Comments on: Cycling from Birmingham to London http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/ Happily cycling in London Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:39:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: tim http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-46888 tim Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:22:18 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-46888 hi, further to my post in september last year - as promised did Kendal to London in april this year - took 8 days fantastic weather and amazingly no punctures - best bit the macclesfield canal - worst bit for towpath the Oxford canal. Camped varity of "wild"camping and at marinas who kindly let me pitch for the night. now what next...... hi, further to my post in september last year – as promised did Kendal to London in april this year – took 8 days fantastic weather and amazingly no punctures – best bit the macclesfield canal – worst bit for towpath the Oxford canal.

Camped varity of “wild”camping and at marinas who kindly let me pitch for the night.

now what next……

]]> By: RSK http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-44910 RSK Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:28:09 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-44910 "I would say it was Trafalgar Square others would say it is Charing Cross, Westminster." Does it make much difference? Seeing as they're only thirty seconds walk from each other... I'd have thought the finish point was the end of the Grand Union Canal myself. “I would say it was Trafalgar Square others would say it is Charing Cross, Westminster.”
Does it make much difference? Seeing as they’re only thirty seconds walk from each other…
I’d have thought the finish point was the end of the Grand Union Canal myself.

]]> By: Andy http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-42087 Andy Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:54:01 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-42087 Hi all, I am organising a ride from Birm to London. Looking at the maps of the origin of the GU it appears to be quite industrial, is it easy to access around Bordseley area (I have been looking to start at Lawden road)....Thanks Hi all, I am organising a ride from Birm to London. Looking at the maps of the origin of the GU it appears to be quite industrial, is it easy to access around Bordseley area (I have been looking to start at Lawden road)….Thanks

]]> By: Tim Maskell http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-41898 Tim Maskell Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:28:42 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-41898 A lot of good info here, thanks to every one that has left comments. I plan to try Birmingham to Hemel Hempstead in the height of the Summer, but I was planning to do it in one day. I've done distances of around 90 miles easily enough in a day but thats always heading into London then along the Thames Path and out on the River Lee and the paths are always fairly good. I was going to get an early start leaving Birmingham about 5 a.m. but having read some of the comments about the state of the path in some places I'm starting to wonder if I'll make it in a day. I'll leave a post in a few months and let you know if I did or not. A lot of good info here, thanks to every one that has left comments. I plan to try Birmingham to Hemel Hempstead in the height of the Summer, but I was planning to do it in one day. I’ve done distances of around 90 miles easily enough in a day but thats always heading into London then along the Thames Path and out on the River Lee and the paths are always fairly good. I was going to get an early start leaving Birmingham about 5 a.m. but having read some of the comments about the state of the path in some places I’m starting to wonder if I’ll make it in a day. I’ll leave a post in a few months and let you know if I did or not.

]]> By: Andreas http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-41504 Andreas Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:35:36 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-41504 I've replied to this via e-mail so hope my tips helped! I’ve replied to this via e-mail so hope my tips helped!

]]> By: Amy Trollope http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-41484 Amy Trollope Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:24:13 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-41484 Hi Andreas, My brother and I are wanting to do a sponsored walk along the canal from Birmingham to London this summer, hopefully with our dog too! Problem is, I've never done a big planned walk like this before, and don't know how to go about working out how far we need to walk in a day, and then liaising that with ending up where we need to stay for the night; and I'm not sure how to work out where we'd end up (or need to end up) so that I could book somewhere to stay the night. How did you work out how far you needed to go in a day, and where to stay? Did you book the hostel in advance, or just find somewhere to stay on the night? Ideally I would like to have everything booked beforehand, but just don't know how to work it all out! Any tips? Thanks a lot! :) Amy Hi Andreas,

My brother and I are wanting to do a sponsored walk along the canal from Birmingham to London this summer, hopefully with our dog too!
Problem is, I’ve never done a big planned walk like this before, and don’t know how to go about working out how far we need to walk in a day, and then liaising that with ending up where we need to stay for the night; and I’m not sure how to work out where we’d end up (or need to end up) so that I could book somewhere to stay the night.

How did you work out how far you needed to go in a day, and where to stay?
Did you book the hostel in advance, or just find somewhere to stay on the night?
Ideally I would like to have everything booked beforehand, but just don’t know how to work it all out!
Any tips?

Thanks a lot! :)

Amy

]]> By: Matt http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-27293 Matt Sat, 27 Nov 2010 21:12:45 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-27293 thanks thanks

]]> By: Andreas http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-26467 Andreas Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:14:04 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-26467 Hi Matt - sure I don't see why not. It's a nice little challenge and definitely doable. Hi Matt – sure I don’t see why not. It’s a nice little challenge and definitely doable.

]]> By: Matt http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-26463 Matt Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:49:28 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-26463 hi im going to Peru next year for 1 year and im trying to raise money. Im fifteen and do alot of biking do you think this is a suitable ride for me and my mates to do as a charity ride? hi im going to Peru next year for 1 year and im trying to raise money. Im fifteen and do alot of biking do you think this is a suitable ride for me and my mates to do as a charity ride?

]]> By: RICHARD http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/comment-page-1/#comment-21482 RICHARD Wed, 06 Oct 2010 22:05:55 +0000 http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/touring/cycling-from-birmingham-to-london/#comment-21482 I have just completed the Brum to London ride. The Grand Union starts (for me) underneath Spaghetti Junction. The towpath from there through Birmingham is reasonable. Through Solihull it gets muddy and worn. Beyond Hatton Locks parts of it are basically are/were a mud path. Past Leamington parts of it are really quite difficult if you encounter the rain and mud that we did. It was practically impassable by bike in many places towards Braunston Tunnel because of the mud. From Weedon to Stoke Bruerne was either grass or decentish towpath. The area around Milton Keynes is superb.....wide and flat with looked-after surfaces. Safe in nay weather. Through to Leighton Buzzard is similar....either concrete or similar with very few problems. Hemel Hempstead onwards was OKish, although mud was again an issue. Large stretches from Batchworth onwards were excellent, and pretty much all of the Paddington Arm into Central London was excellent too. It's no coincidence that most of our 9 punctures were in the earlier rural stretches where the thorns were most prevalent. Inner tubes and puncture repair kits are a must, and/or the best tyres you can afford. We did it in 3 days and that would have been 2 and a half without punctures. A really nice ride though...but definitely one best left til Spring or Summer!! Recommended - the Narrowboat at Weedon. Really welcoming staff, superb location alongside the canal, good food, real ales, decent rooms and manager was happy to lend tools for bike repairs. I would definitely go back. I have just completed the Brum to London ride.

The Grand Union starts (for me) underneath Spaghetti Junction.

The towpath from there through Birmingham is reasonable.

Through Solihull it gets muddy and worn. Beyond Hatton Locks parts of it are basically are/were a mud path.

Past Leamington parts of it are really quite difficult if you encounter the rain and mud that we did.

It was practically impassable by bike in many places towards Braunston Tunnel because of the mud.

From Weedon to Stoke Bruerne was either grass or decentish towpath.

The area around Milton Keynes is superb…..wide and flat with looked-after surfaces. Safe in nay weather. Through to Leighton Buzzard is similar….either concrete or similar with very few problems.

Hemel Hempstead onwards was OKish, although mud was again an issue.

Large stretches from Batchworth onwards were excellent, and pretty much all of the Paddington Arm into Central London was excellent too.

It’s no coincidence that most of our 9 punctures were in the earlier rural stretches where the thorns were most prevalent. Inner tubes and puncture repair kits are a must, and/or the best tyres you can afford.

We did it in 3 days and that would have been 2 and a half without punctures.

A really nice ride though…but definitely one best left til Spring or Summer!!

Recommended – the Narrowboat at Weedon. Really welcoming staff, superb location alongside the canal, good food, real ales, decent rooms and manager was happy to lend tools for bike repairs. I would definitely go back.

]]>