Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

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mnichols
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Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by mnichols »

Hi

I'm cycling from Bath to Oxford (Woodstock Rd, Oxford OX2 8JD (Peartree roundabout)) on Saturday and back on Sunday, and need a little route advice on getting into Oxford

From Bath (just south of Bath to be precise), I was think of going to Devizes, then either Avebury or Marlbrough, but after getting past the M4 and heading towards Oxford all the roads look busy. Can anyone recommend a good route?
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Heltor Chasca
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by Heltor Chasca »

Would you consider going down the K&A to Devizes?
mnichols
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by mnichols »

Not really, I'm familar with the path to Devizes and do on my mountain bike, but I'll be on a road bike so wouldn't want to risk the wheels
bikerwaser
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by bikerwaser »

+1 for the K&A route
mnichols
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by mnichols »

What is the surface like into Oxford?
mnichols
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by mnichols »

What is the surface like into Oxford?
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andrew_s
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by andrew_s »

The K&A is fine as far as Devizes, but no good for a road bike after. The main problem would be other users if you start late. Come off at the last road bridge that's actually in Devizes, up the A361 for 500m, then head east to Alton Barnes, turn left and over the hill to Marlborough, follow the Marlborough to Swindon cycle track as far as Chiseldon, then Hinton Parva, Uffington, Charney Bassett, Fyfield, Cumnor & in to Oxford. There' a path on the left immediately after crossing the Thames. Go along it, over a bridge, turn right onto a cycle track, over another bridge, and turn left (north). This brings you out on Woodstock road after a bit.

consult http://cycle.travel/map for details
click on start, click on end, and it will invent a route, complete with instructions. If you want to change the route, click & drag.
Last edited by andrew_s on 18 Aug 2015, 12:49am, edited 1 time in total.
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monxton
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by monxton »

I don't know these roads, but http://cycle.travel/map?from=Bath&to=OX ... 6963&toLL= seems plausible. It takes a more northerly route, with a biggish hill to start. Finally follows a bike path alongside the A40 into Oxford for the last few miles, which would be boring but it looks like a reasonably good quality path.
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andrew_s
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by andrew_s »

Those roads are all fine, and would make a pleasant route, the A40 cycle track aside.
(I'm reasonably familiar with those between the A420 and Witney)

The route I suggested is what cycle.travel suggests if you drag monxton's route onto the K&A towpath to Devizes.
Last edited by andrew_s on 18 Aug 2015, 10:25am, edited 1 time in total.
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honesty
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by honesty »

He's a route I cycled from Bristol to Oxford a few years ago. You'd be able to pick this up by just taking the Fosse way out of Bath. It was a really nice ride and only really got busy just on the edge of Oxford. I didn't really llike the bit through the Cotswold's water park but you cant really get around it without a large detour.

https://connect.garmin.com/course/10535250
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andrew_s
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by andrew_s »

honesty wrote:I didn't really llike the bit through the Cotswold's water park but you cant really get around it without a large detour.

Yes, the Spine Road can have fast traffic on it at times. It would have been better to be a bit further south, through Upper Minety, Minety, Ashton Keynes, and Cerney Wick, for not very much extra distance
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honesty
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Re: Bath to Oxford: route advice into Oxford please

Post by honesty »

andrew_s wrote:
honesty wrote:I didn't really llike the bit through the Cotswold's water park but you cant really get around it without a large detour.

Yes, the Spine Road can have fast traffic on it at times. It would have been better to be a bit further south, through Upper Minety, Minety, Ashton Keynes, and Cerney Wick, for not very much extra distance


Having a look at the map now I cant understand why the ride organisers took us along the main road, your suggested route looks much nicer here.
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