Anyone from Cambs area. Route advice.

[Biscuit]

Hi,

Just changed job. Start week after next. New route to work would include the A505 for 2 mile section from Abington to Whittlesford Station.
I'd rather take alternative route away from A505 as it seems to be just a tad too busy for my liking. Guess I have two questions.

Anyone from Cambs area ride the 505? Is it to be avoided, and is it really as bad as it seems.

Ideally I'd like a route which takes me from Hadstock to Hinxton then I can use the excellent cycle path up the side of the A1301 all the way to Whittlesford Station. I just can't seem to find a good route under / over the A11 which doesn't detour down as far as Stumps Cross, or use the A505 section up at Abington.

All suggestions greatfully recieved.

P.S Have used the cycle planner etc ... currently the best route is into Babraham across to Sawston and down, but this adds another 4 mile onto a 25 mile trip.

Cheers.

 

[Glow worm]

Yes looks from the OS map that you are stuffed in so far as avoiding the A505 is concerned between Abington and Whittlesford. At least there's only a hundred yards or so of dualled A505 before the Babraham turn- but it's still not a road I'd use. Loads of folks on here bang on about sailing along much busier A roads than that, so it's each to their own I guess.

Personally, I'd investigate the path/ bridge over the A11 at OS Grid Ref 521497 - that takes you to Babraham then its down to Sawston and Whittlesford Station from there on B roads. Never been that way myself, but from the map, it's the route I'd have a stab at rather than chance it on the 505. It's a long way around but might be an answer.

 

[nmcgann]

You are out of luck for a quiet alternative.

If you got off the A1307 asap and took the road out the back of Great Abington and joined the A505 after it has split from the A11, then that'd be the least bad of all the various options IMO. I'd personally be OK with that in daylight, but it's going to be a bit hairy after dark.

 

[Biscuit]

Thanks for the suggestions. As suspected there isn't a magic path not shown on the OS or google maps that local cyclists know about that would resove the issue.

My first approach is as you say to get off the A1307 opposite the hildersham turn and cut across to the 505 and do the 2 miles on there till the roundabout at whittlesford services, rather than attempt to turn right off there in the morning rush hour.

Over the winter i shall have to go into babraham off the 1307 turn and cut across through sawston. Need to replace the lights on the bike I guess, think aldi got a sale next week in sudbury.

Cheers.

 

[Stephen C]

Thanks for the suggestions. As suspected there isn't a magic path not shown on the OS or google maps that local cyclists know about that would resove the issue.

My first approach is as you say to get off the A1307 opposite the hildersham turn and cut across to the 505 and do the 2 miles on there till the roundabout at whittlesford services, rather than attempt to turn right off there in the morning rush hour.

Over the winter i shall have to go into babraham off the 1307 turn and cut across through sawston. Need to replace the lights on the bike I guess, think aldi got a sale next week in sudbury.

Cheers.

Have you found any other solutions? My work has just moved and I basically need to get from Hildersham to Sawston (the rest of my route is sorted), which is all right in the morning as I take the A1307 turn to Babraham. The problem is the evening as I either have to take the dual-carriageway on the A1307, or the A505 and through the back of the Abingtons. Any advice on either of these?

Cheers.

 

[Biscuit]

Hi,

I've been commuting that route now for a while. If you want to get into Sawston from Hildersham I would head for the main road, head into Abington and go for Bourne Bridge road. If you look at the map there's a footbridge over the A11, (which has a handy rail fitted on the stairway for bike wheels ), and a section of rough track that takes you over to Babraham. From there it's plain sailing on the new fancy ( runway light lit ) cycle path into Sawston. Avoids the 505 and the A11.
I usually ride an old steel tourer with one yellow rear pannier. If you see me, stop to chat or give us a wave.

Biscuit

 

[GrasB]

Okay first off if you do use the A505 from Abington DO NOT try to turn right into Babraham or Papisford, there have been numerous rear ends at those 3 junctions. The two incidents which have involved cyclists turning in the last few years have been fatalities.

If you're not going to use the A1307 then my recommendation is to cross at the near-crossroads of High St & Hildersham Rd. You then turn right up to the old A11, take another right up to the roundabout, & back to the A1307, use that to cross over the A11 & drop down into Babraham. You then go into Sawston & down to the A505. Personally I find that the Sawston bypass is better than through the Village when traffic is light, but when it's heaver the Village route is better. Anyway here's the googlemaps route for you. Also I've witnesses so many heavy traffic near-misses at the A505/A1301 roundabout with cyclists using the cycle/ped crossing. People are not looking for cyclists & will quite happily floor it off the roundabout.

The cycle path down the A1301 from Whittlesford to Hinxton is definitely not excellent, vaguely adequate would be my finding. During dark & dusk hours rabbits & smaller furries often run for cover across the path & many a cyclist has been dumped on the deck. HGVs also have a habit of bumping the kerb to park on the cycle path making it very tight to get past. If you're heading towards Hinxton in the dark take a pair sunglasses.. if not you will get dazzled by every car as you're cycling in the dipped beam kicker of car headlights.

FYI: I ride straight down the A505 often in heavy traffic, I can go as far as the Melbourne turn off. Just keep a reasonable road position & it's okay.

 

[mangid]

Hi,

Just changed job. Start week after next. New route to work would include the A505 for 2 mile section from Abington to Whittlesford Station.
I'd rather take alternative route away from A505 as it seems to be just a tad too busy for my liking. Guess I have two questions.

Anyone from Cambs area ride the 505? Is it to be avoided, and is it really as bad as it seems.

Ideally I'd like a route which takes me from Hadstock to Hinxton then I can use the excellent cycle path up the side of the A1301 all the way to Whittlesford Station. I just can't seem to find a good route under / over the A11 which doesn't detour down as far as Stumps Cross, or use the A505 section up at Abington.

All suggestions greatfully recieved.

P.S Have used the cycle planner etc ... currently the best route is into Babraham across to Sawston and down, but this adds another 4 mile onto a 25 mile trip.

Cheers.

You've probably considered it, but why not cycle to Audley End ? From Hadstock it's the same distance 7.5miles, and far nicer roads.

Although, the 505 isn't that bad, the worst bit is the A11/A505 junction and you wouldn't be doing that.

 

[Stephen C]

Hi,

I've been commuting that route now for a while. If you want to get into Sawston from Hildersham I would head for the main road, head into Abington and go for Bourne Bridge road. If you look at the map there's a footbridge over the A11, (which has a handy rail fitted on the stairway for bike wheels ), and a section of rough track that takes you over to Babraham. From there it's plain sailing on the new fancy ( runway light lit ) cycle path into Sawston. Avoids the 505 and the A11.
I usually ride an old steel tourer with one yellow rear pannier. If you see me, stop to chat or give us a wave.

Biscuit

Hi,

Thanks for that suggestion, I had seen it the roads around there, but not the bridge, I will give it a try sometime. I've cycled the route a few times now, (going from the Hildersham junction, along the A1307, over the A11 roundabout and then left into Babhraham) and it's not too bad, only had one hairy moment with a hay lorry going past the Abington petrol station, but I think the pavement is a shared cycleway, so might use that in the future. Going the other way it is downhill to the A11 roundabout so I just wait for a big gap and pedal like hell!

I'm on a blue and white road bike, usually with a big bright yellow back-pack, do you find as well in this area nobody waves?

S.

 

[Biscuit]

Hi,

I'm on a blue and white road bike, usually with a big bright yellow back-pack, do you find as well in this area nobody waves?

S.

Ha ha. Yep. I did post about it but was told anyone who cycled the A505 couldn't be possibly enjoying themselves enough to wave at anyone. . Great!! . I'll keep a look out for you. Keep

 

[robjh]

The last section of A505 from the A1301 / M&S roundabout to the station is the least problematic - you have a shared ped/cycle path of sorts on the north side, and it avoids an awkward (and possibly illegal?) turn into the station carpark just by the bridge (though that said, riding on the road never feels too bad here). Or from Sawston there is a very nice cycle route across the fields to Whittlesford village, and handy for the station - go down New Road / Mill Road and across the bypass towards the Spicers site - turn left after the railway.

I've done the A505 between the Abingtons and the roundabout several times, but it's never pleasant and I would think twice about commuting on it in dark winter rush-hours. Off the A1307 and through Babraham might still be your best bet for that part.

 

[VamP]

I do the A505 daily. It's unpleasant but fast. There are no alternatives.

 

[Stephen C]

Been doing it for about a week now with no real issues, learning to be a bit more assertive along the A1307 through the Abingtons and more patient when going from the Babraham junction to the A11 roundabout, waiting for a nice big gap in the traffic.

Also had a good run along the Babraham to Sawston cycle path after dark, I'm liking the floor lights!

 

[Stephen C]

I don't know if anyone is still watching this thread, but they seem to be putting in (or, nearly completed!) a cycle path from Granta Park out to Whittlesford Parkway, should be a useful link! Anyone know the completion date?

 

[robjh]

I think the roadworks sign says until some time in May. The work is coming along nicely but not quite finished yet, especially at the Granta Park end.

@Biscuit might have paid more attention to the signs than me, I think he rides that way regularly.