London to Harwich - route advice

[Longshot]

Does anyone have any tried and tested routes (or general advice) for London to Harwich? The obvious answer is of course the A12 but I'd rather avoid that. I've looked at a number of route planners and each comes up with a slightly different answer. There'll be ten of us cycling, in daylight hours and we'd prefer quiet to quickest. We've all day to make the ferry so we can detour a bit to get a decent route.

The intended starting point is the Velodrome in the Olympic Park if that helps.

 

[rowdin]

I cycle form Colchester to hutton near brentwood to see my dad never touching the A12. Try using bikehike.co.uk, go into options turn off google, then turn on open street maps then turn off driving in the travel mode after that turn on cycling. It should find you a route that doesn't use any road a bike can't go on. It should also workout the quickest route.

 

[ianrauk]

Does anyone have any tried and tested routes (or general advice) for London to Harwich? .

Yes,
let me dig it out for you.
Though it will be Harwich to Dartford, It will give you a good idea.
Give me 5 minutes and I will add to this post.

 

[ianrauk]

Here you go London Harwich
It's a tried and tested route. Having been done a few times on a FNRttC return (but in reverse).
I mapped it out from the Olympic Park.

The route is as flat as the proverbial pancake.
If you are relatively good cyclists then it will be a breeze.

There's a Tescos and MaccyD's in Maldon for a half way stop.

 

[mmmmartin]

Take the train?

 

[Longshot]

Here you go London Harwich
It's a tried and tested route. Having been done a few times on a FNRttC return (but in reverse).
I mapped it out from the Olympic Park.

The route is as flat as the proverbial pancake.
If you are relatively good cyclists then it will be a breeze.

There's a Tescos and MaccyD's in Maldon for a half way stop.

That's excellent - thank you very much.

 

[xanderwol]

Here you goLondon Harwich
It's a tried and tested route. Having been done a few times on a FNRttC return (but in reverse).
I mapped it out from the Olympic Park.

The route is as flat as the proverbial pancake.
If you are relatively good cyclists then it will be a breeze.

There's a Tescos and MaccyD's in Maldon for a half way stop.

Hi, quick question (8 years on from your post) - do you think that route is still feasable or have roads been closed, changed since? Asking because I am going on that London-Harwich trip next Tuesday and am looking for a route away from A-roads and your suggestion seems to be the most sensible I found so far.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[ianrauk]

HI Alex
I've done most of the roads since then, so I would say it would be fine for you. There's a bit of the A1133 near Colchester, but it's fine.

All the best with your trip. Let us know how you get on.

 

[xanderwol]

Ace! Many thanks for the quick reply and confirmation! Also for pointing out that stretch near Colchester. I'll make sure to drop a line on how it went. I am going take the same route back when coming back from Holland the week after.

 

[Dag Hammar]

Hi xanderwol. There is also an app “ cycle.travel “ which I find to be very user friendly and effective.
You enter a start location ( postcode is best, but not compulsory ) and the required destination and it calculates a route for you keeping you off of the ‘main’ roads. That is it’s function, it’s designed specifically to offer cyclists a safer route than using the busy roads but of course, the route that is calculated will not be the most direct.
When you get to Harwich, if you are catching a ferry from Parkeston there is a Morrisons supermarket with a cafe very close by if you want refreshments subject to the opening times of the cafe. Morrisons website and store locator will tell you all the info about that.
Hope this info is of some use to you 👍

 

[xanderwol]

Hi xanderwol. There is also an app “ cycle.travel “ which I find to be very user friendly and effective.
You enter a start location ( postcode is best, but not compulsory ) and the required destination and it calculates a route for you keeping you off of the ‘main’ roads. That is it’s function, it’s designed specifically to offer cyclists a safer route than using the busy roads but of course, the route that is calculated will not be the most direct.
When you get to Harwich, if you are catching a ferry from Parkeston there is a Morrisons supermarket with a cafe very close by if you want refreshments subject to the opening times of the cafe. Morrisons website and store locator will tell you all the info about that.
Hope this info is of some use to you 👍

Brilliant info, thanks Dag. I will try out the app too. And I will sure need some supplies before going on the ferry.

 

[FabianRothschild]

Hi xanderwol - did you do this London to Harwich route and back? Did it go well? I'm thinking of giving it a go in the coming weeks. Thanks.

 

[presta]

This route diverges from the one above just after the A130 crossing near Rettendon. It's about half a mile shorter, but the main advantage is that it's much more scenic and a bit quieter, albeit at the expense of about 380' more climbing. You can cut out a few more miles by bypassing Maldon, but it's about half way, and a very attractive place to stop and eat on the quayside by the Thames sailing barges. There are seats to park your bum, and a couple of pubs.

The section around Danbury and Little Baddow is pretty, and at the other side of Maldon once you've done the long easy climb up Beacon Hill, the route along the ridge from Wickham Bishops to Tiptree is relatively flat with extensive views in places. This route also takes you past Castle Park in Colchester, which Is another pleasant spot for a butty break.

 

[abkal]

This route diverges from the one above just after the A130 crossing near Rettendon. It's about half a mile shorter, but the main advantage is that it's much more scenic and a bit quieter, albeit at the expense of about 380' more climbing. You can cut out a few more miles by bypassing Maldon, but it's about half way, and a very attractive place to stop and eat on the quayside by the Thames sailing barges. There are seats to park your bum, and a couple of pubs.

The section around Danbury and Little Baddow is pretty, and at the other side of Maldon once you've done the long easy climb up Beacon Hill, the route along the ridge from Wickham Bishops to Tiptree is relatively flat with extensive views in places. This route also takes you past Castle Park in Colchester, which Is another pleasant spot for a butty brea

Hi xanderwol. There is also an app “ cycle.travel “ which I find to be very user friendly and effective.
You enter a start location ( postcode is best, but not compulsory ) and the required destination and it calculates a route for you keeping you off of the ‘main’ roads. That is it’s function, it’s designed specifically to offer cyclists a safer route than using the busy roads but of course, the route that is calculated will not be the most direct.
When you get to Harwich, if you are catching a ferry from Parkeston there is a Morrisons supermarket with a cafe very close by if you want refreshments subject to the opening times of the cafe. Morrisons website and store locator will tell you all the info about that.
Hope this info is of some use to you 👍

Hi! Do you have a gpx file for this route? Thanks

 

[presta]

Plotaroute will download GPX files, look under MENU>DOWNLOAD>GPX. I can't vouch for it though, I don't use GPS.