Has anyone cycled the Pheonix Trial ?

[Steve07711]

Hi
I am planning a ride to Witney in Oxfordshire from East Finchley on Saturday and my sat nav app takes me down the Pheonix trail to Thame on route 57 I was wondering if anyone had rode this and if it is suitable for a road bike ? If not does anyone have a better route suggestion ?

Thanks
Steve

 

[morrisman]

Assuming Thame to Risborogh direction. Entirely tarmac or fine gravel, suitable for a road bike. That is until it crosses the B4009 where it becomes off-road so it's best to go the Risborough on the road.

 

[Steve07711]

No going from Princes Risborough to Thame as I am coming from London to Witney so could follow the A4129 Thame road if it is not suitable ?

 

[srw]

Unless they've resurfaced it recently (Sustrans were promising to) the first few hundred yards, until you've crossed the level crossing, are shockingly badly surfaced. You might want to avoid that bit by using the B4009. From there you've got a few miles of good quality packed gravel, followed by good quality tarmac. For me it's the best option between Risborough and Thame.

I presume that from there you'll skirt north of the main Oxford road to Worminghall and Stanton St John? I think (it's been a few years) that from the Headington roundabout there are cycle paths all the way beside the A40 to Witney - although a detour through Kidlington would be less noisy.

 

[Steve07711]

Thanks for the advice will do that , not sure which way I will go from Thame but I know that bit quite well probably use the A40 as the cycle path is pretty good depends on time and weather.

 

[mcr]

A more pleasurable alternative to the grim A40 cycle path is to take the B4027 from Stanton St John to Islip, then cut through Kidlington (unless it's changed in the last couple of years, NCR51 goes round the houses, so avoid) to Yarnton, cross the A44, head through Cassington, cross the A40 take the campsite road opposite (no-through-road to motor traffic but OK on a bike), take the B4449 south around Eynsham until you get to a minor-road R-hand turn for South Leigh and follow this for a quiet route into Witney.

Last time I took the Phoenix Trail into Thame (admittedly a few years ago), it fizzled out in a load of brambles somewhere on the edge of town, so I hope it's been finished now!

 

[srw]

It still fizzles out in a load of brambles - shortly after going through the old station you come to a barrier across a road where you have to turn right through a 1980s housing estate into the town centre.

Perhaps I ought to admit that the first time we tried it and missed the turn for the town centre (slightly optimistic map) we tried piloting the tandem along a very muddy bridleway alongside the river, and came something of a cropper.