especially when the weather's like this. Have a great ride.