 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Right then, seeing as my potential voluntary redundancy has been cut by two thirds since it was last offered 18 months ago, looks like I'm relocating to Castle Meadow in March.
I'll be riding in from Ilkeston, thinking of going A609 to Balloon Woods, down Wollaton Vale, over the A52 down to University Boulevard, Dunkirk island and then in on Castle Boulevard.
After the A52 bit most of this is busy dual carriageway but with a shared cycle/foot path alongside. How busy is it likely to be around 7-7.30am and 4.30-5.30pm and is there a better way I could consider? And will my winter road bike/commuter with 23mm tyres survive the cycle path or do I need yet another new bike........
Cheers
I've no idea but if you don't get an answer give the guys at Freewheel Nottingham a ring - they all commute by bike. 0115 9520200
Yes that's the best route at the moment. When it's lighter you can go through Wollaton park. Get on the cycle path to avoid Priory island and then re-join the road as you pass Lenton Abbey (Woodside Road) the cycle path is rubbish for a couple of hundred yards where you have to give way at loads of side streets and the path is a bit rooty for those skinny wheels. Then its all cycle path for the rest of the journey. When you get towards the end of university boulevard the cycle path takes a left before Clifton boulevard. A lot of cyclists seem to miss it and go straight on.
http://www.opencyclemap.org/?zoom=15&lat=52.93703&lon=-1.19631&layers=B000
Sounds like the best route to me. Although avoid Trowell road(near the festival pub) as that can be a bit of a pig with traffic! I'd cut through Stapleford then up the A52.
I'm a Ilkeston local - whats your local ride out of interest?
I regularly ride to the Gallows Pub on Nottm Road, ride down the Erewash canal to Trent Lock, then up the Trent via Attenborough, onto the canalside all the way to Lenton lane. It's a very nice commute. I ride from Hucknall via Kimberley, Awsworth to Trowell and then down onto the canalside.
To cut out some of the distance (and when the Trent is high), but still be fairly enjoyable, from Ilkeston you could get on the erewash down to either Long eaton, or Stapleford and use the roads/cycle paths.
Thanks guys
wlsonthecat - I'm in West Hallam. I used to ride out with the West Hallam Wobbly Wheelers (google should show up a scary and out of date website!)but have turned to the dark side pretty much most of this year. Not sure how many of them are still regularly riding off road, I know a few have turned to the dark side as well to avoid the mud.
Normal rides usually involve bridleway bashing out round Strelley or Dale Abbey/Drum Hill. There is a poorly attended Wednesday night ride usually involving some mud in Shipley Park - a bit of imagination can conjure up 10-15 miles without too much effort.
All day time rides must involve a tea stop and finish at The Punchbowl in West Hallam. Evening rides manage without the tea stop. This is way of the Wobbly Wheeler. Scott at the Punchbowl is very generous with use of his tap and hosepipe to clean bikes and boots. 😀
If you want to get in touch my email is s dot wadey61 at btinternet dot com