Birmingham to London

[AndStilliRise]

Have to drop my car off to the menders next week and thinking about cycling back. Has anyone done it before and could you recommend a route. Not planning on doing it if it is too cold or wet though.

[AndStilliRise]

I did 70m yesterday however it is a familiar route down the side of a dual carriageway with a cycle lane. Not the most scenic but wanted to get some miles in for next week. Birmingham to Oxford is 80miles so at the very least should be able to clock that out and then catch the train for the remaining 50miles if it is too cold/dark/late.

[AndStilliRise]

Black can man said:

Think i'd fancy doing this

Are you in?

[AndStilliRise]

Black can man said:

AndStilliRise said:

Black can man said:

Think i'd fancy doing this

Are you in?

When are you going ?

Travelling up hopefully on Friday night, stay with bro's family and then in the morning trek it down on the bike. Where do you live?

[AndStilliRise]

Black can man said:

AndStilliRise said:

Travelling up hopefully on Friday night, stay with bro's family and then in the morning trek it down on the bike. Where do you live?

I'm in the Wimbledon area

I have a bike rack, if you can get to me NW London, we can travel up together. Not sure if Bro can accommodate both of us (will ask), but would be happy to grab a hotel for the evening or something. Start early, clock out some large miles, stop for coffee/lunch and then try and get it done.

[AndStilliRise]

Paraicj said:

I'd suggest Birmingham - Henley-in-Arden - Stratford-on-Avon - Chipping Norton - Oxford - Henley-on-Thames - Maidenhead. Then figure out how to get into London!

I've done the Brum - Stratford section, it's straightforward and you can do it without major routes.

It's about 100 miles to Maidenhead that way, with ~2500ft of climbs. Or 160km and 760m for the metrically-inclined.

EDIT: Something like this? https://goo.gl/maps/69q7RXcUsG32

Edited by Paraicj on Tuesday 6th December 12:41

Thanks man, useful.

[AndStilliRise]

AndStilliRise said:

Paraicj said:

I'd suggest Birmingham - Henley-in-Arden - Stratford-on-Avon - Chipping Norton - Oxford - Henley-on-Thames - Maidenhead. Then figure out how to get into London!

I've done the Brum - Stratford section, it's straightforward and you can do it without major routes.

It's about 100 miles to Maidenhead that way, with ~2500ft of climbs. Or 160km and 760m for the metrically-inclined.

EDIT: Something like this? https://goo.gl/maps/69q7RXcUsG32

Edited by Paraicj on Tuesday 6th December 12:41

Thanks man, useful.

Did you say you have done Brum - Stratford? I live in NW London (Watford/Pinner) so Maidenhead may put us out to much. Stratford might actually be better as i can get a train home.

[AndStilliRise]

After an encouraging start....the phers are staying indoors!

[AndStilliRise]

Gruffy said:

It'd need a bit of a swerve east to begin with, but I've done this route from Rugby to London several times and it's a lovely one.

Thanks Gruffy. That looks interesting. Would you know how I might be able to navigate the route, i use a fenix3 but never the navigation and on the front of my bike i have attached a Samsung S4 which is mainly used for average speed. I thought i might be able to use it (using google maps) to navigate my way down.

[AndStilliRise]

Thanks everyone for the navigation ideas. Still not quite sure what to do but will have too think of something if i am going up on Friday.

13 degrees on the weekend! Oh yes, now we are talking.

[AndStilliRise]

stripy7 said:

I tried running this a couple of weeks back, my route was st and dangerous though with fast A roads, bombed out after 70 miles.

Ah ok, is there anyway you could show us on a map, so i can avoid such roads please?

FYI, I did London to Aylesbury return on Sunday which is mostly on the A41, a dual carriageway but does have a cycle lane. Still doesn't stop people from wanting to side swipe me.

[AndStilliRise]

Thanks

How about something like this? Not sure whether the roads will be bike friendly though?



https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/b73+6uq/51.81436...

[AndStilliRise]

https://www.strava.com/routes/7149900

Right i need to sort my watch out (Fenix3) with base maps and this as a course. This is all starting to get a little real now, gulp!

Regards, ASIR.

[AndStilliRise]

Mission failed.

After loading the car with the bike HM Home Office decided it was not going to happen. Normally I would ignore this but then I had another load of friend's and family telling me to wait at least until the Spring/Summer. A bit gutted, but there will always be another day.

Thanks to all those who helped.