Will be doing this with a relatively inexperienced friend, so would like to keep the miles as low as possible, but also avoid heavy traffic coming on and off of the M4. anyone cycled along the A4 or A420? Any info would be a great help!
[url= http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ ]http://www.sustrans.org.uk/[/url]
That might help. I can't search the maps from work so over to you.
I'd suggest the Kennet and Avon Canal to Marlborough area. Then NE on the Ridgeway which will take you to the SE of Oxford at which point you drop off the escarpment to the city.
Thanks for the link. I had a quick look, but nothing quite in the right direction.
I am perfectly capable of planning the route myself, just wondering if anyone has previous experience?
K&A as far as Hungerford, perhaps. Then up towards Wantage.
Road or off road? Both the A4 and the 420 are wide and very busy main roads.
Searching for routes around Bath, Chippenham and Oxford on bikely may help you piece a route together, for example I found there after a quick look:
[url] http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Oxford-Swindon-commute-route [/url]
[url] http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Oxford-to-Bristol [/url]
Thanks for those links. I hadn't heard of Bikely before. I think I will be avoiding the A4 and A420, and that will probably push the distance up a bit. Doing it this weekend so we'll see if the weather holds up!
I was going to rave about BikeRouteToaster.com. But it seems some of the map info is missing just now, don't think its BRT's fault.
Anyway, when its working, its great for bike routes on the NCN's etc. Get the map window up, the click on the "cycle" button at the top right of the map pane. Gives you the StreetMap cycle version. In my view worth its weight in gold.
You can then just click between places and it auto routes for you, generally following the NCN's. You can even save the routes. Its the sort of website I would have been proud to have come up with, if I wasn't quite so lazy!
When I lived in Newbury I road from Bath using the Sustrans route which gives you a choice of off/on road routes, from there you can ride to Reading on the K&A where it joins the Sustrans Thames route to Oxford. All of the route would suite a novice but will take a bit longer than a weekend.
Looks like a Monday sicki may be in order. Hope you enjoy the ride whatever you do.