Chiltern Cycleway

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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nickodemia
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Joined: 8 Apr 2009, 2:18pm

Chiltern Cycleway

Post by nickodemia »

Hubby and I planning on doing the Chiltern Cycleway on our tandem, probably next March as we haven't done a winter tour for a while. Don't live in the area so does anyone have any recommendations as to whether to ride it clockwise or anti clockwise and is it better to avoid the off road bits ? Any other "handy tips "?
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al_yrpal
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Re: Chiltern Cycleway

Post by al_yrpal »

It comes through my village but I am not familiar with most of it. No feelings about direction, dont think it will make much difference. No off road bits here either. Sorry I can't be more helpful. This area is really great for cycling with very quiet back roads. We see lots of foreign cyclists passing through on Sustrans 5. That said the roads are terrible. I have renamed our village Puddletown.

Al
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Norman H
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Re: Chiltern Cycleway

Post by Norman H »

Like Al I'm not familiar with the route although It seems that I've cycled a fair bit of it over the years. I'm in N W London /Hertfordshire area and I often head out that way.

+1 for what AL says about the state of the roads. You may be OK in March if there aren't too many trees in leaf. The lovely leafy lanes that make the area so attractive for cycling can make it very difficult to spot the potholes in dappled sunshine.

I presume you've found this: http://www.chilternsaonb.org/cycleway/
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TrevA
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Chiltern Cycleway

Post by TrevA »

My wife and I did the eastern and central sections last year. It's very hilly especially the central section and it's not that easy to follow on the ground. So worth buying a map of the route or downloading it to a GPS if you have one. some delightful little lanes though. Well worth it.
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iviehoff
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Re: Chiltern Cycleway

Post by iviehoff »

I've spotted 3 off-road sections, one just a mile from where I live. Latimer village coming south you cross the Chess Valley, climb steeply up Stony Lane, and then turn right onto a track at the top of the hill. The trouble with off-road in the Chilterns is that much of the soil is clay and can turn to horrible sticky mud in the winter. Now that bit isn't as bad as many, as it is reasonably well drained, but I wouldn't ride it unless the weather had recently been dry. This particular track has no redeeming feature in terms of a view as the wood blocks the view, even in winter, and we just don't use it usually. I appreciate that the road along the Chess Valley does have a bit of traffic on it, but it's a pleasant road and I'd just ride along there for about 3 miles - my wife used to ride it daily in the rush-hour - and then turn left after about 2 miles, where the road does a rightangle bend on the edge of Chesham, and climb up to Chesham Bois by that road.

There is an off-road section in Ashridge estate. Again this isn't a terrible mire, though there may be some little muddy bits to be careful of, though there are plenty of tracks in Ashridge which are very muddy. Overall I'd probably give that a miss if it has been damp recently too. There are obvious avoiding routes, for example by going to the edge of Ivinghoe (near Pitstone Windmill) and come into Aldbury that way. But this track is more scenic than the above, esp at the N end.

The website itself mentions a bridleway section near Pirton, going nearby Little Offley. This is a section of bridleway I have frequently used when in that area as it solves an obvious problem. I've even ridden it in the rain and found it perfectly passable, albeit getting rather mud-spattered in the process, but at least there weren't sticky mires to get bogged in. Though that's going back some time now, and the fact that they mention it has become rutted suggests maybe it is not what it used to be. The nearest alternative is to use the route on the other leg of the route. The alternative is to go through Hitchen, which is a bit of a detour - you really don't want to ride on the A505. In general you would avoid tracks in this area, except when it has been very dry - place-names like Barton-le-Clay give a clue. In dry weather, the section of the Icknield Way alongside Deacon Hill and in fact right into the edge of Luton is a good ride.

I can't really see any reason for clockwise/anticlockwise, though the western side of the route is hillier, if that's any help.
nickodemia
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Joined: 8 Apr 2009, 2:18pm

Re: Chiltern Cycleway

Post by nickodemia »

Many thanks guys, all that really will help in the planning. Got the book and maps coming on Thursday so can start planning properly then.
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