From Muswell Hill (London), to Land's End in Cornwall

[CyclingMonk]

Hello fellow bicyclers

On monday the 16th I will be riding my bike from my doorstep in Muswell Hill to Land's End in Cornwall. On the way I'm hoping to surf the many breaks on the north coast.

I've been doing a bit of research and there are a few contradictory opinions about what the best route is (I also searched this forum and found an old thread). So I was wondering if anyone here has done this ride and has any advice?

My plan as of now would be to take the A30 until I get to Exeter and then go north towards Bude. Once there I'll make my way down the coast using the A39. But, I'm not sure how nice those roads are (scenery wise).

Also, since I have about two weeks to come back (will take the train from Penzance on the 30th) once I get to Bude I want to take it very easy and stop by to surf as often as I can so I rather take backroads and stay closer to the coast.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Land's+End,+Cornwall,+United+Kingdom&daddr=51.542492,-0.134583+to:London+N10+3UE,+UK&hl=en&geocode=FY7z-wId0AKp_ymLdFfTQLhqSDERX0fQLq4OJg%3B%3BFT0gEwMdlMz9_ynZZcMJMxp2SDH-2eHZxA9sXg&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=11&via=1&dirflg=h&sll=51.521562,-0.216293&sspn=0.299071,0.615921&ie=UTF8&ll=50.665131,-3.667374&spn=0.304662,0.615921&z=11

So, any suggestions?

Thanks!
Mat

 

[skudupnorth]

The A39 is painful ! Long,long hills and quite busy.Next time i ride down i am heading the Plymouth,Looe,Falmouth route which will be hard but with more civilisation !

 

[Brains]

A30! Noooooooo.

The A30, for most it's Cornish length is in effect a two lane motorway. Totally unsuitable for cycling.

The Route I did (London where I live to North Cornwall where the family lives) was
Along the south side of the Thames
Turn left at Reading onto the Kennett and Avon Canal
Keep straight on to Bristol (Sustrans route)
Down to Wells and the Somerset Levels,
Tarka Trail
Now it gets bumpy ...
Across to Bude
Down the North coast (Sustrans route) to join up with the Camel Trail

 

[summerdays]

Are you carrying a surf board on the bike?

 

[CyclingMonk]

A30! Noooooooo.

The A30, for most it's Cornish length is in effect a two lane motorway. Totally unsuitable for cycling.

The Route I did (London where I live to North Cornwall where the family lives) was
Along the south side of the Thames
Turn left at Reading onto the Kennett and Avon Canal
Keep straight on to Bristol (Sustrans route)
Down to Wells and the Somerset Levels,
Tarka Trail
Now it gets bumpy ...
Across to Bude
Down the North coast (Sustrans route) to join up with the Camel Trail

Thanks! Although I wasn't planning on taking the A30 in Cornwall, only until Exeter and then A39 from Bude. But considering the post below...

The A39 is painful ! Long,long hills and quite busy.Next time i ride down i am heading the Plymouth,Looe,Falmouth route which will be hard but with more civilisation !

I might skip it! Is there any other way to go down from Bude to Land's End without taking the A39? What is the Sustran route number that joins with the Camel Trail? That sounds pretty nice.

Are you carrying a surf board on the bike?

Nope I'm not, not that crazy yet heh. I learnt the pains of carrying a surfboard on my bike when I was in LA and I had to carry my board all the way from Long Beach to Huntington Beach everyday (and I had special handlers for it in my bike). But wind gusts are painful, and you have to be always looking out for cars doing turns because you have about 2 extra ft either way of your bike. Worse part was deffinitely the wind though... you're all over the place when out in the open!

 

[CyclingMonk]

I've been checking the Sustrans website and following the advice of Brains I should:

London (Putney Bridge) to Reading
From Putney Bridge the route is known as the Thames Valley cycle route through to Reading (from where the Thames Valley cycle route continues to Oxford on National Route 5). The route loosely follows the River Thames but also passes through Richmond Park and Windsor Great Park.Map: NN5A Thames Valley

Reading to Bristol
From Reading National Route 4 follows the Severn & Thames cycle route through Newbury and Hungerford to Great Bedwyn where the route splits giving two options through Wiltshire either via Devizes or via Marlborough and Chippenham. The routes rejoin following the Kennet & Avon canal through Bradford-on-Avon to Bath and then the Bristol & Bath Railway Path to Bristol.

And then take National Route 3 in reverse.

Land's End to Bude

National Route 3 in Cornwall is known as The Cornish Way. Starting or finishing at Land's End the route passes through Penzance, Hayle, Cambourne and Redruth. Near Truro the Cornish Way splits and National Route 3 forms the southern option crossing the River Fal on the King Harry Ferry and taking in Mevagissey, St. Austell, The Eden Project and Bodmin where the route options rejoin. Heading north the route passes Camelford and the edge of Bodmin Moor on the way to Bude.

Map: NN3B The Cornish Way

Bude to Bristol

National Route 3 continues out of Cornwall towards Bristol as The West Country Way. Taking in large parts of the traffic-free Tarka Trail to Barnstaple the route crosses Exmoor with an optional detour via Tiverton to Taunton. Following canal tow-paths to Bridgwater the route crosses the Somerset Levels, Mendip Hills and the Chew Valley on country roads to Bristol passing through Street, Glastonbury, Wells and Chew Magna.

-----

Does this sound ok? Unfortunately they are out of print of the Cornish maps so the only one I can buy is the London to Reading one.

How easy is it to follow the Sustrans routes once you're on them? Are they easy to find / well signaled?