Any recommendations for a small tour near Hertfordshire?

[Godlykepower]

I have done precious little cycling this year...buying our first house has kept me rather busy in my free time.

I have a week off from September 16th and wouldn't mind getting away for a few days on the bike. My fitness has slipped, so nothing too heavy, but does anyone have a recommendation for something starting from Royston in Hertfordshire?

I'd like a bit of tent time if I could, but as the fitness has dipped, I couldnt really manage any large daily distances and I don't know of any camping that is worthwhile round these parts, what with being new to the area.

Hit me!

[iandriver]

Heading out towards bury St Edmund's would be my first choice. It's littered with pretty villages and quiet roads, plenty of camping thetford forest way. If you fancy a little sea side, hop on a train with your bike to Ipswich and explore around orford and southwold.

[sjs]

There are lots of pretty villages connected by quiet lanes with gentle gradients to the north and east of Royston, all the way to the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts. Another plus point is that it's serviced by First Capital Connect, with trains on the lines from Kings Lynn and Peterborough being very cycle-friendly. Just turn up and go, outside busy periods, providing a flexible option for one-way trips. Can't comment on the camping.

[Vorpal]

Heading out towards bury St Edmund's would be my first choice. It's littered with pretty villages and quiet roads, plenty of camping thetford forest way. If you fancy a little sea side, hop on a train with your bike to Ipswich and explore around orford and southwold.

I was going to suggest Suffolk & northern Essex. Maybe Bury St. Edmunds, Hadleigh (Suffolk), Ipswich, Colchester, then back lanes to Braintree and onto the Flitch Way.

There are plenty of nice, quiet lanes, touristy things to see & do, and the train as alternative if your legs don't cope so well. If your legs are happy, you can extend it a little and go to Framlingham, Orford, Sutton Hoo, Mersea Island, or any of a number of other interesting places

If it interests you, I can suggest a few tea stops & camping places.

[Godlykepower]

If it interests you, I can suggest a few tea stops & camping places.

It interests me!

[Vorpal]

Possible tea stops:
The Kiln Café, Bury St. Edmunds, there are lots of good tea rooms in Bury St. Edmunds, this one just happens to be my favourite
Munnings or Tickled Pink in Lavenham; Munnings is a little nicer, but more expensive. The tea rooms at the Guildhall is also good.
The Kersey Bell – Kersey itself it worth a visit. It looks like someone made a village out of postcards scenes. And the Bell is a nice place to eat.
Hadleigh Guildhall. The cakes & cream teas are nice, and so is the garden. And you can usually bring bikes in through the back gate (I guess they might ask you not to, if the garden is very busy). They're open 2:30 - 5, Sun - Fri, June – September. It’s run by volunteers, and they don’t advertise, but everyone in town will know where it is.
Flatford Bridge National Trust (Constable Country)
Clockhouse Tea Rooms, Coggeshall
Specialties Tea Room, Stisted (very cycle friendly & will provide towels & tools at need )
Rayne station on the Flitch Way
Forest Café, Hatfield Forest (near Bishops Stortford)

Camping
White Horse at Edwardstone / Kersey
http://www.polsteadtouring.com/ at Polstead (one of the pubs has decent food, too ask at the campsite)
Queen’s Head Brandeston (cheap pitches, or they used to be)
Hatfield Forest – there are a couple of camping sites with facilities, included a Camping & Caravaning Club site, but I think that wild camping in Hatfield Forest would be okay. I know that there are organised camping weekends there.

There are many camping sites around Ipswich. I haven't used any, so can't recommend them, but the cheapest ones are usually at pubs. There are also nice tea rooms (I've liked all of the ones I've tried!) at Woodbridge, and camping near there. There's a pub near there that used to let cyclists camp for £3, but I don't remember the name of it.

The Goldeneye map for Suffolk http://shop.sustrans.org.uk/products/54 ... ye-suffolk is quite good.

[Godlykepower]

Thank you so much! This is great info. Going to get my maps out and plot me some routes.

[Vorpal]

Oh, and don't forget Thetford Forest

[Mad_Hatter]

Hi Godlykepower,

I live in Cambridge and like to cycle out to Barkway, Barley, Nuthampsted, Great Chishall and lots more rolling hills that way. I would be happy to meet up and show you some routes. Might not be long enough for touring, but great to find what is on your doorstep. Nice quiet roads also.

Tim

[TonyR]

If it interests you, I can suggest a few tea stops & camping places.

It interests me!

The map you need for tea stops is this one

[TonyR]

I'd like a bit of tent time if I could, but as the fitness has dipped, I couldnt really manage any large daily distances and I don't know of any camping that is worthwhile round these parts, what with being new to the area.

Hit me!

There are campsites you could use at Fowlmere, Ashwell (2), Buntingford and Baldock (2) and if you chose those you could decide (except for Buntingford) whether to ride on the north side of the A505 which is flat or the south side which is hilly.

[iviehoff]

I have a week off from September 16th and wouldn't mind getting away for a few days on the bike. My fitness has slipped, so nothing too heavy, but does anyone have a recommendation for something starting from Royston in Hertfordshire?

If it was me, I'd book one of the sleeper train to Scotland for night of the 15th/16th. In Scotland, the roads tend to go around the hills, so it is easier cycling than, for example, the SW. Lots of wild camping.

[Vorpal]

Hadleigh Guildhall. The cakes & cream teas are nice, and so is the garden. And you can usually bring bikes in through the back gate (I guess they might ask you not to, if the garden is very busy). They're open 2:30 - 5, Sun - Fri, June – September. It’s run by volunteers, and they don’t advertise, but everyone in town will know where it is.

I copied the opening times, etc. from http://www.hadleigh.org.uk/foodguide.pdf
But I am now wondering if either the days aren't muddled (that is, it should be Fri - Sun instead of Sun - Fri), or if the times listed are for group bookings. If you want to stop there, it might be best to call them and ask or call the Town Hall (in the guildhall) http://www.hadleightownhall.co.uk/ because they should know.

I didn't want you to find out that I accidently passed on incorrect information by turning up to closed guildhall! I think I was usually there on Sunday afternoons, which fits both sets of days.

[jake]

This may be for another time but.... there is some lovely cycling country south of Royston towards Hertford and Bishops Stortford. For the price of a bar meal you can camp behind the Star pub in Standon (very friendly landlord). The River Lee south from Hertford is a highly recommended. The towpath has been improved a lot due to the Olympics and you can get the train back from Kings Cross.

[sjs]

Hi Godlykepower,

I live in Cambridge and like to cycle out to Barkway, Barley, Nuthampsted, Great Chishall and lots more rolling hills that way. I would be happy to meet up and show you some routes. Might not be long enough for touring, but great to find what is on your doorstep. Nice quiet roads also.

Tim

A little to the southeast of there, quite picturesque and suitable for touring are the wonderfully-named villages of Ugley and Nasty.