London-Cambridge route help

Hi,

Got to go to Cambridge on Monday and want to spin up rather than get the train but struggling to find a route. Anyone done it before who's got one? Otherwise just going to use google maps but bit worried as don't know the roads.

Cheers for any help,
Dan

Use the search.
There have been numerous forum rides to cambridge.

Oops, should have thought of that.
Cheers

My usual route (I've done it 20 times or so):-

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/71351

Up the A10, continue straight onto the A1010 at Bruce Grove. There's no real nice way of getting out of London, the A10 and A1010 are fine to cycle along and get the job done quickly.

If it's early enough in the morning then you can cut through the shopping are at Waltham Cross, otherwise go round to the right and then left at the next roundabout to avoid it. Continue north onto the B176 at the roundabout, last exit, signposted Turnford or Wormley.

Straight on on the B176 all the way to the edge of Hoddesdon, at the big roundabout where the main road goes left you go right (Essex Road Industrial Estate) but, within 30 yards, nip up onto the pavement and across the bit of pathway and right onto Stortford Road. Left at the end of that road through some bollards and then right onto Rye Road. Over the couple of bridges (railway and river/canal) and down towards the Nature Reserve over the speed bumps. Through the barriers across the road at the water works (don't worry, it's all ok to do this) and up the hill. Left at the top, over the A414 and first right (Kitten Lane) just as you start to drop down the hill (easy to miss). Right at the T-junction at the end of Kitten Lane (not very good visibility) and you're on the B180.

Continue north on this road for ages. At Widford you'll come to a T-junction where you want to continue North (right) on the B1004. Through Much Hadham and straight on (North) where the B1004 turns off to the right towards Bishop's Stortford.

Through the other Hadhams and Right, imm Left and the A120 crossroads (traffic lights may take ages).

Straight on (keeping right at the fork for Furneaux Pelham) and turn left at the remains of the burnt down pub in Stocking Pelham (they may have rebuilt it by now, or razed it to the ground).

You'll then come to a grass triangle at the B1038, left here and up the hill where there's often a git of a headwind too.

Straight on in Brent Pelham (B1038 turns off to the left). Right at the next grass triangle in the road towards Langley. Left at T junction then right at The Bull pub and up towards Langley.

Left at the village green (by the bus shelter). Marvel at the cricket square on your left and the fact that the cricket pitch extends over the road you're on. Up out of Langley and the S bends to the right then left.

Through Duddenhoe End and Pond St following the road straight (i.e. without turning off). Left at the T-junction onto the lovely surfaced B1039. First right in 2km or so and climb up into Chrishall. Right at T in village by grass triangle in road and continue North.

Keep going North as it flattens out and right hand turn (unsignposted) called Grange Road. It's the right turn about 500m after the left hand turn that is signposted Cambridge (oddly). This takes you round the back of Duxford Imperial War Museum and over the M11 into Duxford village. Straight on at cross roads at the end of this road and follow the road round to the left.

Cross the big nasty A505 by using the pedestrian island in the middle, there are some blue cyclepath signs that'll show the way. It's reasonably obvious what to do. Continue going North.

Once straight over the A505 go up the little climb (on the path) and rejoin the road. Past the turning for the station and through Wittlesford to Shelford. Follow the road straight on, there's a sharp right turn in the road just as you come into Shelford, follow it to the right.

Past the church in Shelford and keep to the left where the road forks. Up to the junction with the A1301 with a Lloyds bank on your left. Left at this junction onto the A1301 and shortly turn right onto Granham's Road at the bottom of the humpbacked bridge.

Over the level crossing and, straight away, left onto the path. There's a useful cycle path along the side of the railway and through the fields to the back of Addenbrookes. Much nicer than either road option.

Follow this cycle path all the way to Addenbrookes and turn right onto the hospital ring road. Follow the ring road round to the main roundabout at the entrance, right (3rd exit) there, then left (first exit) at the big roundabout on Hills Road. Straight on at the traffic lights at the Hills Road/Long Road junction. Keep going that way and you'll be in centre ville.

As you were polite about it.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1468463

That one is a pretty nice route.
The bit after the hadams is sublime to ride.

An alternative to mine, with a bit more of a climb, is to go via Elmdon.

So turn R at the T-Junction onto the B1039, then first left. Climb up Essex Hill into Elmdon. Right at the top of the climb (I think there's a pub there) probably signposted Ickleton.

Then drop down the hill, straight on over a crossroads. Over the M11 and first left shortly afterwards. You then come into Duxford from the South but continue on the road (i.e. don't turn off) which drags you to the right of a grass triangle in the road where the other route joins up.

As you were polite about it.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1468463

That one is a pretty nice route.
The bit after the hadams is sublime to ride.

I rode that route last saturday. It is indeed really nice and easy to find.
I did not check the map once on my way....

I rode that route last saturday. It is indeed really nice and easy to find.
I did not check the map once on my way....
There a little turn by a cottage that we missed last time but ended up finding a really nice pub and much to Greasy's delight we got to ride through a ford as well.

was that the turn right after roydon on the kind of steep downhill bit?

Just after Patmore Heath I believe.

I was going to say that there's a ford at Braughing. Was it the Axe & Compasses?

Here mine http://tiny.cc/mnKDN

The axe & compasses was shut when we rode past.
We did try and go there though.

I've just checked google maps and for the life of me I can't remember where we actually ended up stopping.

Got it.

We stopped further on than I thought in Barkway, the pub was called the Tally Ho.

The A10 is a shitty (if fast) way to end a ride, especially past Scherings on the way out of Harston just before the M11 roundabout.

Much better to turn right after Newton towards Little Shelford, Great Shelford and the cycle path to Addenbrookes off Granham's Road. It's the fastest way into the city by bike.

Not saying the other routes are wrong, but if I was got as far as Newton by whatever route then the last thing I'd want to do is a chunk of the A10 and through Trumpington.

Was it the Axe & Compasses?

Ha, is there another Axe & Compasses other than the one on the B184 (Dynamo route)?

(Evidently there is, I'm just surprised as I thought that was an unusual pub name.)

I'm keen to do a ride to Cambridge later in the year. I thought that would be a good one for me to do fixed, as it's flat. So far, I've done all long forum rides geared because of my knees, but I'd like to do one fixed.

did an impromptu ride to Cambridge on Saturday with a mate, and followed Greenbank's route above... great directions, but the excerpt below wasn't very clear. We ended up missing the turning but were able to join up with the B180 via B181 (St. Margarets)

Cheers for the route mate.

My usual route (I've done it 20 times or so):-

...

Straight on on the B176 all the way to the edge of Hoddesdon, at the big roundabout where the main road goes left you go right (Essex Road Industrial Estate) but, within 30 yards, nip up onto the pavement and across the bit of pathway and right onto Stortford Road.

...

Followed Greenbank's route today. Top notch instructions and a lovely ride rolling down some deserted country lanes (and a stiff southerly to push me most of the way) ;-)

Ressurrection

Myself and some others are intending to do this saturday

Is this an alright enough route - http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/waltham-cross-eng/copy-of-london-to-cambridge-picketts-loc-route-17760106 (benefit being it easily copies over to the mobile app) ?

Watch out for the bit near Furneux Pelham, it's a choice between a ford and a farm. Can go via Stocking Pelham to avoid them.

The Old Crown in Much Hadham is a good stopping point.

Watch out for the bit near Furneux Pelham, it's a choice between a ford and a farm. Can go via Stocking Pelham to avoid them.

Thanks, I guess I'll keep an eye out for those fairly distinctive names - when you say ford, this means get off and splosh through a river?

see below

this
is a great route, which is largely the same.

Beware the ford at furneaux, it's 400m long and pretty shit even in summer...

And the cycle track at mile 56 is worth finding as well, nice 20 minutes away from the cars.