West London to Oxford - help needed
Discussion
I live in Richmond, West London during the week, and Cheltenham, Gloucestershire at weekends. Because of a complicated chain of events, next Saturday I'll find myself in Richmond without a car, so I have the choice of the train or bike back to Cheltenham. Obviously I'm going to take the bike.
Google recommends that I follow the Thames Path and then the Grand Union Canal Path all the way to Slough before turning North towards Oxford. Does anyone use this regularly, who can tell me whether this will allow me to make half-decent progress on a road bike (23c Gators)? Or is there an alternative route out of West London people would recommend?
Google recommends that I follow the Thames Path and then the Grand Union Canal Path all the way to Slough before turning North towards Oxford. Does anyone use this regularly, who can tell me whether this will allow me to make half-decent progress on a road bike (23c Gators)? Or is there an alternative route out of West London people would recommend?
Can't comment on the suitability but I know only part of the Thames path is officially open to cycling. Most of it is footpath only
How about http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/thames-va... although at Henley I would go over the Chilterns to Watlington, Chalgrove and then straight in via Garsington. The Pishil climb is quite nice out of Henley, only really steepens up in the last 200 yards and very picturesque
How about http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/thames-va... although at Henley I would go over the Chilterns to Watlington, Chalgrove and then straight in via Garsington. The Pishil climb is quite nice out of Henley, only really steepens up in the last 200 yards and very picturesque
yes i have done a route from putney to oxford which works well.
go through richmond park. exit kingston gate, over kingston bridge, a308 then turn left onto lower sunbury road.
follow b375 then b376 into staines. follow b376 into datchet.
head into eton wick, dorney then follow unto the A4. turn left onto A4 then over maidenhead bridge and immediately turn right following thames on the a4094. turn left down cookham high street then right into terrys lane down winter hill and into marlow.
take oxford road out of marlow (top of high street turn left and first right by plates garage)
follow this road to fingest and up dolesden lane. follow road to christmas common then shoot down into watlington on hill road. then B480 all the way to oxford.
it's a lovely lovely ride….
enjoy!
go through richmond park. exit kingston gate, over kingston bridge, a308 then turn left onto lower sunbury road.
follow b375 then b376 into staines. follow b376 into datchet.
head into eton wick, dorney then follow unto the A4. turn left onto A4 then over maidenhead bridge and immediately turn right following thames on the a4094. turn left down cookham high street then right into terrys lane down winter hill and into marlow.
take oxford road out of marlow (top of high street turn left and first right by plates garage)
follow this road to fingest and up dolesden lane. follow road to christmas common then shoot down into watlington on hill road. then B480 all the way to oxford.
it's a lovely lovely ride….
enjoy!
Edited by Rob_T on Friday 31st January 13:43
Rob_T said:
yes i have done a route from putney to oxford which works well.
go through richmond park. exit kingston gate, over kingston bridge, a308 then turn right onto lower sunbury road.
follow b375 then b376 into staines. follow b376 into datchet.
head into eton wick, dorney then follow unto the A4. turn left onto A4 then over maidenhead and immediately turn right following thames on the a4094. turn left down cookham high street then right into terrys lane down winter hill and into marlow.
take oxford road out of marlow (top of high street turn left and first right by plates garage)
follow this road to fingest and up dolesden lane. follow road to christmas common then shoot down into watlington on hill road. then B480 all the way to oxford.
it's a lovely lovely ride….
enjoy!
Just what I was after. Fantastic stuff.go through richmond park. exit kingston gate, over kingston bridge, a308 then turn right onto lower sunbury road.
follow b375 then b376 into staines. follow b376 into datchet.
head into eton wick, dorney then follow unto the A4. turn left onto A4 then over maidenhead and immediately turn right following thames on the a4094. turn left down cookham high street then right into terrys lane down winter hill and into marlow.
take oxford road out of marlow (top of high street turn left and first right by plates garage)
follow this road to fingest and up dolesden lane. follow road to christmas common then shoot down into watlington on hill road. then B480 all the way to oxford.
it's a lovely lovely ride….
enjoy!
Rob_T said:
yes i have done a route from putney to oxford which works well.
go through richmond park. exit kingston gate, over kingston bridge, a308 then turn right onto lower sunbury road.
follow b375 then b376 into staines. follow b376 into datchet.
head into eton wick, dorney then follow unto the A4. turn left onto A4 then over maidenhead and immediately turn right following thames on the a4094. turn left down cookham high street then right into terrys lane down winter hill and into marlow.
take oxford road out of marlow (top of high street turn left and first right by plates garage)
follow this road to fingest and up dolesden lane. follow road to christmas common then shoot down into watlington on hill road. then B480 all the way to oxford.
it's a lovely lovely ride….
enjoy!
That's a decent route. If you want to avoid a gratuitous hill, just go Cookham, Bourne End, Marlow on the main road rather than going through Cookham Dean.go through richmond park. exit kingston gate, over kingston bridge, a308 then turn right onto lower sunbury road.
follow b375 then b376 into staines. follow b376 into datchet.
head into eton wick, dorney then follow unto the A4. turn left onto A4 then over maidenhead and immediately turn right following thames on the a4094. turn left down cookham high street then right into terrys lane down winter hill and into marlow.
take oxford road out of marlow (top of high street turn left and first right by plates garage)
follow this road to fingest and up dolesden lane. follow road to christmas common then shoot down into watlington on hill road. then B480 all the way to oxford.
it's a lovely lovely ride….
enjoy!
The climb from Marlow to Frieth is one of my absolute local favourites.
Personally I'd go up the alternative Holloway Lane climb rather than Dolesden Lane.
outnumbered said:
That's a decent route. If you want to avoid a gratuitous hill, just go Cookham, Bourne End, Marlow on the main road rather than going through Cookham Dean.
The climb from Marlow to Frieth is one of my absolute local favourites.
Personally I'd go up the alternative Holloway Lane climb rather than Dolesden Lane.
whoah whoah whoah there tiger!!!!The climb from Marlow to Frieth is one of my absolute local favourites.
Personally I'd go up the alternative Holloway Lane climb rather than Dolesden Lane.
where's the gratuitous hill? you're riding down winter hill in this direction, not up it. i do the maidenhead to marlow route every day on my ride into work so know it reasonably well!
and holloway lane in preference? that's full of flints, narrow, steep banked and blind bends. nearly got speared by a tractor with bail forks on the front once. i think the driver was disappointed he missed!!!
either way it is clear you are local to me. from where do you hail?
Rob_T said:
whoah whoah whoah there tiger!!!!
where's the gratuitous hill? you're riding down winter hill in this direction, not up it. i do the maidenhead to marlow route every day on my ride into work so know it reasonably well!
and holloway lane in preference? that's full of flints, narrow, steep banked and blind bends. nearly got speared by a tractor with bail forks on the front once. i think the driver was disappointed he missed!!!
either way it is clear you are local to me. from where do you hail?
There's a hill up from Cookham to the top so you can descend Quarry Wood Road, that's what I meant by gratuitous, as there's a way to avoid it (albeit it's not as nice on the main road).where's the gratuitous hill? you're riding down winter hill in this direction, not up it. i do the maidenhead to marlow route every day on my ride into work so know it reasonably well!
and holloway lane in preference? that's full of flints, narrow, steep banked and blind bends. nearly got speared by a tractor with bail forks on the front once. i think the driver was disappointed he missed!!!
either way it is clear you are local to me. from where do you hail?
Still prefer Holloway to Dolesden
I'm in Twyford.
Guys, I live in cookham. Rob_t, your maidenhead riverside yes?
The hill up winter hill to the dean isn't a real hill. It's an incline, I don't even get to my max heart rate. I do winter hill, down thru the dean back up past toms cabin into the dean back down to marlow and back up again to the dean just to get some hills.
Does anyone do weekend rides round here and need some company?
Nothing round here is Vontoux!
Mike
The hill up winter hill to the dean isn't a real hill. It's an incline, I don't even get to my max heart rate. I do winter hill, down thru the dean back up past toms cabin into the dean back down to marlow and back up again to the dean just to get some hills.
Does anyone do weekend rides round here and need some company?
Nothing round here is Vontoux!
Mike
Rob_T said:
it's a lovely lovely ride….
Well, you were right, it was!! Your directions made perfect sense and I only went wrong once, taking the road through Bourne End to Marlow instead of going up and over. Particular highlights were seeing Eton and Hampton Court, the climb out of Marlow, and the spectacular view from Christmas Common (some of the houses round there must be worth a few quid!)
I would give the ride 8/10, with a point away for your rather selfish failure to pop round with some kitchen roll and mop up the three roads which were closed due to severe flooding (I rode on through, submerging my BB twice, oops) and another because I didn't see any evidence of either West or East Side Massives in Staines. Nevertheless, I would ride again.
Unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worse by the time I got to Oxford and the last 45 miles were undertaken into a STRONG head/sidewind which wanted to blow me back to London or, failing that, into traffic. No fun at all. Still, observing Rules #5 and #9, I made my first century (107.5 to be exact) in a rather pedestrian 7h dead.
Thanks again Rob_T for your route, I owe you a cuppa if we ever meet on a Sportive!
mikees said:
Guys, I live in cookham. Rob_t, your maidenhead riverside yes? Mike
No... I'm marlow... However I ride every day into maidenhead on my commute to work which is obviously up winter hill then down Terry's lane then Sutton lane and into maidenhead.Interestingly a large portion of my route resembles the mid Atlantic owing to some flooding, so I'm riding in my wellies!
If you are in Cookham can I suggest you come out for a ride with marlow riders? It's a good active club with lots of different abilities. Have a look at the website or pm me for more info.
Usget said:
Well, you were right, it was!!
Your directions made perfect sense and I only went wrong once, taking the road through Bourne End to Marlow instead of going up and over. Particular highlights were seeing Eton and Hampton Court, the climb out of Marlow, and the spectacular view from Christmas Common (some of the houses round there must be worth a few quid!)
I would give the ride 8/10, with a point away for your rather selfish failure to pop round with some kitchen roll and mop up the three roads which were closed due to severe flooding (I rode on through, submerging my BB twice, oops) and another because I didn't see any evidence of either West or East Side Massives in Staines. Nevertheless, I would ride again.
Unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worse by the time I got to Oxford and the last 45 miles were undertaken into a STRONG head/sidewind which wanted to blow me back to London or, failing that, into traffic. No fun at all. Still, observing Rules #5 and #9, I made my first century (107.5 to be exact) in a rather pedestrian 7h dead.
Thanks again Rob_T for your route, I owe you a cuppa if we ever meet on a Sportive!
Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry about the floods I did mean to pump it away for your passing through. Can't help you with the Staines massive though.Your directions made perfect sense and I only went wrong once, taking the road through Bourne End to Marlow instead of going up and over. Particular highlights were seeing Eton and Hampton Court, the climb out of Marlow, and the spectacular view from Christmas Common (some of the houses round there must be worth a few quid!)
I would give the ride 8/10, with a point away for your rather selfish failure to pop round with some kitchen roll and mop up the three roads which were closed due to severe flooding (I rode on through, submerging my BB twice, oops) and another because I didn't see any evidence of either West or East Side Massives in Staines. Nevertheless, I would ride again.
Unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worse by the time I got to Oxford and the last 45 miles were undertaken into a STRONG head/sidewind which wanted to blow me back to London or, failing that, into traffic. No fun at all. Still, observing Rules #5 and #9, I made my first century (107.5 to be exact) in a rather pedestrian 7h dead.
Thanks again Rob_T for your route, I owe you a cuppa if we ever meet on a Sportive!
As far as payment is concerned Thatchers Gold is my tipple of choice.....
Did you ride today or yesterday? Today was very very windy when I was out on my ride!
Rode yesterday, it's much calmer today (or at least it is here in Cheltenham). On the a40 (which is on an exposed ridge) it got to the point where I was leant over 10 degrees against the wind and still being blown into the middle of the lane. I stopped for a coffee at a garage and a woman was complaining loudly about how she couldn't control her car in the wind, mind you she was driving a Series Landie so it probably would have been equally uncontrollable with no wind at all...
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