London - Nelson

I don't think you're getting the idea of this.

I'm not getting the idea? Well I suppose it is possible.

Will you be digging your old gloves out for the ride?
You need to blend in as you pass Burnley

Believe me, I'll be passing Burnley at speed!

You're welcome to come along though. My mum might even feed you. She might not though, I don't think she's seen a man in a pink top before and it may confuse her food-wise.

Brilliant!

Snigger

She has separate menus on gender lines?

Nope just easily confused

Going back on topic Martin, assuming you're leaving London at 5 am, I wouldn't recommend the road between Watford & Hemel Hempstead. The first bit on the A4146 is a really crap surface, and then after Kings Langley it's a fairly narrow road and not much fun to cycle on. In fact, bearing in mind you've also factored in the ring road around Watford town centre, you're not going for a fun ride at all.

I'd stick on the A5 all the way up to Milton Keynes. Yes, it'll have more traffic, but it's wider and you should have less concerns overall.

Cheers Adam. I was in two minds about leaving the A5 cos it's not too bad on the way out of London.

I'll come push you up them there hills between Buxton and Glossop

Would be a very short detour to throw in Holme Moss at the end too.

I refer the honourable cyclist to previous answers regarding the fact that I'm not going looking for hills!!!

Let me know what day you're planning on doing this - I might tag along for 130 miles or so, to around Derby.

Provisional date is Weds 6th June. The plan is to be in Nelson late Weds, rest Thursday, Manchester to Morecambe FNRttC on the Friday, back from Morecambe to Nelson on Saturday, train back to London on Sunday.

It is obviously subject to change but I would have thought it's more likely that I don't do the ride than I change the date as the whole project is revolving around the FNRttC.

Anyone who wants to come along for a ride along part of the route is of course welcome!! If anyone wants to do the whole route, again you're more than welcome but I'm afraid I can't offer much in the way of accommodation at the end.

Martin - I've just looked at your route in more detail and I can save you about 200 metres of climbing.

Your route goes Milnrow, Rochdale, Whitworth, Bacup, Burnley. The highest point that way is Deerplay after Bacup at 407 metres.

I suggest that instead you go: Milnrow, B6225 (Hollingworth Lake), Littleborough, Todmorden (people riding with you could turn right there for the YH at Mankinholes on the hillside between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge), A646 to rejoin your route at the junction with the A671 on the fringes of Burnley. The high point that way is only at about 231 m, I think it is a more scenic route, and it is about the same distance.

Actually - if anybody does want to go to the YH at Mankinholes, a much better way to get to it is to turn right up Hollins Lane in Walsden about 2 kms before Todmorden, and after another km, turn right for Lumbutts/Mankinholes.

Martin - I have just had a 2 day conference confirmed in Brighton on 31 May & 1 June. I'm contemplating cycling back to Manchester at some point between then and the following Tuesday (long bank hol weekend & my sister lives in south London). Shame I'm going the opposite way as our paths very nearly cross.

I suspect I will be asking for route advice here shortly.

martin, it's only a little help (nelson born n bred) but it is at the end. avoid going over by marsden cross and go thru brierfield, it'll save going over a bloody big hill for no reason. also i'd go thry royton and oldham, i use these roads when commuting from rossendale and they're ok and seem more direct.

another option is to cut straight thru manchester onto bury, more direct and flatter, again perfectly good roads i use when commuting to uni.

possible alternative route. past birmingham i let the software complete and have no idea if it's any good.


http://ridewithgps.com/routes/968696

Thanks but I quite like that hill out of Burnley and over the Marsden Cross. Plus it's a nice run down off the top and it avoids Brierfield which is never a bad thing. The end point also isn't where my parents live (paranoid or what!) and the run from the Marsden Cross will put me near to where I actually want to be.

400bhp, I'm now riding up to Nelson rather than back but on Weds 6th June if you can hold out that long.