decent off road tracks

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I've a lady friend coming all the way from Sacramento for a fortnight tomorrow. She's into cycling
but she's become a tad spoilt with the luxuary of wide boulevards and dedicated cycle paths where
she lives and is nervous about cycling on our roads [sigh.....but I'm not 'going there' again
right now :-]. So...I've left it a bit late to do the research myself, but can anybody point me in
the rough direction of off-road tracks, bridleways, etc...of say, a 20+ mile trip? I'm talking
hybrid/thick road tyre type of tracks here, and not real rough mountain bike territory.

I'm based in Watford, but will obviously travel.

Here's one idea ifyou don't mind travelling:

rutlandcycling.co.ukwhitwell.htmOpen ↗

rutnet.co.ukhire.htmOpen ↗

streetmap.co.uknewmap.srfOpen ↗
&st=4&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

Beware at this time of the year it will be busy at weekends. (obviously) If offers a 23 mile traffic
free track (even the Manton road section now has a decent cycle lane) with all the usual amenities
of a tourist area.

Pete

Peter B said:

Here's one idea ifyou don't mind travelling:

rutlandcycling.co.ukwhitwell.htmOpen ↗

Beware at this time of the year it will be busy at weekends. (obviously) If offers a 23 mile
traffic free track (even the Manton road section now has a decent cycle lane) with all the usual
amenities of a tourist area.

If 23 miles is too long you can miss out the Hambleton peninsula, if it is too short you can extend
it out to some of the towns and villages. The roads are pretty quiet compared to Watford.

--
Andy Leighton => [email hidden] "The Lord is my shepherd, but we still lost the sheep
dog trials"
- Robert Rankin, _They Came And Ate Us_

Quoted message said:

I've a lady friend coming all the way from Sacramento for a fortnight tomorrow. She's into cycling
but she's become a tad spoilt with the luxuary of wide boulevards and dedicated cycle paths where
she lives and is nervous about cycling on our roads [sigh.....but I'm not 'going there' again
right now :-]. So...I've left it a bit late to do the research myself, but can anybody point me in
the rough direction of off-road tracks, bridleways, etc...of say, a 20+ mile trip? I'm talking
hybrid/thick road tyre type of tracks here, and not real rough mountain bike territory.

When I've got foreigners in I like to do the Thames from Hammersmith Bridge to Richmond, around
Richmond Park and back. It's a nice ride. It's off road (not mountain bike type-more tow-path ride
with your parents type). It's a nice way to see a bit of London, the Thames etc. Richmond Park is a
great place to spend and afternoon, especially if the deer are about. I'd also highly recommend The
Tide Tables at Richmond for some lunch. It's a vege/vegan place, which is nice and hippy, but does
food that even the most carnivorous of us can enjoy.

It may be possible to get a train from Watford to Olympia which would make life *really* easy too,
Olympia is only a short cycle from the bridge (though if you don't like cycling traffic, WALK around
Hammersmith Broadway, it's a 100% certified nightmare).

This is a ride I do alot, let me know if you need any more details 🙂

"Andy Leighton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 6 Aug 2003 19:10:59 +0000 (UTC),

Re. Rutland Water cycle track:

Quoted message said:

If 23 miles is too long you can miss out the Hambleton peninsula, if it is too short you can
extend it out to some of the towns and villages. The roads are pretty quiet compared to Watford.

But try not to, it's one of the nicest (and quietest) parts imo ;-)

Pete

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've a lady friend coming all the way from Sacramento for a fortnight tomorrow. She's into cycling
but she's become a tad spoilt with the luxuary of wide boulevards and dedicated cycle paths where
she lives and is nervous about cycling on our roads [sigh.....but I'm not 'going there' again
right now :-]. So...I've left it a bit late to do the research myself, but can anybody point me in
the rough direction of off-road tracks, bridleways, etc...of say, a 20+ mile trip? I'm talking
hybrid/thick road tyre type of tracks here, and not real rough mountain bike territory.

I'm based in Watford, but will obviously travel.

Many thanks

gb

Ebury Way to Rickmansworth, then GU Canal to Denham Country Park

Windsor Great Park

Orienteer said:

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've a lady friend coming all the way from Sacramento for a fortnight tomorrow. She's into
cycling but she's become a tad spoilt with the luxuary of wide boulevards and dedicated cycle
paths where she lives and is nervous about cycling on our roads [sigh.....but I'm not 'going
there' again right now :-]. So...I've left it a bit late to do the research myself, but can
anybody point me in the rough direction of off-road tracks, bridleways, etc...of say, a 20+ mile
trip? I'm talking hybrid/thick road tyre type of tracks here, and not real rough mountain bike
territory.

I'm based in Watford, but will obviously travel.

Many thanks

gb

Ebury Way to Rickmansworth, then GU Canal to Denham Country Park

Windsor Great Park

Many thanks for these suggestions guys.

gb

"Garry Broad" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've a lady friend coming all the way from Sacramento for a fortnight tomorrow. She's into cycling
but she's become a tad spoilt with the luxuary of wide boulevards and dedicated cycle paths where
she lives and is nervous about cycling on our roads [sigh.....but I'm not 'going there' again
right now :-]. So...I've left it a bit late to do the research myself, but can anybody point me in
the rough direction of off-road tracks, bridleways, etc...of say, a 20+ mile trip? I'm talking
hybrid/thick road tyre type of tracks here, and not real rough mountain bike territory.

I'm based in Watford, but will obviously travel.

The Lea Valley tow path south from Hertford. Its quite pretty (with some notable exceptions) down to
Rye House -- though suffers from a lack of a 'loop' back if you are road averse.

T

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:bgt2gs$rr28s$1@ID- 161007.news.uni-berlin.de:

Quoted message said:

The Lea Valley tow path south from Hertford. Its quite pretty (with some notable exceptions) down
to Rye House -- though suffers from a lack of a 'loop' back if you are road averse.

And a bit hard going if you're on road tyres (although better than it used to be). A couple of
days ago I was stuck at a level crossing at Roydon (it was not working due to a fire at Liverpool
St). The presence of a couple of rail employees deterred me from simply pushing the bike across
the tracks.

A fellow cyclist on a hybrid said we can go down there pointing to path by the canal. I followed on
700Cx28 tyres. It was not easy going and, by the time I got to Rye House, decided to abandon the
effort and head down B180 instead.

Some comfort from the fact that the drivers queuing at the level crossing were probably more
inconvenienced.

Toby

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"Toby Barrett" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

And a bit hard going if you're on road tyres (although better than it used to be). A couple of
days ago I was stuck at a level crossing at Roydon (it was not working due to a fire at Liverpool
St). The presence of a couple

of

Quoted message said:

rail employees deterred me from simply pushing the bike across the tracks.

I regularly rode it on my tourer with 28 or 32 mm tyres (and even with 25's but that was harsh) --
particularly from Stansted Abbots to Hertford. From memory (I moved away from the area a year or so
ago) the surface was pretty good -- smoothish stone chippings. Thorns & flints were well distributed
by the puncture fairy but decent tyres kept her success rate suitably low.

Some of the tracks away from the main tow-path would need something more MTB but the main tow path
is, I believe, eminently ridable on a tourer.

T

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I regularly rode it on my tourer with 28 or 32 mm tyres (and even with 25's but that was harsh) --
particularly from Stansted Abbots to Hertford. From memory (I moved away from the area a year or
so ago) the surface was pretty good -- smoothish stone chippings. Thorns & flints were well
distributed by the puncture fairy but decent tyres kept her success rate suitably low.

Some of the tracks away from the main tow-path would need something more MTB but the main tow path
is, I believe, eminently ridable on a tourer.

You're right it is rideable, but the surface between Stanstead Abbots and Hertford is better that
some of the earlier stuff. Plus I'd just done a few miles of fairly rough stuff and just thought
"Bugger this for a game of soldiers" I'm off on the road.

Toby

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"Toby Barrett" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

You're right it is rideable, but the surface between Stanstead Abbots and Hertford is better that
some of the earlier stuff.

True -- though south of Stansted Abbots is not much worse.

Quoted message said:

Plus I'd just done a few miles of fairly rough stuff and just thought "Bugger this for a game of
soldiers" I'm off on the road.

Fair e-nuff. But the OP's colonial friend is road adverse -- so that might not be an
option for them.

T

Quoted message said:

but can anybody point me in the rough direction of off-road tracks, bridleways, etc...of say, a
20+ mile trip?

Heathrow to Watford, along the Grand Union Canal towpath?

Jeremy Parker