Oxford Route Help!

[SavageHoutkop]

Right, as a follow up to my 'where would you live' topic, this weekend Mr Houtkop & I are going to be pedalling about Oxford looking at flats.

We have a fairly chaotic Saturday, most of the time within Summertown/Botley though; so all on-road normal traffic type stuff.

BUT we need to get to/from Boar's Hill and back to town.

I've had a quick rummage for cycle routes in Oxford (had a few maps from the Brompton World Cup trip); but nothing goes that far out.

Any suggestions on how to get from Lincombe Lane to OX1 4TD painlessly?
Map looks fairly direct but I don't want to negotiate the hairy looking A34 roundabout.
Having looked at it on Google it seems there might be a cycle/pedestrian lane on the bridge - but how to get to it? (especially eastbound, westbound it seems to link up to a visible cycle path). Is it a 'duck left onto the road before the roundabout, do a semi circle and duck under some trees' to get to that pavement visible?

Thanks!

 

[Norm]

That's a large roundabout and can be busy at the wrong time but the lanes are fairly clearly marked and it's traffic light controlled so behaviour is generally ok.

I'd be more concerned about the slip road off onto the Abingdon Road a few hundred yards further east, although following the cycle lane you've identified would avoid that.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I don't know if this tells you any more than you already know - but it's quite a nice cycle route map.

http://portal.oxfordshire.gov.uk/co...s_transport/cycling/Oxford_Cycle_Map_Side.pdf

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I have seen this one, thanks for the tip though - any idea if they hand out hard copies anywhere? Printing out at home is never quite as good!
It also manages to stop at the roundabout in question - so OK for the east end but not so OK for figuring out how to get over it...

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Ah, good - so it's always traffic lighted not just at certain times?

Which slip onto which Abingdon Road were you meaning? Google maps has two roads both labelled as 'Abingdon Road' - the first not an A road and the second an A road. I'm intending to nip off at the first one (road to left only) rather than the second (which is another roundabout). The map 3Bikes linked to has the cycle lane dying at that (first) junction, so I should be fine so long as I have my wits about me (and I'll probably be on the cycle lane in any case).

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I've not cycled that bit only driven. But if you don't fancy the roundabout (and it is busy and fast) I'd keep left onto the top of the slip road and then cross the sliproad to the path - dismount if you feel the need to.

Edit: posted after your last one - ignore if irrelevant!

 

[Norm]

Which slip onto which Abingdon Road were you meaning? Google maps has two roads both labelled as 'Abingdon Road' - the first not an A road and the second an A road. I'm intending to nip off at the first one (road to left only) rather than the second (which is another roundabout). The map 3Bikes linked to has the cycle lane dying at that (first) junction, so I should be fine so long as I have my wits about me (and I'll probably be on the cycle lane in any case).

There's two bits of Abingdon Road there but only one has a slip road, the other is at a roundabout. It's the first one which has the dangerous entry, with cars coming off the A34 and wanting to go up there who just see the A4074 as an extension of a major trunk road and are surprised to be confronted by slower traffic. If you are heading up there to go into the city, you should be fine.

Google Streetview goes most of the way up the Abingdon Road to the A4074 junction. You can see that there's an area of the main carriageway which is marked as being for cyclists but, as usual, it's barely wide enough although it does get better when it becomes a bus lanes outside Go Outdoors.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I bike that way quite often (after the traditional ascent of the Cold du Bayworth) and then we descend to go into Oxford along the Abingdon Road.
The map doesn't show it, but the hill is fairly steep, so if the lights are kind you can blatt all the way to the Roundabout at over 30 on a road bike and frighten a lot of traffic. Even if the lights catch you at the bottom of the hill (and they usually do Grrrr) there's still quite a downward slope onto and over the roundabout, so again, speeds on a roadbike are still pretty high. I generally don't worry too much heading from the hill into Abingdon road at the roundabout. As stated, it's pretty wide and cars are pretty well lane disciplined. At rush hour it's not moving fast anyway. At the roundabout into Abingdon road you have quite some space as there is a fliter lane to the Park & Ride as you come off the bend which gives time and space to negotiate the few yards of single file traffic 'till the bus lane starts. Abingdon road is flat and a good whizz, but has several nasty road-centre bollards/ped islands, so good pace and road positioning is critical there. On a Sunday evening it's an absolute hoot coming off the hill, over the A34round the roundabout and blatting into town line astern at 20+!

Going The opposite direction over the A34 and up the hill is not much fun, the traffic laning and speeds are less acceptable and the incline works against the cyclist. If it's quiet I'll take a punt otherwise I'll chicken and use the path.

Good luck with your accom hunting. I hope you enjoy your move to the area as much as we have.
FF.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Thanks The hill might then count against the property at the top of the hill - nice downhill on the way to work, but the way home....!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Thanks The hill might then count against the property at the top of the hill - nice downhill on the way to work, but the way home....!

Nice hill to live on though, some nice walking around there too, but yes, if you want to go anywhere, it's a hilly ride home! The same is true of many parts of Botley, the Cumnor hill end, there are a few testing enough climbs (Hurst hill rise and it's companions) we use on a Sunday night on our way back into Abingdon. Summertown's fab, but you pay for it... and it's probably worth it!
Keep us posted! I think we could drum-up a welcoming party, it's a while since us Oxfordshire CC'ers, yacf'ers atc got together for a beer!

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Which way does the wind normally blow down your part of the world? Up here going home there is usually a headwind... in the morning there is normally no wind.
(yet another thing for the cycle commuter to factor into their choice of accommodation!)

 

[Fab Foodie]

Which way does the wind normally blow down your part of the world? Up here going home there is usually a headwind... in the morning there is normally no wind.
(yet another thing for the cycle commuter to factor into their choice of accommodation!)

Generally I think Southwesterly, 'with me' from Abbers to Oxford and a headwind coming home...