just joined: looking for advice about a nice path through AONB to Belfast from London

[BirdBoss]

Hi folks; I have been abroad for awhile, previously living around London, and have travelled by motorbike from London to Snowdonia.  Looking now to make a trip from London all the way to Belfast, and I would like to avoid motorways and move along lovely secondary roads.

 

Thinking to take 3-4 days to do it: the attached picture shows my idea so far, but would love some advice about road names or waypoints that would support a low-key yet traveller friendly route.

 

I am a reasonably experienced rider (6 years) but haven't done a long solo trip like this.

 

So if there are parts of this forum I should read over, and then perhaps re-post this, I'd be grateful to have the steer. 

 

kind regards,

 

Bird Boss

 

 

Edited June 2, 2024 by BirdBoss
more sensible route found

[bonio]

Hi @BirdBoss.

Hard to see exactly what roads you're taking through Suffolk and Norfolk... do you have a link so get a map we can zoom in on? 

Ta.

[Nick the wanderer]

Looks like A12 A47 to Yarmouth then round the coast to Sunny Hunny..

[Simon Davey]

I'd be inclined to go west. 

Use the old A40 out to the Cotswolds, quite a straight route, but then you have the glorious ride up the middle of Wales. 

Edited June 5, 2024 by Simon Davey

[BirdBoss]

Ah, thanks folks.  So taking the advice of @Simon Davey to go west, I could try something like this:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Unit+1A,+Osprey+Group,+Thornhill+Works,+Horsham+RH13+8QN,+United+Kingdom/Belfast,+UK/@53.4273118,-7.0512274,6.44z/data=!4m19!4m18!1m10!1m1!1s0x4875bf3117300077:0x471370fe84f676d0!2m2!1d-0.4139893!2d50.9969548!3m4!1m2!1d-3.4855553!2d55.0608475!3s0x487d350e081ac8d7:0x4276062e4d90dfa6!1m5!1m1!1s0x4860fffdd7d08a3b:0x2e57162cefc7c531!2m2!1d-5.93012!2d54.597285!3e0?entry=ttu

 

(I learned that my starting point from where the motocycle is stored is actually pretty far from Uxbridge and the A40)

 

Whereas if I went North first, seeing @bonio 's point about the map, could be like this:

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/d5tJZhMt2GUWuf7o6

 

 

[Simon Davey]

That second option looks pretty good. 

[Nick the wanderer]

Your route finder is still taking you on motorways and dual carriageways I thought you wanted to avoid those roads?

As an ex HGV driver having covered most of the country you can't avoid all the shit roads but you can find a lot better more motorcycle friendly routes.

Have you considered asking people from different areas what they would recommend? For instance your route through Lincolnshire (My area) is not bad but a couple of tweaks could take you on some really nice roads. Going past Cadwell Park from Horncastle to Louth and then back across the Wolds.

Look at the way it wants to take you through ULL (There is no H in Ull) Miss out Ull at all costs.

I could go on but food for thought.

[Granty]

Hi. I like your east side route. Whichever route you decide the experience is going to be great. I wish I was going with you. However on your own you're the master of your own destiny, Divert, stop and restart whenever you want.

 

This is just my own personal bit, instead of doing Beverley/Scarborough I would have ventured, Beverley/Market Weighton/York. You're then at the gateway to the North Yorkshire Dales. Onwards through the Lakes on the final leg.

 

Take care ride safe and enjoy. Report back when done, whichever you route you take.   

[Steve_M]

On 02/06/2024 at 08:53, BirdBoss said:

Hi folks; I have been abroad for awhile, previously living around London, and have travelled by motorbike from London to Snowdonia.  Looking now to make a trip from London all the way to Belfast, and I would like to avoid motorways and move along lovely secondary roads.

 

Thinking to take 3-4 days to do it: the attached picture shows my idea so far, but would love some advice about road names or waypoints that would support a low-key yet traveller friendly route.

 

I am a reasonably experienced rider (6 years) but haven't done a long solo trip like this.

 

So if there are parts of this forum I should read over, and then perhaps re-post this, I'd be grateful to have the steer. 

 

kind regards,

 

Bird Boss

 

 

Until five years ago I lived in Norfolk and during my time there, as well as my ride outs with the local groups around East Anglia, I did a charity ride from Boston to Felixstowe around the East coast. It was not the most inspiring route between just north of Gt Yarmouth (Caister)  and Felixstowe. I would head slightly inland to avoid that stretch. If you can find a route to near Braintree the route I’ve linked to might for a reasonable basis to do that.
 

It does take in the Reedham Ferry to cross the river Yare which is a quite novel way of avoiding the awful A roads of Norfolk. 
 

Link to route idea

[Nick the wanderer]

7 hours ago, Steve_M said:

Until five years ago I lived in Norfolk and during my time there, as well as my ride outs with the local groups around East Anglia, I did a charity ride from Boston to Felixstowe around the East coast. It was not the most inspiring route between just north of Gt Yarmouth (Caister)  and Felixstowe. I would head slightly inland to avoid that stretch. If you can find a route to near Braintree the route I’ve linked to might for a reasonable basis to do that.
 

It does take in the Reedham Ferry to cross the river Yare which is a quite novel way of avoiding the awful A roads of Norfolk. 
 

Link to route idea

You have to register to see the details of that route. CBA with that.

[Steve_M]

13 hours ago, Nick the wanderer said:

You have to register to see the details of that route. CBA with that.

Really? I made it public… hmmm.

 

Basically I headed the route up to Finchingfield (always worth a visit), Dennington, Heveningham, Halesworth, Beccles, Reedham (Ferry), Martham, Waxham, and then the coast road around to Hunstanton. The stretch from around Waxham has some tedious speed limits but worth enduring to see the good bits. 
 

[keith1200rs]

46 minutes ago, Steve_M said:

Really? I made it public… hmmm

Public, but only to registered users, I guess.

[bonio]

Suffolk. The A140 is one of the county's shite roads (the A14 is the other one). Do anything you can to avoid both.

Here's a route with a way through Suffolk that would be a lot more fun to ride. You might not have time for it all, but you might want to look at it for ideas.

https://tinyurl.com/3ms245ey

[BirdBoss]

This is really helpful folks, thank you!  I am re-formulating the route, and may come back to ask those in specific parts to vet the part passing through their zone.

 

I will

-re-share

-let you know how the actual trip goes

 

Bird Boss

[bonio]

7 hours ago, BirdBoss said:

-let you know how the actual trip goes

It sounds like an amazing trip; would be great to read a report once your done / as you're doing it.