When: March 31st 2013
Where: Richmond, London, UK
Course: Figure of 8 loop on Thames Path and nearby roads surrounding Richmond upon Thames, Key Gardens and Petersham
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Capital Ring
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4
Finish time: 1:59
Concrete barges at Rainham
The London Loop is a ~130-mile circular walking route of outer London. Although intended for walkers only, much of it is cyclable with just a few diversions from the main path. I completed it in a 2-day micro-adventure back in 2013. Please note that both the London Loop and Capital Ring were designed for walking. Much of both routes can be cycled as there’s many sections on cycle routes and roads. Some sections are on footpaths that should not be cycled so be prepared to find alternative routes around these.
Start: The Coy Carp, Copperhill Lane, Harefield, Uxbridge UB9 6HZ
Finish: Grotty hotel near the Dartford Crossing, Kent
Distance: 110 km (68 miles)
Elevation Change: + 1.046m / - 1,082m. Net -36m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Colne Valley Trail, Hillingdon Trail, Grand Union Canal Towpath, Celandine Route, Shakespeare’s Way, Beeches Way, Thames Path, Thames Down Link, Hogsmill Valley Walk, Town and Down Circular Walk, Sutton Countryside Walk, Vanguard Way, Greenwich Meridian Trail, Cray Riverway, Darent Valley Path
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): NCN 1, 125, 20, 21, 232, 4, 6, 61
Guidebook: The London Loop: Recreational Path Guide by Colin Saunders
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
- OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
- OS Explorer Map (161) London South, Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham
- OS Explorer Map (162) Greenwich and Gravesend
Start: Grotty hotel near the Dartford Crossing, Kent
Finish: The Coy Carp, Copperhill Lane, Harefield, Uxbridge, UB9 6HZ
Distance: 92 km (57 miles)
Elevation Change: + 967m / - 962m. Net +5m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Havering Green Ways, Greenwich Meridian Trail, Lea Valley Walk, New River Path, Pymmes Brook Trail, Colne Valley Trail, Hillingdon Trail, Grand Union Canal Towpath
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): NCN 1, 13, 136, 3, 6, 61
Guidebook: The London Loop: Recreational Path Guide by Colin Saunders
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (173) London North, The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
You can't cycle over the Dartford Bridge or under the tunnel but there is a free service that drives you and your bikes through. There's a free phone at the entrance to the tunnel on either side.
London Loop in Blue, Capital Ring in Red. Base map from OpenStreetMap
When: March 5th 2013
Where: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London
Floors: 42
Steps: 932
Finish time: 8 minutes, 38 seconds
Charity: Shelter
My donation / sponsorship total: £200
Date: February 8th 2013
Start: Parking at end of dirt road, Lemosho Glades, ~2,230m elevation
Finish: Lemosho Forest Camp, Mti Mkubwa, ~2,650m elevation
Distance: 4.7 km (2.9 miles)
Elevation change: +422m / -5m. Net +418m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Northern Circuit
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): None
Date: February 9th 2013
Start: Lemosho Forest Camp, Mti Mkubwa, ~2,650m elevation
Finish: Shira One Camp, ~3,500m elevation
Distance: 9 km (5.6 miles)
Elevation change: +890m / -83m. Net +807m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Northern Circuit
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): None
Date: February 10th 2013
Start: Shira One Camp, ~3,500m elevation
Finish: Shira Hut, ~3,840m elevation
Distance: 7.4 km (4.6 miles)
Elevation change: +386m / -3m. Net +383m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Northern Circuit, Shira Route
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): None
Date: February 11th 2013
Start: Shira Hut, ~3,840m elevation
Finish: Barranco Camp, ~3,900m elevation
Distance: 9.8 km (6.1 miles)
Elevation change: +732m / -651m. Net -81m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Machame Route,
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): None
Date: February 12th 2013
Start: Barranco Camp, ~3,900m elevation
Finish: Karanga Camp, ~4,000m elevation
Distance: 4.9 km (3.0 miles)
Elevation change: +335m / -279m. Net +56m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Umbwe Route, Machame Route,
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): None
Date: February 13th 2013
Start: Karanga Camp, ~4,000m elevation
Finish: Barafu Camp, ~4,600m elevation
Distance: 3.8 km (2.4 miles)
Elevation change: +593m / -0m. Net +593m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Umbwe, Machame, Mweka
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): None
Date: February 14th 2013
Start: Barafu Camp, ~4,600m elevation
Finish: Millenium Camp, ~3,800m elevation
Distance: 13.6 km (8.5miles)
Elevation change: +1,217m / -2,062m. Net -845m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Umbwe, Machame, Mweka, Northern Circuit, Rongai, Marangu
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): None
Date: February 15th 2013
Start: Millenium Camp, ~3,800m elevation
Finish: Mweka, ~1,650m elevation
Distance: 11.5 km (7.1 miles)
Elevation change: +0m / -2,142m. Net -2,142m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Mweka
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): None
Each colour represents 1 day from North-West (red) to South-East (blue)
Photos by Richard Gower, Brian Gatt, Simon Livings, Lisa Zardoni, Anna Mansley and Kevin Doble
Significance Highest peak in Hertfordshire (Historic County Top)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Haddington Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Haddington Hill
Elevation: 248m
Coordinates: 51°46′20″N 0°40′52″W
Links: Wikipedia (Hertfordshire), Wikipedia (Pavis Wood), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Significance Highest peak in Buckinghamshire (Historic County Top), Chiltern Hills National Landscape High Point
Member of: Marilyn
Parent Peak: Cleeve Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Pilot Hill
Elevation: 267m
Coordinates: 51°46′18″N 0°42′42″W
Links: Wikipedia (Buckinghamshire), Wikipedia (Haddington Hill), Peakbagger, Wendover Woods
Date climbed: 19th January 2013
Route Start / End: Wendover Woods Car Park, Upper Icknield Way, Aston Clinton, HP22 5NQ
Distance: 10.2 km (6.3 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 157m
Subsidiary tops on route: none
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Ridgeway, Wendover Woods Firecrest Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): Harding Route
Cafe on route: Wendover Woods Cafe
Map: OS Explorer Map (181) Chiltern Hills North
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Bow Brickhill (171m) Milton Keynes Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
Track to Scafell Pike from New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel
Significance: Highest peak in Cumberland (Historic CT), Cumbria (Ceremonial CT), Lake District National Park High Point, England Country Top
Member of: Marilyn, Hewitt, Hardy, Wainwright, Nuttall
Parent Peak: Snowdon. NHN = Carnedd Llewelyn
Elevation: 978m
Date climbed: 22nd May 2005 and July 29th 2012
Coordinates: 54.4542° N, 3.2116° W
Route Start / End: New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, Ambleside, LA22 9JX
Route Distance: 22 km (13.7 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 1,062m
Subsidiary tops on route: Esk Pike, Broad Crag
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Cumbria Way
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
OS Trig Pillar: TP5828 - Sca Fell
Map: OS Explorer OL6: The English Lakes - South Western area and OS Landranger 90: Penrith & Keswick
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Cumberland), Wikipedia (Scafell Pike), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
I can’t remember how many times I’ve done Scafell Pike. It was probably 4 times, the first 2 being in Venture Scouts a long time before I started obsessively tracking everything. The most recent two times were part of 36-hour unofficial Three Peaks Challenges. It was the most recent ascent that will be the most memorable and the reason why I’ll never do Scafell Pike again.
It was my second trip there as a part of a 36 hour 3 Peaks Challenge. Ben Nevis went well and we got to the Scafell Pike start point early. Having done the mountain a few times before I chose the Old Dungeon Ghyl route for a change.
The plan was to follow the Cumbria Way from Old Dungeon Ghyl, then approach the summit from the east via Angle Tarn, Esk Haus and Broad Crag.
This was in the days before I meticulously planned every route on RideWithGPS and follow it by iPhone. Back then I had the OS Explorer map and a basic Garmin device that jus had the coordinates of the summit. Rather than following the trail heading north-west from Angle Tarn I took a path to the south-west to Esk Pike.
It was at the top of Esk Pike that I figured that we weren’t in the right place. Visibility was very low but I managed to find a clear spot to get a view of the area. Yes, we we’re definitely in the wrong place and had accidentally bagged an extra summit. Normally I would have styled it out and pretended that it was all part of the planned route. My prolonged look of confusion and map studying gave the game away and it was obvious that this wasn’t part of the plan.
We descended the “Bonus Peak”, got back on track and started the proper ascent to Scafell Pike. Once we were past the cloud line it was properly grim. Visibility stayed low and there was a constant drizzle. Finally we got to the summit, took a few photos and quickly turned around to descend. My first ascent of Scafell Pike had been a pleasant walk on a clear summer’s day. This wasn’t that day.
By the time we returned to the car park at the bottom we’d been out for over 9 hours. We had only planned for 5 hours and we were going to do Snowdon later in the day. After our Scafell adventure nine of us wanted to see another mountain that day. We ditched the idea of going to Snowdon and headed to Chester for a curry, some beers and a lot of post-hike analysis of my navigation skills.
View from the Pony Track
Also known as: Beinn Nibheis
Significance: Highest peak in Inverness-shire (Historic County Top), Highland (Council Top), Mainland Great Britain/Scotland/UK Country Top, Ben Nevis and Glen Coe NSA High Point
Member of: Munro, Marilyn
Parent Peak: N/A.
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Melderskin, Norway
Elevation: 1,344m
Date climbed: 21st May 2005 and July 28th 2012
Coordinates: 56.7969° N, 5.0036° W
Route Start / End: Ben Nevis Inn, Achintee Rd, Achintee, Fort William, PH33 6TE
Route Distance: 15.5 km (9.6 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 1,306m
Subsidiary tops on route: none
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: none
OS Trig Pillar: TP1289 - Ben Nevis
Map: OS Explorer 392: Ben Nevis and Fort William
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Cicerone Guide: Ben Nevis and Glen Coe
Links: Wikipedia (Inverness-shire), Wikipedia (Ben Nevis), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
I’ve completed two ascents of the UK’s tallest mountain. Both were on unofficial self-organised Three Peaks Challenges. We weren’t bothered by doing it in the normal 24 hour window, so did it in a more leisurely 36 hours. This allows for an overnight stay and removes the need for a support driver.
On my first attempt we completed the challenge in a whisker under the 36 hours. We stayed in Fort William on the night before, did Ben Nevis in the morning, lunch in the Ben Nevis Inn, and drove to a hotel near Scafell Pike. On the second day we did an early ascent of Scafell Pike, then drove to Snowdonia for the Snowdon ascent.
My second Three Peaks attempt, with a different group, didn’t go quite so well. We ended up doing four peaks, but not the ones that we intended. I’ll save that story for the Scafell Pike post.
Unless you’re particularly adventurous and very experienced there’s one route up and down a Ben Nevis: The Pony Track. It’s a safe route with little navigation required. On both of my ascents the visibility at the top was extremely poor and the return from the summit to the track wasn’t obvious. Yes, it’s a relatively easy climb but don’t beget caught out and do all the usual mountain prep and precautions.
Glen Ogle Viaduct (official event photo)
The Rob Roy Challenge was a run/bike event along the Rob Roy Way between Drymen and Kenmore in Scotland. I completed it with a group of friends in 2012 as a new challenge, having done several London to Paris cycle rides together. I’m writing this 10 years later so my memory of the details is a little hazy. However, from the many photos that we took it seemed like we had a lot of fun on a very cloudy and drizzly day. So far it’s the only mixed run/cycle event that I’ve done although I’m keen to do more.
Note that my Garmin didn’t save the GPX track so I had to recreate the route on RideWithGPS. The actual distances and elevations may have been slightly different to what I have below.
Start: Drymen Road Cottage Car Park, 4 miles north of Drymen on the Rob Roy Way
Finish: Wheels Cycling Centre, Invertrossachs Road, Callander, FK17 8HW
Distance: 23.6 km (14.6 miles)
Elevation change: +338m / -363m (Net -25m)
Section finish time: 2 hours 55 minutes
Other routes touched (walk): Rob Roy Way, Mary Queen of Scots Way, Coilhallan Wood Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 7, EV1
Start: Wheels Cycling Centre, Invertrossachs Road, Callander, FK17 8HW
Finish: Field on the south side of Loch Tay, west of Kenmore
Distance: 64.4 km (40 miles)
Elevation change: +827m / -756m (Net -71m)
Section finish time: 5 hours 23 minutes
Other routes touched (walk): Rob Roy Way, Coilhallan Wood Trail, Great Trossachs Path, Three Saints Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 7, EV1
Date completed: 23rd June 2012
Distance: 88.5 km (55 miles)
Elevation change: + 1,201m / -1,156m (Net +45m)
Finish time: 8 hours 18 minutes
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Links: Rob Roy Way, Drymen, Aberfoyle, Callander, Balquhidder, Killin, Kenmore
When: April 1st 2012
Where: Reading, Berkshire UK
Course: Town roads, starting at Green Park, passing through Town centre, University and finishing at Madejski football stadium
Other routes touched (walk): Kennet and Avon Canal Towpath
Other routes touched (cycle) NCN 4, 22, 23
Finish time: 2:00
Significance: Highest peak in Berkshire (Historic County Top), North Wessex Downs National Landscape High Point
Member of: Marilyn, Hardy
Parent Peak: Beacon Batch
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Cleeve Hill
Elevation: 297m
Coordinates: 51°21′08″N 1°27′57″W
OS Trig Pillar: TP0302 - Inkpen
Links: Wikipedia (Berkshire), Wikipedia (Walbury Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Significance Highest peak in Hampshire (Historic CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Walbury Hill.
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Walbury Hill
Elevation: 286m
Coordinates: 51°20′19″N 1°25′48″W
OS Trig Pillar: TP5448 - Pilot
Links: Wikipedia (Hampshire), Wikipedia (Pilot Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Date climbed: 25th March 2012
Route Start / End: Combe Gibbett & Walbury Hill Car Park, Combe, Hungerford, RG17 9EH
Route Distance: 9.9 km (6.1 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 150m
Subsidiary tops on route: none
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Wayfarers Walk, Brenda Parker Way, Test Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 246
Map: OS Explorer 157 - Marlborough & Savernake Forest
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
The high points of the Historic Counties of Berkshire and Hampshire can be bagged in one short walk. This was the first trip to intentionally bag County Tops, although I had already completed Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon before.
From the Combe Gibbett & Walbury Hill Car Park follow the Wayfarers Walk in a north-westerly direction for 1km. At a path junction take a left and follow the path in a south-easterly direction for 0.5 km to the summit of Walbury Hill
Leave the summit by continuing along the path which will soon curve to the north-east. The path will re-join the Wayfarers Walk ~400m before the car park. Take a right back onto the Wayfarers Walk and follow it for 1.7 km to a path junction. Take the path on the right and follow it as it snakes through Eastwick Copse to the summit of Pilot Hill. Note that the Trig Pillar that marks the summit is in a farmer's field rather than on the path so you'll need to approach it carefully.
From the summit continue along the path until it returns to the Wayfarers Walk. Take a left onto the Wayfarer's Walk and follow it back to the car park.
Whitehorse Hill (261m) Oxfordshire Ceremonial County High Point, previously part of Historic Berkshire: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
Ashley Hill (145m) Windsor & Maidenhead Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
Bowsey Hill (142m) Wokingham Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
Surrey Hill (130m) Bracknell Forest Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
Park Lane, Tilehurst (103m) Reading Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
East Burnham Park (51m) Slough Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
St Boniface Down (241m) Isle of Wight Ceremonial County High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
Fort Southwick (122m) Portsmouth Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
Bassett Avenue (82m) Southampton Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
A major benefit of infrequent business trips to Guangzhou was the variety of food that I'd never seen anywhere else. My Chinese colleagues soon realised that I was one of the few western visitors that would try any of the food. I was sure they were trying to see how far they could push me. The jellyfish starter and the fish-eye soup were a particular favourite in the cafeteria near our office.
One night I was taken to the Dong Jiang Seafood restaurant in the city centre. I'm writing this a few years on so I can't remember exactly where it was and there seems to be several restaurants in the city with the same name. The place was huge: 5 floor, each large enough to hold several hundred diners. You could either pick from the menu, which helpfully showed photos of the animals that would be your dinner, or go down to the market hall on the ground floor. The market hall had stalls and buckets of everything you could eat from chicken testicles, bees, shark and a counter with somebody hacking into a whole crocodile.
I was determined to have a snake, so I was taken over to the large buckets. I pointed at one that I liked the look of, not really knowing how to select good snake. A member of staff hooked the live snake, popped it in a bag, weighed it and took it to the kitchen. About 30 minutes later, it was presented on my table in segments, following a duck-tongue starter. There's an old cliche that everything tastes like chicken, and the snake actually did.
I like to think I'd eat anything as a cultural experience whilst on my travels. Snake actually felt a bit tame against the stuff I saw in the market hall. The craziest thing was the Canadian Geoduck Clam which looked like something from another planet. Next time I visit will be the true test of whether I'd really try anything.
When: November 20th 2011
Where: South of France
Course: All coastal road from Nice to Cannes
Start: Prom. des Anglais, Nice, France
Finish: Croisette Beach, Cannes, France
Distance: 42.2 km (26.2 miles)
Elevation change: + 550 / - 540m. net +10m
Other Routes Touched (walk): EV8
Finish time: 4:51
Links: Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes, Nice, Cannes
When: September 25th 2011
Where: Windsor, Berkshire, UK
Course: Paved traffic-free roads within Windsor Great Park
Other routes touched (walk): Three Castles Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4, Ascot To Windsor Cycle Path
Finish time: 1:56
When: September 4th 2011
Where: Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK
Course: All-road flat loop taking in Maidenhead Town Centre, Bray Marina, Maidenenhead Riverside, Cookham and Furze Platt
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Maidenhead Boundary Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4, 52
Finish time: 1:56
Sunset view to the north coast from Balatonszárszó
Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe. Mostly unknown in the west, it was an important Communist-era holiday destination for Eastern Bloc families who couldn't travel outside the region. Once thriving resorts are now decaying, waiting for the economic regeneration of the capital cities.
My wife grew up in a small village on its banks and has fond memories of swimming at the village beach in the summer. We go back there at least once a year to visit family and travel around the area. It was only a matter of time before the 200km round-Balaton cycle route would lure me onto it.
I decided on a 2-day trip, using the Tihany Ferry as a means to get me home on the middle night. This gave me an 87m/140km Day 1 covering the south-west and a 48m/77km Day 2 on the north-east.
The route is really well sign-posted and difficult to get lost. There's a lot of nice lake-side towns along the route for stops. With a lot more time, a 4 day trip with overnight stops along the way would have been ideal. Even this 2 Day trip with an early start made for a scenic summer ride.
Start & Finish: Szántód Ferry Station, Szántód, Tihany u. 9, 8622 Hungary
Distance: 140 km (87 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 815m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): National Blue Trail (Országos Kéktúra), Balatonszárszó Vers Utja (Poetry Trail), Balatonszárszó megújulás útján (Trail of Renewal), Tihany Legends Trail
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): 7A
Start & Finish: Szántód Ferry Station, Szántód, Tihany u. 9, 8622 Hungary
Distance: 77 km (48 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 610m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Maria ut Vaszoly Balatonalmádi, Tihany Legends Trail
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): 7A, 24
NCN $ from Bristol to Bath (obviously)
Start: The Celtic Ring, Cardiff, Wales
Finish: Pulteney Bridge, Bridge Street, Bath, BA2 4AT
Planned Distance: 140 km / 87 miles. Actual Distance: 148 km / 92 miles
Planned Elevation Change: +902m / - 883m / Net +19m. Actual Elevation Change: +1,937m / -1,786m / Net + 151m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Taff Trail, Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk, Rhymney River Circular, Usk Way, Wales Coast Path, Severn Way, Bristol Triangular City Walk, River Avon Trail, The Dramway, Monarch’s Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 8, 41, 410, 42
Links: Sustrans: NCN 8, Sustrans NCN 4, Wikipedia: Newport transporter Bridge
This was meant to be an easy one. My mate Charlie and I had recently completed the NCN 8 from Holyhead to Cardiff plus the NCN 4 from Bath to London. The plan for this one was to connect those 2 previous adventures by completing the NCN 4 section from Cardiff to Bath. This was in the days before we had iPhones and GPS routes to follow. We were familiar with the great signage of the NCN routes, so it was highly unlikely that we would get lost. Right.
The plan was simple: start at Cardiff Harbour, take the NCN 8 North to Nantgarw then pick up the NCN 4 and follow it to Bath. What actually happened is that we found the NCN 4 junction but we took a wrong turn after only 1 km from Nantgarw and started heading South. I was convinced that if we continued heading East we would either find the cycle route again or come to a town where we could re-orientate ourselves. After 30 minutes we entered the outskirts of a large town. I was feeling that my plan was working as it must be Newport. It was only when I saw the roof of the Millennium Stadium that I realised that the plan had gone horribly wrong. We were back in Cardiff having spent a couple of hours on a futile 35 km loop.
Having wasted 2 hours and now back at the start with the whole trip ahead of us we needed a Plan B. Rather than heading back up to the NCN 4 via the 8 we took busy main roads East from Cardiff. It wasn't pretty but it was easy and fast cycling. We picked up the NCN 4 in Maeglas near Newport and we were back on track. This turned out to be a good place to rejoin as we could visit the Newport Transporter Bridge.
The rest of the trip was much more straightforward. The NCN 4 signage is great and we managed to follow it without screwing up like earlier in the day. This is an excellent route with the Severn Bridge crossing and the Bristol& Bath Railway Path as particular highlights.
When: May 8th 2011
Where: Shiplake College, A4155, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 4BW
Course: 1 big loop in the grounds of Shiplake College and back along the Thames
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Wokingham Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Finish time: 54m
When: February 13th 2011
Where: Wokingham, Berkshire, UK
Course: Country roads north of Wokingham, looping between Hurst and Sherlock Row, Crossing over M4 bridge twice.
Other routes touched: none
Finish time: 2:03
Cycling the NCN route 8, the Welsh End to End, was my alternative Stag Do. Although I had a more traditional one, my interests at the time were returning to the outdoors and this would end up being more memorable. It was a four day, three person adventure through the the heart of Wales.
The route is also know by its Welsh name, Lôn Las Cymru, which means Wales' Blue Lane. I'd only heard of this name in the last few years so I assume it adopted it since our trip. Whatever the name, it's a great North-South end to end as an alternative to, or warm up for the much longer LEJOG.
Unlike LEJOG the far ends of the route are easily accessible by train. We were travelling up from South East England and took a train from London Euston to Crewe then the North Wales Coast line to Holyhead. The return trip from Cardiff is even more straightforward with many options for trains heading east into England.
Once a busy port town for ferries to Dublin, Holyhead has lost its way in recent years. There's not much reason to stop in town now if you're taking the ferry. We were just staying one night but quickly ran out of things to do. It was a few years before I'd started my UK County Top obsession. If I'd known at the time it would have been a short cycle to Holyhead Mountain to bag the highest point in Anglesea. I returned a few years later to claim it on a tour of the North Wales County Tops.
After a good night's sleep we set off early to find the start of the route and make our way south. Splitting the trip into 4 days gives you enough time to see the country and get enough miles in. It also nice splits into 4 distinctly themed days.
Day 1 is beautiful, cutting through the heart of Anglesea, over the Menai Bridge and across the top of the Llyn Peninular. By contrast, Day 2 is hilly with more dramatic scenery as you curve round the south western edge of the Snowdonia National Park. Day 3 is a gentler descent through mid-Wales through some stunning countryside often overlooked by tourists. Day 5 is the Grand Finale, tracking the Taff Trail through the Breacon Beacons National Park, through the valleys to Cardiff Bay.
For a more detailed description of the route I recommend the section in Big Rides (look out for my own Day 3 photo on page 76).
Start: NCN8 Sign on Prince of Wales Road, Holyhead
Finish: Ty Newydd, 30 Dublin Street, Tremadog, LL49 9RH
Distance: 108 km (67 miles)
Elevation change: +941m / - 945m / Net -4m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): Giach Anglesey Cycle Path, Lôn Las Cefni,
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path, Wales Coast Path, Llŷn Coastal Path,
OS Map(s):
- OS Explorer 262 Anglesey West
- OS Explorer Map (263) Anglesey East
- OS Explorer OL17 Snowdon & Conwy Valley
- OS Explorer Map OL18 Harlech, Porthmadog & Bala/Y Bala
Links: Anglesey, Holyhead, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Menai Bridge, Tremadog
Start: Ty Newydd, 30 Dublin Street, Tremadog, LL49 9RH
Finish: Plas Y Bwlch, Llangurig, Nr Llanidloes, SY18 6RT
Distance: 121 km (75 miles)
Elevation change: +2,358m / - 2,073m / Net +285m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): NCN 82, Mawddach Trail
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Wales Coastal Path, Glyndwrs Way, Severn Way
OS Map(s):
- OS Explorer Map OL18 Harlech, Porthmadog & Bala/Y Bala
- OS Explorer Map OL23 Cadair Idris & Llyn Tegid
- OS Explorer Map 215 Newtown, Llanfair Caereinion
- OS Explorer Map 214 Llanidloes & Newtown
Links: Tremadog, Porthmadog, Dolgellau, Llangurig
Start: Plas Y Bwlch, Llangurig, Nr Llanidloes, SY18 6RT
Finish: Tower Hotel, The Square, Talgarth, Brecon, LD3 0BW
Distance: 80 km (50 miles)
Elevation change: +851m / - 1,014m / Net -163m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): NCN 81, 818
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Wye Valley Walk
OS Map(s):
- OS Explorer Map 214 Llanidloes & Newtown
- OS Explorer 200 Llandrindod Wells & Elan Valley & Rhayader
- OS Explorer Map (188) Builth Wells, Painscastle and Talgarth
Links: Llangurig, Rhayader, Newbridge-On-Wye, Builth Wells, Glasbury, Talgarth
Start: Tower Hotel, The Square, Talgarth, Brecon, LD3 0BW
Finish: Celtic Ring, Cardiff Bay
Distance: 103 km (64 miles)
Elevation change: +948m / - 1,065m / Net -117m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (Cycle): NCN 4, 47
Other Routes Touched (Walk): Taff Trail, Beacons Way, Pontypridd Circular, Wales Coast Path
OS Map(s):
- OS Explorer Map (188) Builth Wells, Painscastle and Talgarth
- OS Explorer OL13 Brecon Beacons National Park - Eastern Area
- OS Explorer Map (166) Rhondda and Merthyr Tydfil
- OS Explorer Map (151) Cardiff and Bridgend/Caerdydd a Phen-y-bont ar Ogwr
Links: Talgarth, Brecon, Talybont-on-Usk, Pontsticill, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberfan, Pontypridd, Cardiff
Each colour represents an individual day
More on the web:
Kennet and Avon Canal near Aldermaston
Start: Bath Spa Railway Station, Bath BA1 1SU
Finish: Reading Railway Station, Station Approach, Reading RG1 1LZ
Distance: 79 miles / 127 km
Elevation Change: +385m / - 374 m / Net -11m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Kennet and Avon Canal Trail, Limestone Link, Macmillan Way, Wessex Ridgeway, Great Stones Way, Lambourn Valley Way, Thames Path
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 424, 254, 45, 403, 5, Round Berkshire Cycle Route
Maps: OS Explorer Map (155) Bristol and Bath, OS Explorer Map (156) Chippenham and Bradford-on-Avon, OS Explorer Map (157) Marlborough and Savernake Forest, OS Explorer Map (158) Newbury and Hungerford, OS Explorer Map (159) Reading, Wokingham and Pangbourne
Links: Canal & River Trust: Kennet & Avon Canal, Sustrans NCN 4
This is a long but easily navigable day-trip along the Kennet & Avon Canal from Bath to Bristol. The NCN 4 uses a lot of the canal towpath but runs parallel to it in some places. We chose to keep the the towpath rather than follow the strict path of the NCN 4. Bath and Reading are connected by regular fast trains, so doing this as a 1-day point-to-point trip is pretty straightforward.
From Bath Spa station, cross the River Avon and pass North through Bath City Centre until you reach NCN 4 on Cheap Street. Follow the NCN 4 East to Pulteney Bridge. Continue for another 1 km through Bathwick until you meet the Kennet & Avon Towpath after crossing the railway line on Beckford Road.
At Devizes you have the first choice about continuing along the towpath or taking the NCN 4. Either route will get you to Reading and they meet several times along the way.
The Kennet and Avon Canal ends when it meets the River Thames at Reading. From here take the NCN 5 heading West along the Thames Path to Reading Bridge where you’ll be in sight of Reading Station.
