Best Cycleway in England for part of a tour?

[matticus]

The same dislike of rough trails, obstacles and deep mud puts me off the King Alfred Way a bit - and from experience with off-road day rides, I am pretty sure it would put several of those I tour with off even more.

Right, now this one I DO know about - it's about 6 miles from here 😄.
Very lacking in good surface. The Dorest* one sounds much more tarmaccy. Not a huge amount traffic-free though?(await s correction)

*Interesting autocorrect there.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

No, I think I meant the Pennine Way bridleway thing. Mind-reading is clearly in short supply on this thread.

(I.e. I'm an idiot. )

You're forgiven

 

[Cathryn]

I worked this out Shoreham-by-Sea-to-Southport route last year - https://cycle.travel/map/journey/152056 - which is 340 miles, of which 80% is traffic-free. A few parts are unimproved towpath so it'd be best ridden on a reasonably robust bike. When we're finally allowed out I might have a go at it...

This is amazing. I could risk this with my son.

 

[Low Gear Guy]

The Devon Coast to Coast route from Ilfracombe to Plymouth is quite nice. It is actually four sections of rail trail with some on road links.

 

[Nick Saddlesore]

https://cycle.travel/route/mercian_way . A group of us did Salisbury to Chester in a relaxed 6 days as a saddlebag tour last September. I was on 23mm tyres, no real issue, but despite using all the road bike route options, there were still a few short sections where Sustrans won out.

 

[matticus]

https://cycle.travel/route/mercian_way . A group of us did Salisbury to Chester in a relaxed 6 days as a saddlebag tour last September. I was on 23mm tyres, no real issue, but despite using all the road bike route options, there were still a few short sections where Sustrans won out.

Ooh - that looks nice (probably quite up-and-down for the novice, but that's subjective). I might fancy that - could make a return loop by heading W from Chester and coming south through mid-Wales (which is a very easy place to make nice routes through!),
finishing at Chepstow/Bristol (just because I can hop on a fast train from there, folks are welcome to finish their pilgrimage at Salisbury ).

Thankyou , CycleTravel people

 

[nickyboy]

Starting to look like a cracking route 👍
I'll chip in with a few local possibilities that I've covered, although not on tour.
Connected with the Teversal Trail is a network of others including the Silverhill and Five Pits trails, all pretty much interconnected and well worth exploring - Kudos to Derbyshire on this one. [There are a few barriers to negotiate as the trails cross roads]
The above trails take you almost into Chesterfield where you can pick up the central TPT. The Chesterfield Canal provides about 10ish cracking miles towards Sheffield and is in good cycling order throughout. The onwards TPT into Sheff is also generally OK ... for a (sub)urban route.
Northwards from Sheffield to Penistone, the TPT is mostly good, offers some really interesting sections, and is worth putting up with one or two short, iffy sections. Onwards from Penistone, it can be a bit dodgy in winter (muddy) or after extended wet weather, but in summer is generally OK ... and up in the Pennines and onto the moors you get some great views.
A slightly dodgy, but short (and downhill) section drops you briefly on the A628, or you take the off-road but decidely MTB path. The section which follows, through the Longdendale Valley along the former Woodhead line makes that brief inconvenience worth it in my opinion.
That brings you to Glossop and out of my manor somewhat, but from there, there are some fine back roads to take you down to Buxton to pick up the Tissington/High Peak Trails. A slight but not too onerous detour would take you across to Marple to pick up the Peak Forest Canal at Marple to Bugsworth Basin then onwards Buxton via back roads. This section of towpath IIRC is also pretty good, though locals might be able to comment in more detail. It really is a lovely section though, in an elevated position with good views over the valleys.

Hope that helps a bit.

Perhaps I can flesh out the Gossop to Buxton bit. But first, the A628 stretch from Dunford Bridge to where you rejoin the TPT is about 3-4 minutes cycling. Nothing really and avoids the offroad alternative which is pure MTB

From Hadfield you would take the Marple Road (fairly quiet and not too hilly) to Marple Bridge and then pick up the canal. This would take you to Whaley Bridge. Hop off canal and go up Long Hill (max 4% with amazing views of Goyt Valley). Then descend into Buxton)

I rode the TPT Hadfield to Penistone and beyond on a weekend tour years ago on summer. Don't recall any mud at all. There were a few of those barriers to stop motorcyclists etc but no big deal

 

[mjr]

There were a few of those barriers to stop motorcyclists etc but no big deal

They can't stop motorcyclists without stopping cyclists and may be a big deal to people touring with me on e-bikes, as they tend to have wider bars (750-800mm some of them with integrated controls making them difficult to cut down) and are a pig to lift over loaded.

Thanks for the details, everyone so far.

 

[mjr]

Does anyone know what state the East Northamptonshire Greenway (the ex-railways from Higham Ferrers/Raunds/Irthlingborough to Thrapston/Islip) is in? Some videos make it look like good gravel and tarmac, others are a bit of a mudbath, most are fairly old. I can't tell if the videos are of different choices of route through, or different sections of it. Have @Drago @PeteXXX or @biggs682 tried it lately?

 

[biggs682]

Does anyone know what state the East Northamptonshire Greenway (the ex-railways from Higham Ferrers/Raunds/Irthlingborough to Thrapston/Islip) is in? Some videos make it look like good gravel and tarmac, others are a bit of a mudbath, most are fairly old. I can't tell if the videos are of different choices of route through, or different sections of it. Have @Drago @PeteXXX or @biggs682 tried it lately?

Not been on it for a year .
Gravel paths that get a bit rough towards Thraprston , might be a bit damp still in places at the moment .

 

[PeteXXX]

Does anyone know what state the East Northamptonshire Greenway (the ex-railways from Higham Ferrers/Raunds/Irthlingborough to Thrapston/Islip) is in? Some videos make it look like good gravel and tarmac, others are a bit of a mudbath, most are fairly old. I can't tell if the videos are of different choices of route through, or different sections of it. Have @Drago @PeteXXX or @biggs682 tried it lately?

Similar to @biggs682 . Not ridden it for quite a while, sorry.

 

[Big T]

Not sure how it would fit into your plans but from Derby there’s a riverside path that takes you to Borrowash. From Borrowash you can make your way to Trent Lock near Long Eaton and follow the Trent Valley Greenway towards Nottingham, which then joins up with Nottingham’s Big Track - this is a circular route between Nottingham and Beeston, using the Nottingham Canal and a riverside path to Nottingham‘s Trent Bridge (home of the famous cricket ground). From here, you can pick up the Grantham Canal, which meanders out through the SE Nottingham suburbs and out into the Vale of Belvoir. It’s pretty much cyclable all the way to Grantham, especially if it’s reasonably dry. The Grantham Canal towpath is mostly gravel but still has a few grass sections.

I’ve pretty much cycled all of the above at various times and have also ridden on all of the Derbyshire Rail Trails. I walk my dog on various parts of the Grantham Canal towpath most days, so keep an eye on the conditions.

 

[Blue Hills]

Similar to @biggs682 . Not ridden it for quite a while, sorry.

always fancied this using it on a ride - was due to ride it a few years ago on a ride midlands to london but then the beast from the east hit and so I wimped out/let the outward train ticket lapse. Would be interested in any updates from folk.

 

[PeteXXX]

Well, I rode The Greenway today, almost dodging the rain but not quite!

I parked in Irthlingborough and did a loop around Higham Ferrers and Rushden, generally following Greenway signs.
The route over the A45 and through the retail park is slightly confusing, but if you take the path just to the left of AJ Cycles, you'll be back on track.
It was all rideable on my CX but a hybrid or mtb would be better, I reckon. There's no proper mud, just puddle at the moment, until you get across the A14 by Thrapston. It turns quite mucky there!
The rest of the Greenway varies from decent tarmac and compacted gravel to larger stoney sections but they are not too bad if ridden slowly.

BTW, that's not my front basket, it's a poo bin 😂

Hope that helps anyone wanting to ride it.
I reckon it'll be very busy during the summer/school hols as there's a few adventure parks etc (plus a few cafés) along its length.
Maybe @biggs682 can advise a decent route from Wellingborough to Irchester where I started from..

Just 22 miles there and back, including the loop around the towns.

 

[biggs682]

@PeteXXX easiest way to Irthlingborough is up past Wellingborough train station and then just straight along in to Irthlingborough and i presume you went down the side of the church on to the greenway ?

When i ride along and through Stanwick lakes i go through Irchester and Rushden and pick it up by A J Cycles then come out half way up the hill in Islip .

I believe you can go along the embankment and pick up a path that come out just after the first bridge after A J's but not tried it so unsure