London to Edinburgh?

[samid]

This is my first post here, so first thing is - hi everybody!

I live in Canada, and in August I am planning to visit UK and to ride from London to Edinburgh. I would appreciate advice on a good route to take. I would like to complete the trip in about a week.

I am not planning to camp, rather I'd like to stay in B&Bs and such - and hence the other question is, how necessary it is to book accommodations beforehand - i.e. how risky would it be to just go and try find a room at a hotel/B&B when I feel like stopping for the night? Any thoughts on this will be very much appreciated.

 

[vernon]

This is my first post here, so first thing is - hi everybody!

I live in Canada, and in August I am planning to visit UK and to ride from London to Edinburgh. I would appreciate advice on a good route to take. I would like to complete the trip in about a week.

I am not planning to camp, rather I'd like to stay in B&Bs and such - and hence the other question is, how necessary it is to book accommodations beforehand - i.e. how risky would it be to just go and try find a room at a hotel/B&B when I feel like stopping for the night? Any thoughts on this will be very much appreciated.

You might like to try using the viamichelin route planner at http://www.viamichelin.com where there's a bike option which selects quieter roads.

August is a busy month and B&B accommodation might be scarce in some towns at this time.

 

[samid]

Thanks for the reply. I tried ViaMichelin, but got the error "bicycle routes cannot exceed 200km". So, the question remains, well maybe in a modified form: what would be good key points for this route? Which cities/towns I should go through and which are better avoided?

 

[Magna]

Thanks for the reply. I tried ViaMichelin, but got the error "bicycle routes cannot exceed 200km". So, the question remains, well maybe in a modified form: what would be good key points for this route? Which cities/towns I should go through and which are better avoided?

Make sure you have a little city break in Newcastle on your way up the country. There is a days worth of nice things to see and do like the contemporary art museum (amongst others), St. James' park, Newcastle's castle, The Quayside. The city is easily navigatable by Metro or bike. Then at night you could sample the nightlife which it is famous for and take on board some Newcastle Brown Ale which you may already have heard of.

Following this I would take the Northumerland coastal route heading towards Scotland and take in some of the castles- Bamburgh and Holy Island being my favourites. You're going to have a great time the whole way and I hope you get some fabulous weather.

 

[samid]

Magna - many thanks! that's the kind of info I'm looking for, much appreciated. (And yes, I have heard of Newcastle Brown Ale - like it a lot, in fact... we have a reasonably decent selection of UK ales in Toronto, strangely enough

 

[RedBike]

Which cities/towns I should go through and which are better avoided?

I would be trying very hard to avoid London!

 

[Magna]

I would be trying very hard to avoid London!

But then he'd miss out on all the great sights! My advice do it in a day then enjoy the rest of the country and it's population which are best represented OUTSIDE the capital.

Would you be interested to see Stonehenge? Don't think it would be too far out of your way leaving London and it's one of the sights of England that I would like to see but haven't yet.

 

[samid]

I like London a lot, in fact. Granted, that's a tourist's view.

 

[samid]

Magna, thanks again! I have visited Stonehenge a couple of years ago, with a friend of mine living in England (not on a bike though). Very impressive. As for London (which is one of my favorite cities - not that I've been to too many but still) - I am planning to spend a few days there before I start my trip proper.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I wouldn't bother with any of the industrialized Northern towns...but then again I'm a Southerner

I heard on the Tv here that the weather in June is set to be excellent, but July and August will be like last year.. WET, COLD, WINDY. I hope they are wrong.

What about following the north sea cycle route up the eastern coast (ish)?

 

[rich p]

If you're doing it in a week then you won't be spending the odd day sight-seeing en route so I'd avoid all the large towns which are difficult to navigate through. Aim for medium places for more likely accommodation or pre-book may be better. I'd plot a direct-ish route on a map and then tweak it to avoid main roads ensuring you end up at a reasonable sized place each day if you haven't booked.
Cambridge, Oxford are nice but I don't know if they're en route off the top of my head.
Going through the Peak District, Derbyshire, would be very scenic, Ashbourne, Hartington, Buxton spring to mind in that area.
Charles Cotton Hotel has accommodation in Hartington and some excellent local beer.

 

[samid]

I wouldn't bother with any of the industrialized Northern towns...but then again I'm a Southerner

So, which ones WOULD you go through?

I heard on the Tv here that the weather in June is set to be excellent, but July and August will be like last year.. WET, COLD, WINDY. I hope they are wrong.

Ouch Me too (hope they are wrong, I mean)...

What about following the north sea cycle route up the eastern coast (ish)?

What is that route? what towns would that go through?

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

http://www.northsea-cycle.com/

...as a southerner (born sowf of Watford like) i am allergic to northern england

I wouldnt bother with places like Stockport, Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Huddersfield....but this is a highly biased opinion based upon short business trips to these places by car. I think you ned to listen what our Northern freinds have to say about where to go, I am sure there are some nice places up there, but i just havent found them yet.

(Places tin hat on head, dives for cover in face of pending deadly black pudding onslaught)

...erm..if you like the look of the North sea route..I might suggest that from London you cut across to it via places like Thaxted Saffron Walden Cambridge Kings Lyn then head straight up from there maybe. North Essex, Suffolfk and Norfolk are nice places to ride..but I havent riden further north that that.

 

[samid]

BTFB - thanks for the link. This definitely looks like an option.

rich_p - thanks for advice/info. As for sight-seeing - I hope to have a spare day (or even two) for sight-seeing if I like some place enough.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

..Around Saffron Walden places like Arkesden, Audley end are nice....if you want a good beach on the way head over to Holkham beach near Wells by the sea on the north norfolk coast for a day then pick up the north sea route from there.
Cambridge is a popular tourist place...but I dont know if you can take a bike on a river punt

...I wouldnt bank on wild camping much...around london is mostly commuter country where 4x4's are king.