Reading - Basingstoke commute

[StarmistBlue400]

Leaving my old job after nearly 18 yrs which means my 6m each way commute turns into 20m each way. Planning on doing it 2 or 3 times a week and will get the train home until the light improves.

Does anyone know a perfect route or have a TCX file which will avoid the A33? I am in Purley on Thames and know of a good route through quiet roads which goes to Silchester but still ends up with the A33. It follows the no 23 cycle route.

Cheers for the help, I guess I could just plan one myself but I'm being lazy.

[anonymous-user]

Why avoid the A33?, it's the most direct route?
It's pretty busy because there are no real alternatives..

[Rob_T]

i just went on google and typed in purely on thames to basingstoke then hit the cycle button. seems to have come up with a nice route that essentially takes you via tadley. 20.2 miles as i see it. 20 miles is certainly doable on a daily basis - 1hour 10 minutes? i assume you have showers at work though!!!

[xjay1337]

Jimboka said:

Why avoid the A33?, it's the most direct route?
It's pretty busy because there are no real alternatives..

It's a very busy road which is not lit very well and has relatively narrow roads in terms of passing cyclists.
I have just gone into Google Maps and found a route very easily by typing in "basingstoke" and "reading".
Doesn't touch the a33.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Basingstoke,+Ham...

[TwistingMyMelon]

Sod the A33 its DC isnt it? Wouldnt fancy doing that at all, let alone a few times a week, I hate DCs on a bike

Some of the routes posted look good

I used to commute to Reading, so many options/back roads etc, do a few test runs then job jobbed

[outnumbered]

StarmistBlue400 said:

Leaving my old job after nearly 18 yrs which means my 6m each way commute turns into 20m each way. Planning on doing it 2 or 3 times a week and will get the train home until the light improves.

Does anyone know a perfect route or have a TCX file which will avoid the A33? I am in Purley on Thames and know of a good route through quiet roads which goes to Silchester but still ends up with the A33. It follows the no 23 cycle route.

Cheers for the help, I guess I could just plan one myself but I'm being lazy.

I'd do something like: Long Lane, skirt round the back of Tilehurst, down past Pincents Manor, over the M4 footbridge at Theale. Across the railway and canal, then <insert quite a few fiddly back roads here> to Bramley, and then the road past the Vyne to Chineham. That must be the most direct route, the only tricky bit is the Theale to Bramley section which I've left as an exercise for the reader

PS: I also live in P-o-T.

[StarmistBlue400]

OK. Much as I thought. I'm going to give it a go this weekend to find a good route. New offices have a shower too, sad but I am quite excited by that.

[okgo]

Just use Strava routes, I just did and its produced a route which avoids that main road.

[bennno]

StarmistBlue400 said:

Leaving my old job after nearly 18 yrs which means my 6m each way commute turns into 20m each way. Planning on doing it 2 or 3 times a week and will get the train home until the light improves.

Does anyone know a perfect route or have a TCX file which will avoid the A33? I am in Purley on Thames and know of a good route through quiet roads which goes to Silchester but still ends up with the A33. It follows the no 23 cycle route.

Cheers for the help, I guess I could just plan one myself but I'm being lazy.

To tilehurst > new lane hill > burghfield road > Mortimer > Bramley > Basingstoke (roads out the back of Mortimer are great on a bike and largely car free, depends where in Basingstoke but you might go past the Vyne)

[bennno]

StarmistBlue400 said:

Leaving my old job after nearly 18 yrs which means my 6m each way commute turns into 20m each way. Planning on doing it 2 or 3 times a week and will get the train home until the light improves.

Does anyone know a perfect route or have a TCX file which will avoid the A33? I am in Purley on Thames and know of a good route through quiet roads which goes to Silchester but still ends up with the A33. It follows the no 23 cycle route.

Cheers for the help, I guess I could just plan one myself but I'm being lazy.

To tilehurst > new lane hill > burghfield road > Mortimer > Bramley > Basingstoke (roads out the back of Mortimer are great on a bike and largely car free, depends where in Basingstoke but you might go past the Vyne)