A roads may be quick, but you won't enjoy using them.
For route finding, I'd back up the earlier suggestions. Borrow or buy OS 1:50,000 maps (pink covers) to choose the detailed route.
Then buy a road atlas from a pound shop or publishers' clearance place. Mark your route on with a highlighter pen. Then take the book apart and throw away the pages you don't need. On the road, put the sheet you're using in the mapcase on your handlebar bag, or put it in a ziploc bag and stick in in your jersey pocket.
If you're a real hardcore weight-watcher, you can throw away each page when you've cycled off it.
This will cost you about £2 (£1 if you already own, or can borrow, a highlighter pen. £0 if you already own an old road atlas).
You won't need to spend hours surfing the net, you don't need any gadgets, and you won't need to change the batteries. If you get lost, you'll be able to find your way back onto the route. If you decide to change your route while you're out on the, road, you can easily look at the maps to see how to do it. You will be able to point at the map when asking directions, and the person giving you directions may be able to point at things on the map too.
On the other hand, if you're a gadget freak, this suggestion has the distinct disadvantage, that it doesn't require you to buy any gadgets.
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