2009-09-19 Sat - Clacton-on-Sea

That looks like a really interesting route. However, for the way out of East London I'd recommend a more northerly route, via Chigwell Row, Stapleford Abbotts, Navestock, Doddinghurst, Wyatt's Green, Mountnessing (roughly)--a bit hillier, but worth it, unless you really aim to make time on the main road. The route from just south of Ingatestone is spot on, I think.

Yep, damo, Oliver has, I think, pretty much talked up the early part of the southend ride, there^. Might be a little circuitous to go up to chigwell and around, but then a lot of us know that route. Oliver do you know the roads a little that Mak's mapped? Any specific bits you'd avoid?

Looks good Jmak
Might be worth trying to find a route missing out that bit of A12 (

Done-http://www.bikemap.net/route/295119

That looks like a really interesting route. However, for the way out of East London I'd recommend a more northerly route, via Chigwell Row, Stapleford Abbotts, Navestock, Doddinghurst, Wyatt's Green, Mountnessing (roughly)--a bit hillier, but worth it, unless you really aim to make time on the main road. The route from just south of Ingatestone is spot on, I think.

I just drew the straightest line possible there to encourage people who aren't too confident with miles to come along whilst trying to avoid really big roads.
My last hilly ride destroyed everybody.
If you could show me a route I would be grateful.

Would like to keep the distance under 130KM.

doing brussels - amsterdam the weekend after, i reckon this would be GOOD training!
hopefully work don't fuck me over on this one!

1. |³|Ma3K
   
2. Wibble
   
3. habbi
   
4. blind dan
   

1. |³|Ma3K
   
2. Wibble
   
3. habbi
   
4. blind dan
   
5. joe smith
   

it may or may not bother you guys, but the tour of britain final stage in London is on the 19th of sep

I would like to see that as I've missed it the last couple of years.. I'm nominally in for this but if for some reason I can't go I'll be watching people ride up and down embankment

I might be down for this.
I haven't been to Clacton since I was a kid.

I kind of don't remember the beach looking like that though. So it makes me want to go even more =)

I'm going to let you know closer it is to the date.
I need to see how I get on with going to Brighton first.

I just drew the straightest line possible there to encourage people who aren't too confident with miles to come along whilst trying to avoid really big roads. My last hilly ride destroyed everybody.
If you could show me a route I would be grateful.

Oh, I don't think the hilliness around Stapleford Abbotts will be a huge challenge to anybody. After that, it pretty much levels off all the way. I'm talking about one leg of the draft route for 'Leaving East London':

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3073141

Specifically (counting backwards) about mile 65 to mile 49/48 on that route, after which you have to turn further south. As Skully said, it's part of the BHF London-Southend route, too.

(I think we'll be reversing the route I've drawn there for the actual ride, so if you have time, come along and see it for yourself.)

It has the advantage that you don't have to go through so much of London to get out. East London further south stretches for miles and miles more.

As I said, the route further out seems spot-on to me. I did an Audax around there recently and know some of the roads.

1. |³|Ma3K
   
2. Wibble
   
3. habbi
   
4. blind dan
   
5. joe smith
   
6. rab
   

I'm up for this. I don't know where Clacton-on-Sea is but it sounds like a fun ride. Which train line do I look at for a return to London?

1. |³|Ma3K
   
2. Wibble
   
3. habbi
   
4. blind dan
   
5. joe smith
   
6. rab
   
7. D. Generate
   

Clacton to London Liverpool St.

National Express I believe

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&q=clacton+on+sea+map&ie=UTF8&start=0&ll=51.788232,1.153564&spn=4.805138,9.876709&z=7

1. |³|Ma3K
   
2. Wibble
   
3. habbi
   
4. blind dan
   
5. joe smith
   
6. rab
   
7. D. Generate
   
8. Daveo
   
   

fuck me that'll be sweet.

Clacton to London Liverpool St.

National Express I believe

Cheers for that. Looks like £22 to get home. Can we take bikes on super off-peak fares? I'm still new to trying to get around by trains and have had some trouble in the past buying the wrong damn ticket.

Might require getting in contact with National Express but some train services do discount group buy tickets which should be cheaper.

My concern would be that the train we get won't be the mainline ones (Norwich-Liverpool St) with a whole bike storage car on the back so we'd have to squeeze into a smaller one (supposedly max 4 bikes but I've seen more on the same trainline on a quiet weekend)..

Ah keep looking at this and the sea is calling hoping i will make it !

1. |³|Ma3K
   
2. Wibble
   
3. habbi
   
4. blind dan
   
5. joe smith
   
6. rab
   
7. D. Generate
   
8. Daveo
   
9. Stix
   

We can do group share for substantial savings, usually half-price what ever you are quoted on a single fare.

1. |³|Ma3K
   
2. Wibble
   
3. habbi
   
4. blind dan
   
5. joe smith
   
6. rab
   
7. D. Generate
   
8. Daveo
   
9. Stix
   
10. RENE
    

1. |³|Ma3K
   
2. Wibble
   
3. habbi
   
4. blind dan
   
5. joe smith
   
6. rab
   
7. D. Generate
   
8. Daveo
   
9. Stix
   
10. RENE
    
11. damo (provo)
    

Oh, I don't think the hilliness around Stapleford Abbotts will be a huge challenge to anybody. After that, it pretty much levels off all the way. I'm talking about one leg of the draft route for 'Leaving East London':

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3073141

Specifically (counting backwards) about mile 65 to mile 49/48 on that route, after which you have to turn further south. As Skully said, it's part of the BHF London-Southend route, too.

(I think we'll be reversing the route I've drawn there for the actual ride, so if you have time, come along and see it for yourself.)

It has the advantage that you don't have to go through so much of London to get out. East London further south stretches for miles and miles more.

As I said, the route further out seems spot-on to me. I did an Audax around there recently and know some of the roads.

OK so the route to Stock (then to join Ma3k's route) is here (approx, I may have altered slightly from the Southend route we know and love)

http://www.bikemap.net/route/295912

I like your route to Stock Skully, it looks less exhausting :)

Will look at connecting the two later.

I think the Skully-to-Stock route would be better in terms of quieter roads but has a slightly greater distance.
The total climb distance from comparing the elevation profiles of the two routes is negligible.

Happy to stretch the ride out a bit if it's a nicer route..?