February's ride for food
- Thread starter HaloJ
- Start date
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frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
I did the Six Counties 200km audax last summer. That's a loop starting at Hertford, down to Harefield then up to Foxton, just outside Cambridge. It was a pleasant route on quiet roads (in fact I enjoyed it so much that I did it again as a solo ride from home a few weeks later). It took a similar course to the relevant part of Abs' route and it certainly wasn't flat.
Abs, I only have the route sheet - no GPS track - but can scan and send that if any more input wanted.
Frank
I was looking at a halfway stop further out past ware. Saturday ride I was going to organise The Buntingford Coffee Shop. If the ride is to change to Sunday to allow for being lush on the Friday evening with Simon & Suzie then The Westmill Tea rooms was going to be my suggestion.
Current riders :
HaloJ
Ianrauk
Red Jedi
Martin235
Frank9755
StuAff - maybe (could anyone offer him Friday evening accommodation?)
Zigzag - maybe
SteveVW
EDIT : Frank yeah that'd be great always interested to see other routes. Steve, route seems to be coming on strong but I'll happily accept sanity checks.
Current riders :
HaloJ
Ianrauk
Red Jedi
Martin235
Frank9755
StuAff - maybe (could anyone offer him Friday evening accommodation?)
Zigzag - maybe
SteveVW
EDIT : Frank yeah that'd be great always interested to see other routes. Steve, route seems to be coming on strong but I'll happily accept sanity checks.
The LFGSS forum often run a Cambridge ride. A bit of digging around found this route.
They seem to run the same/similar route every year so it must be quite nice.
They seem to run the same/similar route every year so it must be quite nice.
That's a fair old extra mileage though Luke. Especially for February and of course would have to add on peoples mileage from their homes.
My suggestion is start at London Bridge/or/and Liverpool St, (rather then HPC), up the A10/A1010 to Hertford like we did last year.. then following Abs' route.
Busy route initially though isn't it? Do you have a link of the route Ian?
Going up the A1000 past where I live (including a lovely run over the top of Hampstead Heath on Spaniards) and heading towards Potter's Bar isn't a bad route. I'd hate to be riding up a major trunk road like the A10.
I do rather like Luke's suggested Epping route and it gets rural quick but that means less support/bailout options which isn't so good this time of year.
frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
I've just sent Abs my (partial) route - but it is not posted anywhere online so can't share (without a bit of fiddling)
Edit - here it is. The relevant bit is on the right of the route - Hertford to Shepreth area.
http://www.bikely.co...-Counties-Audax
I like the first bit of Luke's route, which seems to start off like the Dunwich Dynamo
I also like Abs idea of going over Hampstead Heath / Spaniards and out that way.
But not keen on the A10, either for getting out of London, or getting in to Cambridge.
I would follow Luke's route but then where it dog-legs left at Furneaux Pelham, cut through the lanes via Langley, Duxdford, Gt Shelford and Grantchester - which is a nicer way into Cambridge.
I guess we need two routes - one out and one back!
Edit - here it is. The relevant bit is on the right of the route - Hertford to Shepreth area.
http://www.bikely.co...-Counties-Audax
I like the first bit of Luke's route, which seems to start off like the Dunwich Dynamo
I also like Abs idea of going over Hampstead Heath / Spaniards and out that way.
But not keen on the A10, either for getting out of London, or getting in to Cambridge.
I would follow Luke's route but then where it dog-legs left at Furneaux Pelham, cut through the lanes via Langley, Duxdford, Gt Shelford and Grantchester - which is a nicer way into Cambridge.
I guess we need two routes - one out and one back!
This is the way I would go from Essendon to pick up Abs route around Braughing. With the added bonus of passing my house with the option of wee and water stop.
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=205647
Epping route may be nice with a bit of a fiddle getting up towards Icleton, nice pub with Maldon size big fish Red Lion I think. Watton Wheelers do a ride to Cambridge each summer with the lunch stop in Ickleton then on a nice route in to Cambridge. I will try and find the gps later.
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=205647
Epping route may be nice with a bit of a fiddle getting up towards Icleton, nice pub with Maldon size big fish Red Lion I think. Watton Wheelers do a ride to Cambridge each summer with the lunch stop in Ickleton then on a nice route in to Cambridge. I will try and find the gps later.
The one back I'll be riding down the A1000 through Potters Bar with Becs as we both live near Hampstead Heath.
Ian's route most certainly does what it says on the tin and gets you to Hertford. It's not very pretty though is it? No offence hun. 
That dog leg at Furneaux Pelham is handy as it takes us in towards Buntingford where I was originally planning the outbound cake stop.
EDIT : Steve that's perfect as it takes in Westmill. Can we run with my start over Hampstead with Steve's middle picking up my route again and heading through the Shelfords into Cambridge? With a standard HPC start.
Ian's route most certainly does what it says on the tin and gets you to Hertford. It's not very pretty though is it? No offence hun.
That dog leg at Furneaux Pelham is handy as it takes us in towards Buntingford where I was originally planning the outbound cake stop.
EDIT : Steve that's perfect as it takes in Westmill. Can we run with my start over Hampstead with Steve's middle picking up my route again and heading through the Shelfords into Cambridge? With a standard HPC start.
frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
That dog leg at Furneaux Pelham is handy as it takes us in towards Buntingford where I was originally planning the outbound cake stop.
I thought there had to be a good reason for it - and they don't come much better than a cake stop!
For the return I would say down to the A10/M11 roundabout - A10 left at Hauxton - Newton - Fowlmere - Barley - Barkway - Hare Street - Standon - Old A10 Colliers End - High Cross - Thundridge - Ware - Hoddesdon then the old A1010 back to London
This is a direct ish route and by the afternoon/evening traffic should be fine.
Big diversion then
Every time I have ridden past the Westmill tea room it has been shut, would be nice to see what it is like. Bike safe too only a few banjo players round that neck of the woods. Buntingford Coffee shop is nice too, bit limited on space inside and the bike parking may be a problem as not that much street furniture. But if all else fails they have a little chef on the by-pass which I think is still open and has plenty of bike parking space.
The one back I'll be riding down the A1000 through Potters Bar with Becs as we both live near Hampstead Heath.
Ian's route most certainly does what it says on the tin and gets you to Hertford. It's not very pretty though is it? No offence hun.
That dog leg at Furneaux Pelham is handy as it takes us in towards Buntingford where I was originally planning the outbound cake stop.
No probs, I will probably do that route on the way back as it will be nice and quick.
Outbound : http://www.mapmyride...s/view/28014350
Two options for outbound stops.
Return leg will split at Hertford. One route directly south on the A1010. The other out to the West heading for Hampstead Heath.
Return stop should be at the White Heart Pub in Standon heading back to Hertford on the B roads which will be easier to ride during the failing light.
EDIT : depending on the numbers as I'm sure the Hampstead riders could dive down the A10 and then cut West on the return journey.
Two options for outbound stops.
Return leg will split at Hertford. One route directly south on the A1010. The other out to the West heading for Hampstead Heath.
Return stop should be at the White Heart Pub in Standon heading back to Hertford on the B roads which will be easier to ride during the failing light.
EDIT : depending on the numbers as I'm sure the Hampstead riders could dive down the A10 and then cut West on the return journey.
