Cycling in Newbury?

[jay clock]

Anyone live or work there and able to give advice?

I am on a project there and realised there is shower in the office. It is a 45km ride, so quite do-able once in a while. The office is on the A4 about a mile east of the A34

I live in Winchester, so plan to head via Overton, Kingsclere, Headley and over the canal by Thatcham station. Could I in fact avoid the last 2-3 miles of roads and go along the canal on a road bike? It would be the bit of canal from Thatcham Station to Hambridge Rd, then I would turn right.

Thanks for your help!

 

[betty swollocks]

It is cycleable by road bike: I did it just the other day on my fixie. It is not a fast ride though. Wouldn't recommend more than about 10mph, as it is, at times, quite bumpy with patches of loose-ish gravel. Look out for slippery roots which occur occasionally too.
Cycling along the A4 from Thatcham to Newbury is not too bad - 30 and 40 mph speed limits. Getting from the towpath/level crossing to the A4 will be the worst bit - narrow-ish roads and speed bumps.

 

[jay clock]

Cycled in today - beautiful day, if a little cold!! The canal ride was lovely. thanks for the tips Betty!

 

[wafflycat]

To keep yourself legal cycling towpaths, download & print off a cycling permit from here

http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling/permit

(British Waterways Cycling Permit)

 

[Mortiroloboy]

BW used to charge £15 for a towpath cycle permit, laugh... I nearly did, how dare they! I expect they realised no one was buying them, so decided to issue free ones instead...But why?!

As Betty(Tony) says watch the speed, as well as the hazards already mentioned on that stretch there are also dog walkers, pedestrian commuters and canal types to contend with.

Having come in from Winchester via your route, what is actually wrong with doing the last bit by road? If you don't mind me asking?

use Burys Bank Road,(watch out for cows) for then drop down Pyle Hill, which will bring you out by Hellfrauds <shudders>

which is pretty central, The burger King R/A can be fun! Better be quick!!

 

[cadseen]

I cycle to Newbury regularly, done that stretch on the canal path a few times but would give it a miss on a regular basis

 

[Over The Hill]

Hi

Not sure If I can be of any help but am in that area (Well Oakley actually)
I often go out on the Overton-Micheldever road and sometimes make it a round trip via Kingworthy. That is a nice back road to use A33 is quiet enogh to not be a problem but I like the road out to Stoke Charity from Winchester best.
From Overton it gets a bit hilly going north. I cannot see any way of avoiding the big hill (just south of kingsclere). I have not done the bit into Newbury but may try it myself.
Hope you can keep it up somehow with the nights drawing in.