London to Cumbria ~300mi - Any route planning tips?

Good evening!

I'm hoping to ride to my friends wedding in Whitrigg, Cumbria this July. I hope to do this in two days but three days is also a possibility if the hilly bits prove challenging.

For a general idea of the geography and distances involved please click here.

I'm not at all concerned about training, I'm comfortable with setting goals and working towards them. I've got plenty of time to train up to 300 miles in two or three days. (Insert HTFU...do it fixed and brakeless jibes here)

The only thing that overwhelms me is the thought of plotting the most sensible route. Lets face it, if I get it wrong with the Peaks and the Lakes in the way, I'm going to be in a world of pain.

When the day to set off comes, I'll have a GPX route plotted in a Garmin or similar. I'll also probably have it stored in my HTC using rMaps as a backup as I've heard a few stories about 705s packing up when you need them most.

As luck would have it, I have some friends who live at strategic places in the Midlands and further north so overnight accomodation should be easy. A friend will also be taking a bag up for me so I will be able to travel very light.

Has anybody here had any experience of riding from London to Cumbria?
Any tips on the best route to the Keswick area from the South without hitting a nasty combination of climbs in the Lakes? I'm a little less worried about avoiding the Peak District.

My plan is to plot the route village to village initially, I'm hoping that somebody had completed some of the steps previously. I'd be grateful for any help...

Looks like the answer is here!

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/national-cycle-network/route-numbering-system/route-6

I've done this the other way around. It's hilly whichever way you go. I'd couldn't have done it in two days, but was loaded with camping gear. Suspect even if I hadn't have been, 2 days would be a tall order via backroads.

I'm inclined to agree with you there. 150 miles a day doesnt scare me if it was flat! Cheers for that! 3 days with longer rides in the flat areas might be the best plan.

I don't suppose you've got your route recorded somewhere?

150 miles a day is a lots, to be honest I think 100 miles a day would be enough, 150 miles might take up a lots of energy and may find the next day even harder.

if you want to avoid climb to get to Kewisk, take the A591 (between Kendal, Windermere & Kewisk), it's a main road but it doesn't have that much climb.

I rode the A591 with my dad, was pretty nice.

There's a cycle lane there, but if you want to be safe, avoid it and ride near the centre of the lane.

We did Edinburgh to London in three days last summer, circa 150 miles per day; had support car so didn't have to carry anything more than normal day ride. Not as hilly as your route, particularly south of the Humber. Most of us trained lots, building up to those kind of day distances, those who trained less suffered more and one guy pulled out with a dicky knee. Simples.

If you go through Derbyshire, want to avoid hills and you have 25 or 28mm tyres on I would tip you towards the Tissington Trail, steady slight incline from Ashbourne town centre to just short of Buxton. Can get a little dull but there are some good views as you get further north and it does flatten out the county (the White Peak part anyway).

Whilst the Sustrans route will be great to follow, it won't be "quick" for you. Cycle Gates, different terrain (and muddy in places if it's been raining), slight circular detours will all add in delays.

You'd be best to stay left of the peak district (so head through Stafford then North to Manchester) to avoid those hills. A rough google map on "walking" setting would have you going overseas!:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=london&daddr=Whitrigg,+Wigton,+Cumbria&hl=en&geocode=FXjUEQMd5BL-_yl13iGvC6DYRzGZKtXdWjqWUg%3BFWYzQwMdRqHO_ymNNQtjDNh8SDGnfNOJ5SUOFg&mra=ltm&dirflg=w&sll=53.11608,-1.68399&sspn=3.231537,9.876709&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=6

So maybe something like this, which is pretty much a straight line (although you'd maybe want to plot alternatives nearby to avoid the A5 as it's a big truck route)?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=london&daddr=53.4753221,-2.2167529+to:Whitrigg,+Wigton,+Cumbria&hl=en&geocode=FXjUEQMd5BL-_yl13iGvC6DYRzGZKtXdWjqWUg%3BFfr3LwMd0Cze_yk548ffnrF7SDFx_qjXnvkMEw%3BFWYzQwMdRqHO_ymNNQtjDNh8SDGnfNOJ5SUOFg&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=6&via=1&dirflg=w&sll=53.269065,0.69136&sspn=6.442315,19.753418&ie=UTF8&ll=54.316523,-2.565308&spn=1.570105,4.938354&t=h&z=8

No message from whom?

From whom, Ed?
You been taking grandma lessons?

Sorry Gents & Gentleladies...I forgot to subscribe to this thread.

Thanks for the tips...really useful to take on board. I'm not experienced with distance route planning.

I think Ed has a good point. I will plan to ride it in 3 days. I'm supposed to enjoy it as well as cover off the miles!

I'm going to have a stab at a route on mapmyride and post it here...my main concern at the moment is finding a good alternative to the A5 (thanks for confirming my suspicions RHB) although I'm sure a few miles of village to village plotting would help there. Once I've plotted a half sensible route it should be easy enough to refine using common sense and the worldly wisdom of my fellow forumengers.

I'm lucky in that I will only have a small daypack when I'm riding as my wedding shit (and camping gear, its a hippy wedding) will be going up by car.

Look at me, I forgot my manners. Anybody want to come with?

I'd like to join if you don't mind too much, trouble is my touring bike has yet to arrived from the Isle of Man...

You'd be very welcome ed.

The wedding is on the 9th July and I'm aiming to arrive on the 8th (coincidentally my 30th birthday)

Because it is my birthday, the bride and groom are throwing me a birthday party in the evening. You'd be welcome to camp over that night. The wedding itself is a bit of a hippy mini festival affair so will be very relaxed with no dress code. Not sure if the invitation would extend to the wedding itself though...

The final destination is stunning. Its a tiny cottage covered in rose bushes in what must be one of the remotest parts of the lake district. No neighbours = big sound system. We've been throwing parties there for about ten years now.

^ sounds wicked. I'd be tempted to join you from Manc to Cumbria, don't think the dates fall right though - i'm racing down in the south mids around then.

The more the merrier...I'll talk to Bride and Groom today to double check but I think there will be no problems at all with forumengers camping in their field on the night of the 8th and joining in the birthday revelry.

I could also arrange for camping stuff to be sent up in advance so that we can ride with daypacks.

If anybody wanted to come along for the whole thing or any of the stages just let me know. To give you an idea of my ability, I'm averaging 15-16mph on longer rides at the moment and really don't think that is going to change too much before July. Just wanted to make sure I don't end up holding anybody back.

If you go through Derbyshire, want to avoid hills and you have 25 or 28mm tyres on I would tip you towards the Tissington Trail, steady slight incline from Ashbourne town centre to just short of Buxton. Can get a little dull but there are some good views as you get further north and it does flatten out the county (the White Peak part anyway).

As luck would have it, I have a good friend who lives in Ashbourne with plenty of spare rooms in his farmhouse.

i've always wanted to do a three ride from london to north england or scotland in the summer with just a bivi bag

http://www.army-surplus.org.uk/goretex-bivi-bag-grade-1-p-28.html?osCsid=4im8itogt11ikplccq5ag8no83

not sure i can do those dates though :( have fun.. !

Theres a long time to go until then.

Come along on some training rides instead.

Ed...i'm thinking SE8 to Tamworth should be the first leg. 115mi

Stage two could be Tamworth to Accrington...95mi

Stage three could be Accrington to Whitrigg ...90.5mi

What do you think?

Sound pretty good, what bicycle are you taking by the way?

Another thing is, how long are you going to stay at the wedding? (I'm not going to intrude by the way!).

Hey Ed

I'm leaving the wedding site in Whitrigg, Torpenhow on the 11th July...I'm off to do some climbing with my friend Lizzie up there if the legs permit on the 11th. Theres a route I really want to nail. I'll be jumping on the train on the 12th back to London if timetables align

Bride and groom confirm that LFGSS guests would not be intruding at all.

In terms of bikes, I'll be riding my Pinarello FP2. Its a 2009 FP2 so Alu and carbon framed rather than full carbon. I have it set up more comfortably than most. I'll be riding with a day pack with literally just some basic cosmetics, a pair of shorts and a tshirt.

Probably an idea if we meet up at some point if you want to join in...let me know next time you are doing a forum ride.

Coincidentally, I've just been given some PMR radios with throat mikes. Could be useful for a two person long distance ride.

BTW, look at names to face and bikes under General if you want to see my frames. Only posted there a few hours ago.

I did London to Whaley Bridge, High Peak a couple of years back. I rode to Loughborough, stayed a few days and then did the rest.

The return route went via Coventry, Towcester then then A5 back to London I think. ~180mi @ 15mph - took the whole damn day and I was a wreck.

There's a really nice route that gets you into the middle of the Peak District at a cracking pace. Look up the Manifold Valley.

If you go up the Manifold then a cup of tea at Whetton Mill* is a must. Tea for one is in a pot with loose leaf tea and you get half a dozen cups out. Proper rehydration.

*on your right over a small bridge, just after the trail becomes single track road.

Upon arriving at the lake district, I'll be heading up to wasdale for a spot of walking, what about the return journey?