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We are riding with a group of around 10 people so need some very quiet roads or canal towpaths etc ideally near london and hopefully to a nice destination, probalby looking at 60-80km wiht road/CX bikes. Any ideas for routes? Have previously done downs link way, which worked well but was possibly a bit dull...
Ideally leaving london or taking a train for 15-20mins to start.
Thanks!
[url= http://www.v-publishing.co.uk ]V-graphics[/url]* do some guidebooks for "quiet lanes" including one for [url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cycling-Sussex-Trails-Quiet-Lanes/dp/1906148074 ]Sussex[/url]. Is that close enough for you? The "Look inside" preview will show you the location of the routes.
I've not seen the Sussex book, but can recommend the Lakes and Dales book as excellent, and the Peak District one as okay (bit too much tarmac).
* Website seems to be down at the moment
[url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Lanes-Glorious-Southern-South-East/dp/0957157312/ ]"Lost Lanes"[/url] looks interesting too.
Again, not actually seen it . . . but, hey this is STW 😉
Lost Lanes is good.
Else head out on the Lee Nagivation towards Epping Forest, you quickly get out to nice quiet lanes.
Another recommendation for Lost Lanes. Beautifully presented and the routes I've done have been good (with very good food stop recommendations as well). A friend has worked his way through most of them.
60-80km on very quiet routes is a bit of a tough call though.
The London Canal loop was an interesting day out and some of the new superhighways mean you can probably link it up a bit better than a few years back. We started at Islington and rode from there up to Wembley and then down to Chiswick. Then followed the south bank of the Thames back as far as Putney. From Putney theres a break in the Thames path but I think it's signposted on back streets.
I haven't got around to reriding it yet but there's rideable Thames path from Vauxhall to Rotherhithe, then signposted backstreets to Greenwich. Walk through the foot tunnel and there's cycle route (not all great) to get to Limehouse where you could pick up the canal up to Islington.
Why not have a look on Strava for the various South London cycling club routes. For example Brixton Cycles do a club run every Sunday usually the type of distance you want.
For example Brixton Cycles do a club run every Sunday usually the type of distance you want.
They do but I've had some nasty experiences on London club run routes. Punishment passes are common on the busy bits of road you need to use to get in and out of town to Kent.
Take the train to Luton Airport Parkway (a bit more than 15-20 mins, but worth it)
Ride back to London via NCN routes 6/57/12/61/1 for an almost completely traffic free ride on cycle paths, forest bridleways and riverside towpaths.
Stop at the cafe at Dobb's Weir, near Hoddesdon for excellent sausage sandwiches.
It really is a nice day out.
(More suited to CX than posh road bikes, though)
^similar, Up the Lea Navigation into Herts, bit of a loop, then back.
Free parking on Spring Hill E5, nice little riverside cafe too by the Rowing Club.
You might find this useful
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map
green is traffic free
Sadly I'm to dim to follow belugabob's sugestion
As above ,with a little bit of map reading there's a route through Epping ,river lea ,loop around Hertford (North Hertford ,Tewin ,bayford codicote ,Ayot St Lawrence .etc using sustrans route 12 back to river lea.
Loads of options for up to 100km without going past Stevenage tbh.
I usually plan it so the wind is on my back on the canal ,so you could reverse the route above for a north wind and avoid the canal at the weekend ,especially in the summer.
Rapha do a ride ,"hell of the North " I think, that uses a lot of the same quiet lanes and bways.
Bit further away, take train to Bentley in Hampshire from Waterloo and take the Shipwrights Way to Queen Elizabeth Country Park which is 40km away, or slightly shorter to Petersfield- cafe / coffee shops at both. Some is bridleway, so will get increasingly muddy over winter so too much for a road bike in winter.
ampthill - Sadly I'm to dim to follow belugabob's sugestion
It really is not difficult to follow the blue bike signs.
Will definitely be doing it again (when the weather perks up) so might put an invite up here, when I do.
Great thanks all, will look into these