Mildenhall to Thetford

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drossall
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Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by drossall »

I'm looking to a possible longer ride in the summer, from my area past Cambridge towards Mildenhall, and on past Thetford to Norwich (actually the Coltishall area). The obvious line is the A11, which is not really feasible in most places, but there are nearby alternatives except for that middle bit from Mildenhall to Thetford. The A road to Brandon is, I believe, quite busy, and even that is quite a diversion - you can add 15-25 miles as far as I can see, getting around Thetford Warren.

Have I missed any obvious quiet, direct, on-road options from south of Cambridge towards Norwich?
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by mjr »

http://cycle.travel/map seems to suggest passing well south of Thetford or using about 8 miles of dirt tracks through the forest (Duke's Ride), depending on how you drag it.

I hope that the old A11 will become a good cycleway once the Elveden bypass opens next month, but I've not checked the plans because it's not my usual area.
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JamesE
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by JamesE »

How much diversion is too much, and do you have to go via Thetford? If I were going from Mildenhall to Norwich I'd go north through Lakenheath and Feltwell like this, then into Norwich either along the B1108 or more likely the country lanes running alongside it to the north, which are very quiet. That adds about 7-8 miles to the journey but it also puts you in place to easily go round Norwich to the north-west and miss out the ring road.
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by Vorpal »

Or you can do much of the Mildenhall - Thetford leg on bridleways through Thetford Forest? It does take longer than the road, but can be a very pleasant journey. You can go out a bit (a couple of miles?) on the Brandon Road, then pick up the bridleway where it goes east off the the Brandon Road, a little north of where The street turns off for Eriswell.

Otherwise, it depends when you go. I've used the Brandon Road during the day (outside peak times) with no trouble.

Distance-wise, the next best route is probably south of Thetford rather than north...
Icklingham
West Stow
Ingham
Honington
Barningham
Hopton
North Lopham
Banham
Bunwell
Then, at Forncett End, pick up old Norwich Road, which meanders a bit, but is a quiet road. You'll have to go through Norwich on that route.

JamesE wrote:How much diversion is too much, and do you have to go via Thetford? If I were going from Mildenhall to Norwich I'd go north through Lakenheath and Feltwell like this, then into Norwich either along the B1108 or more likely the country lanes running alongside it to the north, which are very quiet. That adds about 7-8 miles to the journey but it also puts you in place to easily go round Norwich to the north-west and miss out the ring road.


Is a good alternative. Other alternatives (getting progressively longer) are to go up to Swaffham, then east, or follow NCN routes.

For the most part, any roads that aren't the A11 will be okay outside of peak times and bank holiday weekends. It's possible to get a bit unlucky & hit traffic for an event, or something. Avoid Feltwell & Lakenheath on 4 July. Other than that, have fun :D
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drossall
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by drossall »

How much diversion is too much? Good question. There's a sense in which every mile is a mile too many.

The full direct route appears to be 95 miles. That's going all the way along the A14/A11, which I'm obviously not considering. I did once ride to Newmarket taking the A14 from Great Abington to Six Mile Bottom, and it wasn't that bad, but they keep "improving" it, and the A14/A11 combined section would be no fun at all.

At least for me, there's quite a big difference between 95 miles and the 120 that some of the cycle route planners have come out with. It's frustrating that routes that should be an easy day ride are not, simply because someone built a near motorway on top of the direct road and you are left to go all over the place! Roads are supposed to be for everyone...

cycle.travel is the route-planning site I was trying to remember, thanks. With some light editing, I can save a couple of miles on that and get the distance (on road) down to 105 miles for reasonable roads, which is only a 11% tax for being on a bike (if bikes ever paid "road tax", I'd want access to the roads in exchange...), and more reasonable than the figures I had.

It's still the case, however, that most of the distance is added by having to go a considerable distance around Mildenhall and Thetford, owing to the lack of any other provision in the area. Taking JamesE's route to the north, which is arguably simpler as you can stick on the same B roads for long distances, only adds one or two miles.

It would be nice to think that the new bypass would create a direct route and fill what is a bad gap, but it goes only part way between Mildenhall and Thetford. As far as I know, they are putting in an underpass or bridge (forget which) for leisure riders, but have not considered at all the possibility of people actually wanting to get somewhere :x
drossall
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by drossall »

Vorpal - sorry, we cross posted. Thanks, this is excellent local knowledge that will really help.

I can't spot that bridleway on my map (I probably need a newer one...) Does it go past High Lodge? I can only see one starting immediately south of the airfield, and it doesn't seem to go all the way to Thetford.

How are the surfaces compared to the Icknield Way/St Edmund Way route south of the main road? My tyres will be fine, but at that distance a very rough track can certainly mess up your rhythm.

Good alternatives though.
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by Psamathe »

Vorpal wrote:...
Banham
Bunwell
Then, at Forncett End, pick up old Norwich Road, which meanders a bit, but is a quiet road. You'll have to go through Norwich on that route.


I assume you mean the B1113. Not a road I like but I guess a lot depends on how comfortable you feel about traffic. By my own standards I find it a bit nasty (fast traffic on a single carriageway (just one lane in each direction) road with quite a few bends). But I guess a lot depends on what you are used to and what you are comparing it with.

Round that region (incl. Banham to Norwich) there are loads of really fabulous quite country back lanes (mostly single track with passing places) and using them only adds a few miles to the distance - but you will be regularly stopping to work out where you "went wrong". But fantastic cycling, beautiful countryside, little traffic.

Ian
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by Psamathe »

Or, without knowing if you have any particular reason for the directions, but what about the Sustrans routes ? e.g. 51 east from Cambridge area; then north up route 13 until you get to the east heading route 30 and then north up route 1.

I've no idea what they are like from a cycling perspective, but the short bits of 30 I have done have been well signposted and are great. Not always "fast" but I enjoy the bits I've done.

But I guess a lot depends on how long you have to get where you want (and how important the end-point is, etc.) which is all a personal choice. I have the impression that some enjoy touring along at av. 10 mph whilst others get frustrated if their speed drops below 20 mph going up the hills- so a lot depends on what you are after.

Ian
drossall
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by drossall »

The end points are essential, in that I will be at A (North Herts) and want to be at B (near Coltishall). It's the kind of ride where you use the bike for the enjoyment of it, but it is real transport and not just a "go where you like" tour.

For that reason, I'm trying to keep the distance comfortably within what I know I can do, and therefore find direct ways. There's a minimum of 95 miles (on the impossible A road), so every extra mile is a trade-off.

The Sustrans routes tend to wander all over the place as far as I can see, which is more consistent with being a "see the countryside tour" than being an arterial route for bikes.
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by Vorpal »

drossall wrote:I can't spot that bridleway on my map (I probably need a newer one...) Does it go past High Lodge? I can only see one starting immediately south of the airfield, and it doesn't seem to go all the way to Thetford.

How are the surfaces compared to the Icknield Way/St Edmund Way route south of the main road? My tyres will be fine, but at that distance a very rough track can certainly mess up your rhythm.

Good alternatives though.


I learned it from another cyclist. I was going to see if it's on my Goldeneye Suffolk map, but I can't find that map at the moment. The route shows on Open Street Map as a 'track'. It's http://goo.gl/maps/EznVH here on Google maps. I thought it was a bridleway, but after a little research, I'm unsure of the legal status. I put the Google man on the A1065 and it looks like there's a gate across it from the road. I don't remember that, but TBH, it's been a few years since I went that way. At that time, the surface was mostly pretty good for that sort of thing; a combination of former paving and gravel, but rough in a few places where old paving had broken up and been filled with gravel. There are lots of routes through Thetford Forest, from the muddiest of bridleways, to quite good surfaces. From the track I linked you can get onto Shakers Road, which is a pretty good surface. If you are interested, I can see if I can map it? I won't be able to do it for a couple of days, at least.

I'm not certain how they compare to Icknield Way. If I've used that, I don't remember what it was like.
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Vorpal
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by Vorpal »

Psamathe wrote:
Vorpal wrote:...
Banham
Bunwell
Then, at Forncett End, pick up old Norwich Road, which meanders a bit, but is a quiet road. You'll have to go through Norwich on that route.


I assume you mean the B1113. Not a road I like but I guess a lot depends on how comfortable you feel about traffic. By my own standards I find it a bit nasty (fast traffic on a single carriageway (just one lane in each direction) road with quite a few bends). But I guess a lot depends on what you are used to and what you are comparing it with.

Round that region (incl. Banham to Norwich) there are loads of really fabulous quite country back lanes (mostly single track with passing places) and using them only adds a few miles to the distance - but you will be regularly stopping to work out where you "went wrong". But fantastic cycling, beautiful countryside, little traffic.

Ian


Yes, I meant the B1113. It's much quieter that many similar roads in Essex that I used regularly. But I agree that there are many fabulous lanes. Some of them, a person could probably ride for an hour without seeing a car. On a leisure ride, with no time table, I'd take the back lanes any day. On a long ride with a purpose & destination, I'd probably take the B1113.
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drossall
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by drossall »

Vorpal wrote:If you are interested, I can see if I can map it?

I've spotted Shaker's Road on my OS map. Guided by helpful comments here, I've found this and this, but the trail maps (PDFs) don't seem to show through trails - they are circular routes. If there are through routes that are open to cycles, it would be helpful to know about them and their condition - but don't go to any trouble. I do have some road routes now, as above, and it could yet all fall through!

Thanks all.
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by Vorpal »

drossall wrote:If there are through routes that are open to cycles, it would be helpful to know about them and their condition


You can use the Fire Roads (marked as FR on the Thetford Forest site) They tend to be in pretty good condition, but if you want up-to-date-status, contact the forestry commission.

You can either take the one that goes almost straight across from the Shakers Road (actually I didn't realise until I looked at the map that it wasn't the Shakers Road) and work out from the map how to get to the Brandon Road, or take Fire Road 10, and follow it around the firing range, then cross the A11 at the roundabout with the London Road, and into Thetford that way.
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Psamathe
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by Psamathe »

drossall wrote:If there are through routes that are open to cycles, it would be helpful to know about them and their condition - but don't go to any trouble.


You could try Google Streetview (through Google Earth application). Sometimes they cover more than you might expect.

Ian
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Re: Mildenhall to Thetford

Post by Vorpal »

Psamathe wrote:
drossall wrote:If there are through routes that are open to cycles, it would be helpful to know about them and their condition - but don't go to any trouble.


You could try Google Streetview (through Google Earth application). Sometimes they cover more than you might expect.

Ian

Streetview doesn't work going through Thetford Forest, except on the B1106. It is possible to see what Shakers Road looks like from the B1106, but not to go down Shakers Road.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
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