Railway trails

[Tilley]

You can link the two tunnels trail, the Bristol to Bath Cycle route, and an on road section through the Chew valley area south of Bristol to make a very enjoyable 60mile circuit.

 

[srw]

I should have added - use www.streetmap.co.uk or www.bikehike.co.uk to take a first look at any routes, because all the sustrans routes are plotted on the 1:50,000 OS maps those sites show. Solid green circles for on-road, open ciricles for off-road. I find that rail trails are pretty reliable usually, but otherwise I'd want to stick mainly to on-road routes, and check them quite carefully as better alternatives can often be found - both to on-road and off-road routes.

 

[Slick]

This may be a possibility, and it was suggested to me by another CCer.

http://www.cyclegrampian.co.uk/trail/formartineway.html

There was a brilliant blog from a guy who just completed it, I thought it was. Excellent.

 

[Slick]

Found it.

http://www.cyclingscot.co.uk/aberdeenshire-formartine-and-buchan-way.html

I found it too late in the year to do the lot, but I'm working up there again in the new year and fully intend to do it. The old platforms are something to see.

 

[mjr]

You can link the two tunnels trail, the Bristol to Bath Cycle route, and an on road section through the Chew valley area south of Bristol to make a very enjoyable 60mile circuit.

For just 12 miles more, you could have Cheddar Gorge, the Strawberry Line and the Flax Bourton Greenway instead of that dull man-made puddle! http://cycle.travel/map/journey/9942

 

[Tim Hall]

Again, thanks for the tips. I think the South Downs is a bit far away as well as a bit rough,
Andy

@srw had it slightly wrong. It's the Downs Link that links the North Downs at Guildford to just beyond the South Downs at Shoreham, whilst the South Downs Way runs east-west along the South Downs and is a whole lot rougher. The majority of the Downs Link is disused railway, with bits alongside the Adur as it gets to the southern end. I've done it on 25mm tyres on my Mercian (as well as other bikes).

 

[srw]

@srw had it slightly wrong. It's the Downs Link that links the North Downs at Guildford to just beyond the South Downs at Shoreham, whilst the South Downs Way runs east-west along the South Downs and is a whole lot rougher. The majority of the Downs Link is disused railway, with bits alongside the Adur as it gets to the southern end. I've done it on 25mm tyres on my Mercian (as well as other bikes).

Yes - my fault. Downs Link. Still wouldn't want to do it without a mountain bike unless it had been very dry recently. Based on the first 20-odd miles it seems to have been laid using gravel and sand years ago, and doesn't drain properly. It's also tree-covered, and not swept, so there's a nice layer of mulch that forms every autumn.

South Downs Way is a footpath across chalk hills - up and down like a mad thing, and not something I'd do on a bike (although @GrumpyGregry OTP claims to have ridden it on 25mm tyres on his Galaxy).

 

[Tilley]

For just 12 miles more, you could have Cheddar Gorge, the Strawberry Line and the Flax Bourton Greenway instead of that dull man-made puddle! http://cycle.travel/map/journey/9942

Yep I wouldn't argue with that In fact starting in Cheddar with the climb up the gorge then onto the climb at Midford means that you take on all the severe climbs early in the ride and have a relaxing return on all the old railway tracks.

 

[Tilley]

Alternatively if you should wish to use the train to get to the start of the ride you could start at Yatton as the Strawberry line starts in the railway station car park.

 

[rivers]

I would not ride Bristol to Bath on a weekend though, unless fairly early in the morning. Lots of pedestrians, dog walkers, and children about.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

There's a nice stretch between Market Harborough and Chapel Brampton. There were 2 tunnels along that route (it's been 11 years since I last rode it, so these may be closed now). I'm sure you could work a circular route out including this section.

Brampton Valley Way - Runs from Market Harborough to Northampton is about 14 miles long. I've done it on a road bike 28mm tyres will be fine on it. Good lights are a must though as the two tunnels are very dark.

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/brampton-valley-way

 

[HLaB]

If Edinburgh is close enough its got lots of paths along old railways paths, they are mostly paved though and you may be wanting something rougher. Scotland is full of such paths thanks to Dr Beeching!

 

[Hacienda71]

Middlewood Way Marple to Macclesfield could tie that in with the TPT.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Yes - my fault. Downs Link. Still wouldn't want to do it without a mountain bike unless it had been very dry recently. Based on the first 20-odd miles it seems to have been laid using gravel and sand years ago, and doesn't drain properly. It's also tree-covered, and not swept, so there's a nice layer of mulch that forms every autumn.

South Downs Way is a footpath across chalk hills - up and down like a mad thing, and not something I'd do on a bike (although @GrumpyGregry OTP claims to have ridden it on 25mm tyres on his Galaxy).

Downs Link and bits of SDW. On 28's. And I have never owned a Galaxy!

 

[mjr]

...to St Alban's and the Alban way to Hatfield. I've done all of that, including I think all of it on a heavy-duty touring tandem; the trails are mostly sandy or tarmac and would be fine on hybrids.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, the tarmac Alban Way, from Hatfield station to Cottonmill Lane St Albans:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgtZM3uX8ys