A Hard Day in January

With my locals hat on this would be my preferred route from Stoke Row...

[ame]http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2057583[/ame
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Note that all of the descents from the ridge here are narrow and will be wet and covered in copious amounts of debris. The Nuffield descent will probably be the cleanest as described above but isn't as pretty a road as the one I've suggested. The descent down to Well Place (Berins Hill) is steep and has a sharp bend at the bottom so I've avoided that. The road from Ipsden to Crowmarsh is one of the prettiest roads you could ever wish to cycle along.

Note that if we do get snow next week the Chilterns will be hit hardest and these lanes do not get cleared or gritted and can be clogged with snow and ice well after the lower level roads are clear.

Once you've gone through Shillingford take the left into Dorchester where the road splits into a dual carriageway and cycle past the abbey and through the pretty village. Keep straight on and it eventually turns into a wide tarmac cycle path alongside the A4074 to the café. This is MUCH nicer than the A4074 which is a horrid road to cycle along, basically treated as a dual carriageway, fast and busy.

John

Sorry - I have read clubman's original post about groups properly. I'm very happy to put myself down as a splinter group with a few others (whoever I think shares my understanding of 'steady', probably). Would it be be more helpful to try and indicate these groups now, or can we wait till the day?

^We have a carful for starters:

1 Bernie
2 Katie
3 Dan
4 Si

Er, no sooner am I in than I am out, as that weekend I am taking up stripping*

*stripping motorbikes

A Hard Day In January
Saturday 19th, 9am — Berinsfield route

1. ian (conker)
   
2. Hairnet
   
3. Katy
   
4. Laner - rollapaluza cc
   
5. tommmmmmm - rollapaluza cc
   
6. steve
   
7. YAL
   
8. AirTime
   
9. Dumps
   
10. Amygdala
    
11. Bernie
    
12. Almac68
    
    

A Hard Day In January
Saturday 19th, 10am — Marlow route

I can lead a 12-15mph sub-splinter group
peoples-front-of-no-gears (PFNG)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb_qHP7VaZE
I'll bring the Otters noses..

Sorry - I have read clubman's original post about groups properly. I'm very happy to put myself down as a splinter group with a few others (whoever I think shares my understanding of 'steady', probably). Would it be be more helpful to try and indicate these groups now, or can we wait till the day?

Not sure. If people don't know other riders' capabilities it won't work properly if organised here or on the day. My main concern is not, being dropped by a group, so much as being lost. Don't relish spending too much time reading maps in the cold.

... also, if anyone needs a lift from North London (I'll be going round the N.Circ from Southgate) I'll have room for 3 or 4 bikes but only one passenger in my small van. Let me know

Does it make sense to see who wants to ride as part of a group, ie the list on here. Then divvy it up next Thursday/Friday into faster and slower groups.

If everyone is opting for slower then the division is largely arbitrary...

Does that solve clubmans issues?

... also, if anyone needs a lift from North London (I'll be going round the N.Circ from Southgate) I'll have room for 3 or 4 bikes but only one passenger in my small van. Let me know

Might be up for this Ian I'm based in Finsbury park so would like to provisionally dib the front seat. Can talk to you more about this tonight

^ fine. how will i know you? what bike? i'll be on my LifeLogic with bull horns

A Hard Day In January
Saturday 19th, 9am — Berinsfield route

1. ian (conker)
   
2. Hairnet
   
3. Katy
   
4. Laner - rollapaluza cc
   
5. tommmmmmm - rollapaluza cc
   
6. steve
   
7. YAL
   
8. AirTime
   
9. Dumps
   
10. Amygdala
    
11. Bernie
    
12. Almac68
    
13. vunugu
    
    

A Hard Day In January
Saturday 19th, 10am — Marlow route

In for this. Looks like a cracking route.

In true LFGSS fashion I reckon groups will be worked out at last possible moment, based on who actually turns up, like 5 minutes after we should have started.

Also in for feeder ride from Richmond Park.

It looks like the shorter ride may be a non starter, but here's the route as promised.

Start 10 am.

As with the Berinsfield route this is only a suggestion. Please read the notes provided for that route.

Start from Staines Sailing club and turn right out of the gate, cross Staines bridge and turn left on the B376 through Wraysbury to Datchet, where turn left over level crossing and turn right at the T junction onto the B470 into Windsor. At traffic lights turn right over Eton Bridge (note this bridge is pedestrianised) and bear left into small one way system, and turn left back into Eton High Street. At the traffic lights by the college turn left onto the B3026 (Eton Wick Road).

Follow this through Dorney, over the M4 to the Bath Road (A4) (traffic lights) where turn left towards Maidenhead (a busy main road – take care). Immediately after crossing Maidenhead Bridge turn right on the mini roundabout onto the A 4094 towards Cookham.

In Cookham Village turn left onto B4447 (High Street), go over small bridge and turn right at mini roundabout into Terry’s Lane. Climb to Winter Hill and turn right into Quarrywood Road.

This is a steep descent. **Be very careful: there is a sharp and possibly slippery right hand bend about halfway down. **

Continue to T Junction with Bisham Road, where turn right across Marlow Bridge.

On your left almost immediately after the bridge is Higginson Park, and there you will find The Parkwood Community Leisure Centre – the turn check will be in the Riverside Cafeteria.

You can return by retracing the outward route.

With my locals hat on this would be my preferred route from Stoke Row...

Note that all of the descents from the ridge here are narrow and will be wet and covered in copious amounts of debris. The Nuffield descent will probably be the cleanest as described above but isn't as pretty a road as the one I've suggested. The descent down to Well Place (Berins Hill) is steep and has a sharp bend at the bottom so I've avoided that. The road from Ipsden to Crowmarsh is one of the prettiest roads you could ever wish to cycle along.

Note that if we do get snow next week the Chilterns will be hit hardest and these lanes do not get cleared or gritted and can be clogged with snow and ice well after the lower level roads are clear.

Once you've gone through Shillingford take the left into Dorchester where the road splits into a dual carriageway and cycle past the abbey and through the pretty village. Keep straight on and it eventually turns into a wide tarmac cycle path alongside the A4074 to the café. This is MUCH nicer than the A4074 which is a horrid road to cycle along, basically treated as a dual carriageway, fast and busy.

John

This is quite probably a better route than mine.

It's certainly true that there's not much pleasure in riding up the main road after Shillingford - we've gone that way in the past simply because it seemed to be the quickest way to get to the cafe. You will have to use your own discretion on the day.

If, as seems quite likely, there is much snow and ice we shall have to postpone the ride, so let's keep all our fingers crossed.

This is quite probably a better route than mine.

It's certainly true that there's not much pleasure in riding up the main road after Shillingford - we've gone that way in the past simply because it seemed to be the quickest way to get to the cafe. You will have to use your own discretion on the day.

If, as seems quite likely, there is much snow and ice we shall have to postpone the ride, so let's keep all our fingers crossed.

Descending from the ridge to Crowmarsh is swings and roundabouts. The Nuffield descent down Brixton Hill is the more used road so will be cleaner.

The detour through Dorchester rather than using the bypass is no further and doesn't take any longer so is a good choice IMO.

Have a good ride and I hope the weather is kind :)

Cheers

John

Only popped in to say I'm looking forward to reading Cubman's post-ride report :-).

This may or may not be helpful:

http://connect.garmin.com/course/2705607

A Hard Day In January
Saturday 19th, 9am — Berinsfield route

1. ian (conker)
   
2. Hairnet
   
3. Katy
   
4. Laner - rollapaluza cc
   
5. tommmmmmm - rollapaluza cc
   
6. steve
   
7. YAL
   
8. AirTime
   
9. Dumps
   
10. Amygdala
    
11. Bernie
    
12. Almac68
    
13. vunugu + RP feeder
    
14. Alex (zanda) + RP feeder
    
    

A Hard Day In January
Saturday 19th, 10am — Marlow route

Pretty unimpressed with the current weather forecast. I've come back from holiday fat and seriously underdone.
I need the miles!

A Hard Day In January
Saturday 19th, 9am — Berinsfield route

1. ian (conker)
   
2. Hairnet
   
3. Katy
   
4. Laner - rollapaluza cc
   
5. tommmmmmm - rollapaluza cc
   
6. steve
   
7. YAL
   
8. AirTime
   
9. Dumps
   
10. Amygdala
    
11. Bernie
    
12. Almac68
    
13. vunugu + RP feeder
    
14. Alex (zanda) + RP feeder
    
15. esstee + RP feeder
    
    

A Hard Day In January
Saturday 19th, 10am — Marlow route

Will stick the route in the garmin, just in case.

This may or may not be helpful:

http://connect.garmin.com/course/2705607

Cheers! I was worried i'd have to use my brain and risk getting lost.

My thanks go to Jochta for his very much better route through Dorchester -I have incorporated it here. His other suggestions may be improvements, but since I haven't time to go and look I will leave it to others to make up their own minds.

I have also corrected some of the road numbers which I had foolishly taken from an out of date map (typical of Clubman, you may say, but at least it was a 1:50,000 map, not a one inch to the mile)

Berinsfield Route.
**Start from 9 a.m. **
This is no more than a suggested route – riders may use any roads they wish, and the best (and safest) will depend on the road conditions on the day. If the organisers feel the weather is obviously too bad to run the event on the 19th January they will postpone and possibly abandon it. However this decision will have to be made in accordance with the information and knowledge that the organisers have at the time. It may be that riders will find conditions on the route too bad to continue and in this case they should use their own discretion and give up the attempt if necessary. No one can be criticised for not wishing to ride in icy or otherwise dangerous conditions.
**Please read the notes at the end of this route guide. **
** Start: **Staines Sailing Club, 105 Chertsey Lane, Staines. TW18 3LQ.
Note: The club house is at the end of a drive way. At the entrance there are two white painted pillars marked ‘SSC’ and ‘105’. There is some car parking space, but if this fills up there should be no difficulty in parking on the roads nearby. There are toilets in the clubroom and tea should be available in the afternoon.
Outward route:
Turn right out of the gate, cross Staines bridge and turn left on the B376 through Wraysbury to Datchet where turn left over level crossing and turn right onto the B470 into Windsor. Continue straight on at Eton Bridge traffic lights and bear right keeping close to the river. Continue onto cycle path (marked on OS map sheet 176) past leisure centre, under the main road and turn left in Clewer Village to A308, where turn right towards Maidenhead.
After about 1.5 miles turn left (B3383) which becomes B3024. Follow this past Fifield to A330 where turn left. After about half a mile turn right, again onto the B3024 to Paley Street. (Note: you are making this turn on an A road, be careful!)
Continue on B3024 to Twyford (You have done just over 18 miles at this point) Continue straight on through the Twyford traffic lights to the Charvil rab. on the main A4 Bath road (care) Cross the A4 onto the B478 through Sonning to Playhatch rab. with A 4155. Go straight across the rab. And climb to Dunsden Green where bear left (first junction) onto unclassified road towards Sonning Common.
Join the B481 and turn right into Sonning Common village and take the left fork (top of the hill) on unclass. road to Stoke Row. (about 1 mile on B481)
At T junction in Stoke Row turn left (still unclass.) towards Nuffield. At Nuffield turn left (Brixton Hill/Nuffield Hill) passing Nuffield Church on your left.
This is a minor road which goes down the steep side of the Chilterns – treat it with respect, especially if riding fixed. It is possible to ignore this turning and continue about half a mile to the junction with the A 4130 and go down the main road. The choice is yours.
Brixton Hill joins the A4130 at Crowmarsh Hill. Continue westwards through Crowmarsh Gifford and over Wallingford bridge. About a quarter of a mile after the bridge there is a cross roads (with traffic lights) which is at the centre of the town. Turn right.
This junction is not well sign posted, and it’s easy to go wrong. If you find yourself on the A4130 going towards Didcot, you’ve gone the wrong way! An additional difficulty here is that Wallingford is on the edge of sheets 164 and 175 of the O.S. maps.
Follow Castle Street which becomes Shillingford Rd (was A 329, but now unclassified) crossing the Thames to join the A 4074 at Shillingford where turn left towards Oxford.
After just over a mile on the main road bear left (Henley Road) into Dorchester. Continue along High Street, ignoring left fork (Abingdon Rd) and continue on Oxford Road which becomes a cycle path leading to The Big H Café.
Return:
Riders may return by retracing the outward route.
OR: You may decide to face the risks of a more ‘main road’ route.
It is possible to take the A 4074 after Dorchester and follow it to the Crowmarsh Gifford rab. Then turn left onto the A4130 to Henley. Go over Henley bridge and turn right (A321) through Wargrave to Twyford. This road is narrow – ride in single file.
From Twyford retrace the outward retrace the outward route through Windsor back to Staines.
Notes:
Riders may use any route they see fit. In order to qualify it is only necessary to reach the turnpoint check. The suggested route has been ridden in the past without problems, but in the case of bad weather it may not be the best way to go.
Remember that if the weather is cold at Staines it will be colder further out from London, and so even though the roads are ice free at the start there may be ice before you reach your destination: in this case it may be preferable to use the main road. Rear LED lights are recommended.
For those who like to use maps, sheets 175, 176 and 164 of the 1:50,000 Ordinance Survey cover the whole route. Anyone requiring a route sheet with distances stated in miles and *furlongs *should apply to the organisers.

Revised Weather

it will be cold.

very cold.

Can't make this one I'm afraid, doing the 210km Willy Warmer instead.

is that a bicycle ride or summat else?

I don't care how cold it is as long as the pavement is ridable. I have big plans for this weekend.