Hi all,
An idea I've been toying with for a while.
I'm sure most of us will have encountered nonsense infrastructure from Sustrans at some point. On the flipside, the main road network can equally be inappropriate.
I'd like to see a network of long distance touring routes, which are good for road bikes (unlike Sustrans routes), but, while not necessarily child friendly like Sustrans' current focus seems to be, would be good for the average tourer.
I'd organise these based on the following principles:
An idea I've been toying with for a while.
I'm sure most of us will have encountered nonsense infrastructure from Sustrans at some point. On the flipside, the main road network can equally be inappropriate.
I'd like to see a network of long distance touring routes, which are good for road bikes (unlike Sustrans routes), but, while not necessarily child friendly like Sustrans' current focus seems to be, would be good for the average tourer.
I'd organise these based on the following principles:
- Routes follow the general route of a (major) road - for ease of navigation.
- The route must visit all primary destinations on the route of said road.
- The route must rival the convenience of the matching road - so minimise distance added, and minimise added climbing.
- The route should pass through places of civilisation on a regular basis to offer places to refill water bottles etc.
So to use a worked example, I probably know the A30 best, having ridden the whole corridor.
This route has to pass through Land's End - Penzance - Redruth - Bodmin - Launceston - Okehampton - Exeter - Honiton - Yeovil - Salisbury - Basingstoke - Staines - Hounslow.
Land's End - Penzance-Redruth is fairly simple. The A30 can be a little hectic, but is nothing too terrifying, and avoiding it is a substantial trade off. Once you get to Hayle, the old A30 is an absolute winner, unless you're out to set the LEJOG record.
Redruth-Fraddon. I used the A30 route here, for convenience at a quiet time. This was one of the more tricky navigational questions. Thankfully, with the coming of the Chiverton-Carland Cross scheme, in a year or two the existing road will be yet another section of quiet old A30, closing one of the major gaps.
Fraddon - Bodmin - Launceston - Okehampton At Fraddon my long distance route choice skipped a primary destination, Bodmin. Also, the A39 might be knarly itself at a different time of day. Thus I'd say the blue route looks like a good touring route, although I can't be 100% positive.
Okehampton - Exeter - Honiton - trivially use the old A30.
Honiton to Yeovil - less trivial. At this stage, I was in "dear lord please no more hills" mode. But the A303 is not going to be to everybody's cup of tea! The A30 is actually a good route to Chard, nice and quiet, but it's quite gruelling in the Blackdowns. A30 Chard to Crewkerne is rather more busy, too much so to include on the route. Thus this is my suggstion, although I haven't ridden these roads:
Yeovil to Salisbury - a fair bit easier now. My preferred route is A30 from Shaftesbury to Salisbury, it's a quiet road, with some interesting things like the Fovant badges. If you like a slower pace, the dotted route via Gillingham and Tisbury minimises elevation on quiet roads, at the cost of added distance and less ability to hammer descents (also offering train stations!).
Salisbury to Basingstoke. Another potential fun one. My instincts are to avoid the A30 as far as the A343 turning for Andover (which seems to carry the bulk of the traffic, the A30 thereafter is a nice quick run across the downs. This is easier said than done. Thus I've used the A30 both times out that way. Perhaps going via A338/Andover would be better, but I can't speak for that route.
Basingstoke-Staines.
I've only ever done this section on the A30, which has served me well, although it's not really a relaxed touring route. It looks like a nice B road route is possible, but I'd defer to local knowledge for this section.
Staines - Hounslow - Central London.
A fairly straightforward route down the A315. Just a deviate to avoid the A30 London Road,and then it's a straight line down the Roman Road right into the centre.
This route has to pass through Land's End - Penzance - Redruth - Bodmin - Launceston - Okehampton - Exeter - Honiton - Yeovil - Salisbury - Basingstoke - Staines - Hounslow.
Land's End - Penzance-Redruth is fairly simple. The A30 can be a little hectic, but is nothing too terrifying, and avoiding it is a substantial trade off. Once you get to Hayle, the old A30 is an absolute winner, unless you're out to set the LEJOG record.
Redruth-Fraddon. I used the A30 route here, for convenience at a quiet time. This was one of the more tricky navigational questions. Thankfully, with the coming of the Chiverton-Carland Cross scheme, in a year or two the existing road will be yet another section of quiet old A30, closing one of the major gaps.
Fraddon - Bodmin - Launceston - Okehampton At Fraddon my long distance route choice skipped a primary destination, Bodmin. Also, the A39 might be knarly itself at a different time of day. Thus I'd say the blue route looks like a good touring route, although I can't be 100% positive.
Okehampton - Exeter - Honiton - trivially use the old A30.
Honiton to Yeovil - less trivial. At this stage, I was in "dear lord please no more hills" mode. But the A303 is not going to be to everybody's cup of tea! The A30 is actually a good route to Chard, nice and quiet, but it's quite gruelling in the Blackdowns. A30 Chard to Crewkerne is rather more busy, too much so to include on the route. Thus this is my suggstion, although I haven't ridden these roads:
Salisbury to Basingstoke. Another potential fun one. My instincts are to avoid the A30 as far as the A343 turning for Andover (which seems to carry the bulk of the traffic, the A30 thereafter is a nice quick run across the downs. This is easier said than done. Thus I've used the A30 both times out that way. Perhaps going via A338/Andover would be better, but I can't speak for that route.
Basingstoke-Staines.
I've only ever done this section on the A30, which has served me well, although it's not really a relaxed touring route. It looks like a nice B road route is possible, but I'd defer to local knowledge for this section.
Staines - Hounslow - Central London.
A fairly straightforward route down the A315. Just a deviate to avoid the A30 London Road,and then it's a straight line down the Roman Road right into the centre.