Well, after 3 years I managed to finish the the SDW last year. Famine/pestilence/poor navigation and crashes scuppered the first two attempts. I rode the SDW over 3 days bivvying along the way.
Time for something new this year and it needs to be a single day adventure for practical/Covid reasons. I need to end up back at the car this time too.
I'm the fittest I've been for some time thanks to real life riding and Zwift. Still as weak as a baby compared to most of you guys but not bad for me.
Peddars Way seems to be a good route to try to complete, there and back in a day. Not very hilly, straight (to limit how much even I can get lost) and I've never ridden in Suffolk/ Norfolk at all before so it will be nice to explore some new countryside. I think it's about 46 miles each way so it'll be a big struggle for certain but an enjoyable one I'm sure.
I have the right tool for the job, a nice little Voodoo Bizango, ideal for the ride... So I'm not taking that, instead I'll be riding my trusty Jeffsy 29er. Just because really.
I'll be riding it one day over the next few weeks,a dry sunny day but not too hot would be ideal. An early start to allow for me going at a snail's pace later in the day. No bivvy bag or overnight stuff so if I don't get back to the car it'll be an uncomfortable night. That'll provide some motivation in sure.
Any tips guys? What's it like getting water on the way in these unusual times? I'll be taping flapjacks/ gels to the frame so should be ok for carbs. Pack carries 3L of water but I absolutely know that won't last even close to long enough. I get through a lot of water when out as I'm a sweaty biffer.
Also, what's the ground like up there? I live on the North Downs so I'm used to chalk, clay and flint.
Oh,I've got a gpx file but it's a walkers route, I'm guessing the riding route is a little different?
Thanks guys!
We're riding it Sunday (from Cambridge to Thetford first), it will be very sandy in places finding water may be a struggle there's a Bp garage as you cross over the a47 at swaffham but not much else on route by the looks of it!
Thanks Ogg, let me know how you get on and good luck matey!
Edit: Not signed up for Komoot but I'll sort that to look at you route, thanks again.
Look for churches on or near your route. A church will usually have a water source (ie a tap) tucked away somewhere outside.
There was a tap at the church at South Acre, just off the route. Not ridden it for about 10 years so can’t confirm it’s still there?
Be watching this with interest as have plans to include Peddars way in a slightly longer trip - Peddar's way joins the icknield way, which joins the ridgeway. So in theory I can do about 200miles from my house to the Norfolk cost all off-road.
Icknield and Ridgeway are known to me, but know little about the Peddar's way...other than it looks completely straight!
The boy has informed me that there’s a shop at Castle Acre where they got food and drinks when riding it last year.
I rode it last weekend. Conditions were pretty good, we had some rain last week so not too dusty / sandy. It’s pretty easy going, a mix of wooded single track, farm / forest tracks and quiet roads. Undulates a bit towards the north end but it’s Norfolk so still pretty flat.
There is a diversion after about 10 / 15 miles from the start where the trail turns into a footpath. Just ride on the footpath! The diversion is very boring and misses one of the best bits.
Not a lot of options for water at the moment. The shop is open at Castle Acre which is well stocked, and about the half way point. There is a garage / McDonalds when you cross the A47 near Swaffham. Apparently you can’t take bikes through the Drive Thru but they’re reopening fully on the 24th June.
I believe the shop at Ringstead near the end of route is open on limited hours, but we got there too late for that.
Otherwise as above you can usually find a tap at a church.
Enjoy, it’s a lovely route through some very quiet countryside.
Ogg, it adds a few miles, but consider taking the NCN51 out of Cambridge to Bottisham, then turn left on the road past Lode, keep going and the NCN11 is signposted on the right. Take the NCN11 as far as Wicken and then road to Fordham, rather than the NCN51 / roads to Burwell; it's a nicer route, wildlife, and very easy to follow once you get on the start. It's signposted Lodes Way.
OP, I believe there is a mix of surfaces on the Peddar's Way, the first bit through Thetford Forest area (if you are simply following the footpath) is a trail which can get muddy after rain; but there is also gravelled / hardcore track with a few bits of road. Most of the long straight section north of Castle Acre is a track but overgrown with grass so can be mucky. There are lots of marked trails in the Thetford area but they are generally well marked so just look for the acorn. There are quite a lot of turns before Castle Acre and very few afterwards! There are shops or tea rooms on-route in Castle Acre and Ringstead, and Great Massingham off route. There is an outside tap on the public toilets at the end of the Way at Holme, but I don't know if the toilets are open. Be aware Roudham Heath picnic area off the A11 has a reputation! Enjoy the (big) day out.
Some fantastic info there guys, massive thanks.
There seems a lot of diversions on my Harvey map (yes, I'm sad enough to buy one even for this route, love maps though) right from the very start.
The start for walkers is at knettishall heath.... but if you cycle it starts at thetford and and doesn't join the peddars until just before the A11!
Erm, what's the "get owrf my land/ your not allowed to ride here" brigade like on peddars?
I see online a lot of MXers seem to regard it as fair game(!) so little old me on a cycle shouldn't be an issue should it?
Bit of a thread hijack.
Any suggestions for riding the PW as a loop from Kings Lynn?
My understanding was the cycle route also started at knettishall Heath. That’s certainly where I’ve always ridden from! You won’t get any grief if you do, I’m pretty sure the signs say bikes allowed. It will also mean you don’t have to go into Thetford...
Yes apparently some of the sections are designated as greenways so you might see some MXers. Saw a few at the weekend but they were no bother.
It’s a pretty well trodden path for cyclists so you shouldn’t have any issues. It is Norfolk though so never rule anything out! (Born and inbred here so allowed to say that)
Thanks acsevens, I'll start from that point and see how it goes then. Can't find any safe parking nearby really? Dave as meaning, as a last resort,I might not get back to the car till the next day... So don't want it locked in at a gated parking area or such or where it'll attract unwanted attention. The car is nothing special though!
I'll meet any "queries" I get along the way with a polite reply anyway, just as I usually would.
Just don't want to feel like an "outlaw" lol. I want to enjoy the ride/adventure and be left alone basically.
good luck to you sir 👍 🚴
I'll bleedin' need it.lol
It'll be my longest single day ride ever. Ok or off road.
Think I'll take my Exposure light along with me...could be a long day/night.
I think the sand is damped down nicely at the moment ..... though a canoe might be the better weapon of choice! 😬
I grew up on Peddars Way, (and now live just off the SDW), should be a nice easy ride in comparison!
If you're taking photos, please grab a shot of this new house here:
It's just as you drop down the hill into Ringstead travelling North, pretty much on the very first bit of tarmac.
They knocked down the house I grew up in, I'd love to see what's been built. 👍🏻😎
Pictonroad,
I'll genuinely do my best to set that addy on my phone to remind me to take some pics for you mate.👍
@picton road, I didn't realise that you hale from that part of the world. Did you go to Smithdon?
https://www.komoot.com/tour/204296812
I've plotted this. Basically it's the walking route...
For expediency/ "get of my land" reasons I can take the designated detours.
Anyone able to give me pointers as to wherever I need to modify the route? Ie. The very start is through an SSSI which isn't ideal...
@picton road, I didn’t realise that you hale from that part of the world. Did you go to Smithdon?
Just along the same road, Glebe House School.
The good country. 😎 Love it up there.
@poopscoop we rode it yesterday, joined Peddars way at Brettenham and followed the obvious route.
Water/food wise without going off route there's nothing other than Castle Acre shop+chip shop and a BP garage/mcdonalds at Swaffham A47.
This weeks rain had firmed up a lot of the sand so it was fairly fast flowing mixed with big old puddles what isn't single/double track offroad is really quiet rural roads.
We took 3.5 hours to ride to Ringstead including 30 minutes of stops - but that's going North so we had a mild tailwind
Saw a few people out on the trail but not enough to be annoying - fit a bell if you don't have one though there's quite a few blind corners.
The bloomin' "@" function doesn't work anymore?😟
Thanks for posting mate and the update on the water/food availability is most welcome. I'll be ok for food (I'll tape flapjacks/gels to the frame etc) but the water into is very handy,cheers!
Was tempered to try this coming week but going during a big heatwave might not be a good idea. Lol
Exit: Oh, thanks for the strava route too matey!
Well, wish me luck. Just starting.
Hoping Zwift and 4 stone weight loss will get me the 92 miles there and back!👍😁
Good luck!
First proper stop, castle acre.
Tried to ride through the ford.....
I didn't make it.
Feeling good though.
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Good luck with the mission, don't neglect the fuel and fluid, it's going to be a warm day!
Good luck poopscoop!
Following with interest, love a good p-p ride.
Yeah baby yeah!
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On way back now.
South is down hill right?
Good work Poopscoop and do hope you stopped for an ice cream.
Clocked up 37 miles on the return, celebrated with a pre.
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Civid party at the ford so didn't try it again.
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A little overgrown due to lockdown I think. I almost didn't wear gloves for today...
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Nice one! I'm doing it with 3 friends next weekend.
Any tips & advice beyond the above?
We were planning on parking at Thetford station and cycling to the route from there...
It's it quite a fast surface? I'm imagining the hard packed sand/soil like you get at Thetford forest...
Did you end up in Hunstanton? We're planning on stopping for fish and chips, although the queues might be a bit nuts...
Go on mr_poopster.
Beautifully composed pic of the Ford party!
Lovely day for a nice ride - double thumbs up emoji!
Had a crash,bike is fine.... Then took a 5 mile detour along a deep sandy track.... Which I had to back track on...
In car, on way back to Kent.
Managed to make the return journey over 55 miles.lol
Good job on the mission, hope bike and you are still ok in the morning!
Well done you star 🌟
💪
Ace!
Good job and a great day out.
Fords are the work of the devil having had to rescue holiday-makers who rode through the one at Walsingham. He managed the trip with no problems, she fell off and broke her ankle quite badly! A passing(!) off-duty paramedic was administering first aid when I rocked up to collect bikes and the uninjured chap.
Had a crash
That's a relief, was wondering who had kidnapped and replaced Poopscoop there. 🙂
💪💪💪
Long lie in now?
I should really do this route as I live in Norwich - where did you end up parking?
Good effort! Did you end up parking at Thetford or Knettishall?
Bloody hell, every part of me aches today.
Right, people have asked where I parked. I parked in a nice little village called (sp?) Coney Weston. There is a pub there too, in case that's of interest to anyone. You can park closer but the spots near the start look a bit dogging spoty to me.lol Also, there was a very real potential for me arriving back at the car very late at night and I didn't know if the nerby car park closes at night.
From Weston it's only a couple of miles via road and/ or a bit of the Icknield Way to the start of Peddars proper.
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A crash and a detour.
Ok, on the way back from Holme on Sea I was going well. Knees were giving me a little gyp so I started spinning more which helped. Roman road or not I additionally referred to viewranger on the phone if I wasn't sure. Trouble is,I hadn't charged it in the car on the journey down so battery was getting low. That was a concern as it also meant I couldn't use it to get back to the car.... Which I hadn't exactly played much attention to where I'd parked!😐
Kept on keeping on, just turning the pedals and the miles were clocking up well. Plenty of pedal strikes though as you have to ride in the well worn double/triple tracks which go into little pot holes randomly and if the pedals aren't horizontal... The trail let's you know it!
With only a few miles to go I'm going through a shaded section, due to the canopy overhead. Suddenly I'm just pulled of the bike, literally just grabbed and thrown on my back! Turns out I hadn't seen a branch that was pointing almost parallel down the trail towards me. It skewered me just below the left armpit as I rode past it and catapulted me off. I lay on the floor absolutely fuming! It then occurred to me how lucky I was, the branch had been broken at it's end and had a nice sharp point. If it had hit me in the chest it might have been very unpleasant... I tried snapping or bending it back out of the way but the branch was having none of it. Rather guiltily I had to leave it as was in the end. Bruised ego back on the bike I carried on.
Got to the actual end of Peddars! Just a little jaunt along Icknield Way then to the car. No problemo! Except I had a rather large brain fart instead. Got lost and ended up on a deep sand "road" leading to various fields with pig farms in. It was like pedaling through treacle and I was furious at my own stupidity. Phone was almost flat and taking a while to acquire location. Turned out I had to double back a couple of miles. Doesn't sound much but I was gutted, particularly in this bloody thick sand with tired "everything"! Wish literally 1% left on the battery I managed to figure out a way back to the end of Peddars (again) and how to get back to the car. Icknield, I hate you! Lol
Dare I dream of riding the SDW in under 24 hours this year, now? What's the worst that could happen?
See above for where I parked matey it's only a couple of miles from the trail start.
The going is fast on the whole but with some sections of sand that are draggy... though not as bad as if you go off trail in the section I mention above, that was hellish.
The start was pretty muddy with large puddles for a while until after the MOD firing range on the right. Then it's fairly compact sand/dirt. A fair amount of flint and stretches of trail composed of large bits of granite dumped in. You're down tube will sounds like a tin can being shot at by an air rifle...
Food/water wise I only stopped at Castle Acre bud. A very well stocked Spar that has an attached chippy... Though that wasn't open when I was there. You do pass a service station earlier on with MaccD etc though... Not sure if the Maccy is drive through only?
I rode the pedestrian version of the Way, cheekily. Less road I think and better scenery I'm told. Please be aware that some sections are pretty hairy with low branches/bramble that gets torn over your arms and legs like a hack saw. Don't think I've ever had a ride where I've returned with so many cuts and stings. In reality though, it's the branches you need to watch out for. Some of them were really nasty. In guessing covid has affected the maintenance of much of the trail.
Do try and ride through the ford with your mates! Keep your weight back though as I almost went otb as I hit something under the water. Has to be attempted though.😁
Good luck mate, it's a lovely ride and the road sections are really quiet, hardly saw a car until you cross the big A roads.
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Cheers poopscoop!
The three I am riding with have been doing a lot more recent riding than me, so I am going to have to reign them in a bit or suffer, I think!
Will see what the weather is like regarding the ford! We have done a few bridleway rides round Oakham in the last month with several fords, so have had a bit of practice!
I need to service my bottom bracket, as it's started ticking. I think it just needs a clean & re-install. I'll be riding my rigid Inbred.
All your talk of flint has got me pondering whether to go for a tubeless set-up. My rear tyre is virtually bald, but it rolls fast :). I've got a brand new 2Bliss Ground Control that could go on the rear, but aren't tubeless & the Mountain King on the front is definitely not tubeless. I think converting to tubeless could have disaster written all over it at this late stage!
Last ride out I had a thorn puncture on the front & then went in the garage yesterday to find a flat rear tyre & a hole on the inside edge which looks like the tube might have just perished in that spot - not really sure.
Oh mate, I rode over so much bramble (and their thorns) I genuinely remember thinking, "thank f£&@ im tubeless".
I'd be inclined to stick in some Slime inner tunes or something if you don't want to faff around with tubeless just yet.
I was on HR2 and DHF, lol, not fast but fairly tough. Had the HR2 pumped up harder than usual to help with rolling resistance a little.
Don't worry about the flint so much as the bramble to be honest. If you take the same route I went you will be riding through frigging tonnes of it.
I'd definitely wear glasses of some sort too, got hit across the face by branches and stuff regularly on the less walked/rode parts. That could be nasty without some form of glasses on.
In summary, definitely put some gloop in your inner tubes/go tubeless and wear eye protection and gloves.😁
Oh dear! Cheers for the advice....am torn about the whole tubeless thing now!
Like I say I've got a brand new 2bliss tyre that I could put on the rear but I've never run these rims tubeless - they aren't tubeless rims so might be a pain in the arse.
No idea about whether the front tyre would go up tubeless and I'd also need some valves...I could visit the LBS tomorrow and see if they have a 26 tubeless tyre hanging around and grab some valves.
Or could take the wheels off my Stumpjumper, swap the cassette over & use them. They are tubeless....could be a better idea....
Cheers for the forewarning though! I'm always the one that stops the group for flat tyres!! :o/
Yeah, go for the path of least resistance mate I reckon, swap the wheels over of all that's needed is a change of cassette.
Sods law you'd ride it with bike "as is" and not get a puncture.... but......😳
Ha! Was just looking at some more of the pics I took on the day.
Yes, brilliant fun and it's inspired me to attempt the SDW in a day this summer too. That's going to be much tougher.😁
Oh, for actual fs!
I forgot @pictonroad asked me to get a picture of where he used to live back on page 1!
I'm sorry mate,I genuinely totally forgot.
Crap!
I did it with 3 mates yesterday.
Poopscoop - definitely good advice on the tubeless, although could have done with something faster rolling than what I had.
It was less thorny than I expected based on your description but there were definitely several bramble/thorn/nettle sections which were a pain (literally).
I found the way back much harder than I was anticipating. My legs weren't too bad, but my neck was really sore and my hands felt bruised from the off road pummeling! The 'hills' felt harder too for some reason - not sure how much due to just tiredess.
We parked in Thetford station and it ended up being 171km, which is the furthest I've ever ridden on road or off road. I would like to do it again, but maybe when I'm a bit fitter and on tyres that are a bit faster rolling.
That's great news stumpy! My hands/arms were feeling it even on my fs so I think it's not just my legs that I need to strengthen up.lol
How was the sand? It was a little damp when I rode it which helped reduce the drag a bit I think.
My longest single day ride too btw.
Next the SDW in a day but that's going to be bloody painful towards the end.lol I'll be starting that in the dark to (hopefully) finish in Eastbourne before sunset.
Yeah, I didn't realise it would be quite so harsh on my hands! If I do it again, I'll be taking the rigid fork off & sticking my Rebas back on. I'd also consider some Ergon style grips.
Although 2 of my mates were on gravel/CX bikes & the other was on an El Mariachi with skinny tyres & had locked his fork, so maybe I was just being soft.
There were a couple of sandy stretches that were a bit suspect to ride over, towards the Hunstanton end but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. The ground was still a bit wet from the recent rain, so not as bad as it could have been.
I really enjoyed the varying surfaces - although the road sections on the way back were a welcome respite from the hand-battering!
I think next time, I'd rather do more of a loop than an out-and-back.