Tour of England and Wales (well,some of it anyway!)

[sam anon]

I'm taking a week off and doing a little ride round England and Wales in mid August.

I have accommodation booked every night and a rough idea of a route, but if you guys know of any great roads I should ride could you post ideas up?

The route is a little funny, I had planned an anti-clockwise route, but am now aiming to be in the Newcastle area on Thursday evening in case my girlfriend decides to meet me there for the weekend.

My route.

1. Windsor to Sheringham

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100037633854947515737.00048cc62a72ae153c5d9&ll=52.163824,0.55481&spn=1.789205,3.532104&z=8

2. Sheringham to my Aunt's

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100037633854947515737.00048cc64eea107509675&z=8

3. Aunt's to York

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100037633854947515737.00048cc66002dbc93c0ad&z=9

4. York to Pen-y-Pass (the first bizarre bit due to the lady!)

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100037633854947515737.00048cf246e1a7d584c42&ll=53.092375,-3.457947&spn=0.875819,1.766052&z=9

5. Pen-y-Pass to Eskdale

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100037633854947515737.00048cf1de1ab48986166&ll=53.800651,-3.565063&spn=1.722683,3.532104&z=8

6. Eskdale to the Newcastle area

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100037633854947515737.00048cf1a2eba4f5f41e7&z=8

I've just picked twisty roads on Google maps, so could do with some help!

[MR UKI (1)]

Section 4 - You could swap the A54 (Buxton to Congleton) for the Cat N Fiddle if you want to see what the fuss isn't all about :D. Or add a bit of a loop in and do both roads plus the advantage of a better road from Buxton to Macc. Probably add about 20-25 miles to the route.

Same section a little further on, you could also run up to the Ponderosa (top of the Horseshoe Pass) and back down again to join your original route at Llandegla. Prob add 10 miles to the route, but when in Rome and all that :-)

Section 5 - I would probably not use the A494 and follow a little bit of your Section 4 route and cut across Llandegla moor (I love that bit of road). Luckypants would be best to ask for the Wales stuff though, he lives around there and knows all the good roads. I'll try and show the above on Google Maps as options.

[Supervox]

I've amended your 1st leg to include some the AR09 route which include some of the best biking roads in Essex (IMO).

See the amended version HERE (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=104848500861465259032.00048cf2cbe50b1e1948a&z=8) - It's a few miles less but the same time as the original :cool:

[MR UKI (1)]

Section 4 'loop' to cover the Cat N Fiddle, Long Hill and A54

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=St+Johns+Rd%2FA53&daddr=Buxton+Rd%2FA5004+to:53.259257,-2.121735+to:A537+to:A54&geocode=FcioLAMdxrvi_w%3BFeCjLQMdfLbh_w%3B%3BFbBSL AMdZPHh_w%3BFRi5KwMdKnnf_w&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=1,2&mrsp=2&sz=12&sll=53.2609,-2.088432&sspn=0.054627,0.143852&ie=UTF8&ll=53.195133,-2.045174&spn=0.054711,0.143852&z=12

More 'detour' than loop :-)

[MR UKI (1)]

Section 4 - Added run up and back down the Horseshoe Pass to the Ponderosa Cafe.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=A542&daddr=Horseshoe+Pass+View%2FA542&geocode=FTB7KQMdYP7O_w%3BFaAkKQMdvBXP_w&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=53.02387,-3.203201&sspn=0.109859,0.287704&ie=UTF8&ll=53.047302,-3.207836&spn=0.02745,0.071926&z=13

[Luckypants]

I have amended the North Wales bits for you to take in some good roads with great views.

Tuesday

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=A483&daddr=Wrexham+Rd%2FA525+to:B4501+to:B4391+to:52.96 1151,-3.921089+to:Pen-y-Pass&geocode=FYRoKQMdgMfR_w%3BFahSKgMdxKDN_w%3BFRTaJwMd EqPI_w%3BFScUKAMdwKnE_w%3B%3BFRTzKQMdJabC_yHRJ5tjq YE7LQ&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=4&sz=13&via=1,2,3,4&sll=52.948845,-3.869076&sspn=0.065265,0.181789&ie=UTF8&ll=52.991644,-3.478546&spn=0.521598,1.454315&z=10

and Wednesday

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=From:+pen+y+pass+youth+hostel+%4053.08076,-4.02079&daddr=53.169826,-3.46756+to:mold&geocode=FbjyKQMdyqXC_w%3B%3BFU1GKwMdUg3Q_yn11k6jVi tlSDEQM6wSi8LNUA&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=10&via=1&sll=53.095673,-3.581543&sspn=0.520341,1.454315&ie=UTF8&z=10

[sam anon]

Nice one guys, just what I was after! Keep the suggestions coming!