Re: Cycling from South Wales to London

[Simon L]

Keith Willoughby wrote:

> So, does anyone have any suggestions for a route? The choke point is of
> course the old Severn Bridge, with its cycle path. I only really have
> two options to get there - Caerphilly -> Newport -> Chepstow, or Cardiff
> -> Newport -> Chepstow, and both are much of a muchness (the former a
> bit hillier than the latter). However, Aust -> Feltham is where I'm not
> sure what's best.


I'm in the Chepstow area and cycle into Bristol from time to time - you
can get into Bristol from the North or South along pretty decent roads
- Olveston , Tockington -> Almondsbury on the Avon cycleway is my
favourite, although you're on main roads into Bristol (A38) after that.
It's not too bad though. (Looking at the map, you might be better off
staying North of Bristol and heading into the Cotswolds).

On the Welsh side I'm less sure. I did see a London to Cardiff cycle
ride (support vehicles, police escort) sometime this year on the A48
between Newport and Chepstow - it's wide, flat and a bit dull. Going
North of that, Usk to Chepstow is beautiful but hilly. That is the deal
with South Wales...

 

[Keith Willoughby]

"Simon L" <[email protected]> writes:

> Keith Willoughby wrote:
>
>> So, does anyone have any suggestions for a route? The choke point is of
>> course the old Severn Bridge, with its cycle path. I only really have
>> two options to get there - Caerphilly -> Newport -> Chepstow, or Cardiff
>> -> Newport -> Chepstow, and both are much of a muchness (the former a
>> bit hillier than the latter). However, Aust -> Feltham is where I'm not
>> sure what's best.
>
>
> I'm in the Chepstow area and cycle into Bristol from time to time - you
> can get into Bristol from the North or South along pretty decent roads
> - Olveston , Tockington -> Almondsbury on the Avon cycleway is my
> favourite, although you're on main roads into Bristol (A38) after that.
> It's not too bad though. (Looking at the map, you might be better off
> staying North of Bristol and heading into the Cotswolds).

Well, that was the other option I was considering. I don't know that
country at all - 'Cotswolds' says 'hilly' to me Now, if I can't do
hills by then, I won't be doing it at all, but still, the flatter the
better.

> On the Welsh side I'm less sure. I did see a London to Cardiff cycle
> ride (support vehicles, police escort) sometime this year on the A48
> between Newport and Chepstow - it's wide, flat and a bit dull. Going
> North of that, Usk to Chepstow is beautiful but hilly. That is the deal
> with South Wales...

I'll probably do Caerphilly -> Newport, mostly off-road (I've done that
bit before) then Newport -> Caldicot -> Chepstow along the minor
roads. It's a bit zig-zaggy, but I'd prefer that to 15 miles along the
A48.

--
Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/
"Living in a jungle, living in a tent. Better than a prefab - no rent."

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>
Keith Willoughby <[email protected]> wrote:
<snip>
> Well, that was the other option I was considering. I don't know that
> country at all - 'Cotswolds' says 'hilly' to me Now, if I can't do
> hills by then, I won't be doing it at all, but still, the flatter the
> better.
>
You won't say that if you meet a headwind

 

[Keith Willoughby]

Rob Morley <[email protected]> writes:

> In article <[email protected]>
> Keith Willoughby <[email protected]> wrote:
> <snip>
>> Well, that was the other option I was considering. I don't know that
>> country at all - 'Cotswolds' says 'hilly' to me Now, if I can't do
>> hills by then, I won't be doing it at all, but still, the flatter the
>> better.
>>
> You won't say that if you meet a headwind

Oh, man, don't remind me. I did the Newport -> Cardiff bit along the
Wentloog Levels road a couple of years ago. I was expecting a nice flat
ride - as it happens, I barely managed 8mph into a brutal headwind, and
had to stop every half a mile to get my breath back. I'd probably have
been crusing along at 20mph in the other direction.

--
Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/
ETAOIN SHRDLU

 

[Tony Raven]

Keith Willoughby wrote on 25/10/2006 22:35 +0100:
> Rob Morley <[email protected]> writes:
>
>> In article <[email protected]>
>> Keith Willoughby <[email protected]> wrote:
>> <snip>
>>> Well, that was the other option I was considering. I don't know that
>>> country at all - 'Cotswolds' says 'hilly' to me Now, if I can't do
>>> hills by then, I won't be doing it at all, but still, the flatter the
>>> better.
>>>
>> You won't say that if you meet a headwind
>
> Oh, man, don't remind me. I did the Newport -> Cardiff bit along the
> Wentloog Levels road a couple of years ago. I was expecting a nice flat
> ride - as it happens, I barely managed 8mph into a brutal headwind, and
> had to stop every half a mile to get my breath back. I'd probably have
> been crusing along at 20mph in the other direction.
>

For reassurance you could plan your route to be not too far from the
rail lines into London so if it gets too much or the weather is dreadful
you can bail out to the train.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

 

[Dave L]

> Oh, man, don't remind me. I did the Newport -> Cardiff bit along the
> Wentloog Levels road a couple of years ago. I was expecting a nice flat
> ride - as it happens, I barely managed 8mph into a brutal headwind, and
> had to stop every half a mile to get my breath back. I'd probably have
> been crusing along at 20mph in the other direction.
>
There seems to be a headwind which ever way you go on that road.

Dave

 

[Mike Jones]

Keith Willoughby wrote:
> "Simon L" <[email protected]> writes:
>
>> Keith Willoughby wrote:
>>
>>> So, does anyone have any suggestions for a route? The choke point is of
>>> course the old Severn Bridge, with its cycle path. I only really have
>>> two options to get there - Caerphilly -> Newport -> Chepstow, or Cardiff
>>> -> Newport -> Chepstow, and both are much of a muchness (the former a
>>> bit hillier than the latter). However, Aust -> Feltham is where I'm not
>>> sure what's best.
>>
>> I'm in the Chepstow area and cycle into Bristol from time to time - you
>> can get into Bristol from the North or South along pretty decent roads
>> - Olveston , Tockington -> Almondsbury on the Avon cycleway is my
>> favourite, although you're on main roads into Bristol (A38) after that.
>> It's not too bad though. (Looking at the map, you might be better off
>> staying North of Bristol and heading into the Cotswolds).
>
> Well, that was the other option I was considering. I don't know that
> country at all - 'Cotswolds' says 'hilly' to me Now, if I can't do
> hills by then, I won't be doing it at all, but still, the flatter the
> better.
>
Personally, that's what I'd do, though there are 2 stretches of up hill
at Almondsbury, (where the M4/M5 traffic is a bit hair-raising) and then
up again at Hinton. From there there's a very pleasant ride roughly
parallel to the M4 to Swindon (though you'll need maps) Wanborough and
then up and down along the edge of the White Horse downs to Wantage (or
further north to avoid the main roads (and Swindon!) via Highworth) to
Didcot, where there's a bail out option.

Nice bit of countryside/woods over to Henley.; after that I can't say.


>> On the Welsh side I'm less sure. I did see a London to Cardiff cycle
>> ride (support vehicles, police escort) sometime this year on the A48
>> between Newport and Chepstow - it's wide, flat and a bit dull. Going
>> North of that, Usk to Chepstow is beautiful but hilly. That is the deal
>> with South Wales...
>
> I'll probably do Caerphilly -> Newport, mostly off-road (I've done that
> bit before) then Newport -> Caldicot -> Chepstow along the minor
> roads. It's a bit zig-zaggy, but I'd prefer that to 15 miles along the
> A48.
>
It's tedious, but if you want to make the distance, it's best to just
slog along and get it done; the signposted cycle route is far too
time-consuming. (Though there's a slight shortcut at Crick alongside the
motorway http://makeashorterlink.com/?D15121C0E ).

There's no way to avoid the slog up from Pwllmeyrick to the Chepstow
roundabout and then back down to the bridge, but going via Mathern is a
bit quieter (though more map-checking required through Bulwark).

Shame they didn't put in a second severn crossing.

 

[Dave Larrington]

Mike Jones wrote:

> There's no way to avoid the slog up from Pwllmeyrick to the Chepstow
> roundabout and then back down to the bridge, but going via Mathern is
> a bit quieter (though more map-checking required through Bulwark).

Turn off the A48 into Bulwark and just head straight until you hit a
roundabout with a big B&Q. Leave roundabout with B&Q on your left and it's
a short uphill bit to the start of the psychlepath over the bridge.

--
Dave Larrington
<http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk>
World Domination? Just find a world that's into that kind of
thing, then chain to the floor and walk up and down on it in
high heels.

 

[Keith Willoughby]

"Dave Larrington" <[email protected]> writes:

> Mike Jones wrote:
>
>> There's no way to avoid the slog up from Pwllmeyrick to the Chepstow
>> roundabout and then back down to the bridge, but going via Mathern is
>> a bit quieter (though more map-checking required through Bulwark).
>
> Turn off the A48 into Bulwark and just head straight until you hit a
> roundabout with a big B&Q. Leave roundabout with B&Q on your left and it's
> a short uphill bit to the start of the psychlepath over the bridge.

Thanks, both.

--
Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/
Sign on, you crazy diamond

 

[Mike Jones]

Dave Larrington wrote:
> Mike Jones wrote:
>
>> There's no way to avoid the slog up from Pwllmeyrick to the Chepstow
>> roundabout and then back down to the bridge, but going via Mathern is
>> a bit quieter (though more map-checking required through Bulwark).
>
> Turn off the A48 into Bulwark and just head straight until you hit a
> roundabout with a big B&Q. Leave roundabout with B&Q on your left and it's
> a short uphill bit to the start of the psychlepath over the bridge.
>
But if you've gone up Pwllmeyric Hill to the Chepstow Roundabout, you
simply whizz down the psyclepath on the lhs parallel to the M48 feeder
road. (A466 it says on multimap).
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z55323C0E

It's coming up from Mathern through Bulwark you might get lost in
suburbia. (But generally head downhill toward the bridge should work as
an algorithm).