Upper Thames 5th November 2022

[PloddinPedro]

There is an easier alternative to Berins Hill, but it takes more lines of instruction.  If you look at the map of the area, it's the next road up the escarpment to the south - hardly any further, but significantly gentler.

Looking at the map, that would be Garson's Hill then?

While in principle I agree with Greenbank's comments, I am nevertheless quite interested in altering the route between Bicester and Chippy - I don't much like the Stoney Middleton road either.

I think that, if your philosophy (as stated in a previous post) is to prefer the quiet, pretty route to the unpleasant but shorter option (a philosophy with which I agree - more miles for my money!) it seems logical to prefer Mattc's pleasant lanes 'tween Bicester and C Norton against the slightly frenetic B4030 out of Bicester.

If there's a concern about the degree of "over distance" a better way perhaps to address this might be to come back through Didcot rather than wandering about through Harwell and the Hagbournes, since the latter is for most people ridden in darkness?

[phil d]

If there's a concern about the degree of "over distance" a better way perhaps to address this might be to come back through Didcot rather than wandering about through Harwell and the Hagbournes, since the latter is for most people ridden in darkness?

I agree with your view.  The problem with the route through Didcot is the A4130 between the A34 and Didcot, though that can be avoided by going through the Milton Trading Estate.  I will investigate that (by riding it at the appropriate time of a Saturday) to see how it feels.

[Martin]

I got completely confuzzed between Didcot and Cholsey; how can a distance that's about 5km by rail be so looong by bike? (it doesn't help that the Didcot chimney has the same spatial distance distortion properties as Membury TV mast) and having gone up a long drag hoping I'd avoided the sting in the tail I still ended up doing it.

first time I rode this with Tim H in 2004 we missed a right turn and ended up in Didcot town centre; cue stopping at Tescos to look up a local A-Z  

lovely view of Wallingford bonfire from the top though, just watch that CO2 burning a hole in the ozone layear

[PloddinPedro]

If there's a concern about the degree of "over distance" a better way perhaps to address this might be to come back through Didcot rather than wandering about through Harwell and the Hagbournes, since the latter is for most people ridden in darkness?

I agree with your view.  The problem with the route through Didcot is the A4130 between the A34 and Didcot, though that can be avoided by going through the Milton Trading Estate.  I will investigate that (by riding it at the appropriate time of a Saturday) to see how it feels.

Perusal of Memory Map suggests the Milton Trading Estate would be viable but of course it may look different in real life. I can see that this would still leave the roundabout at the junction with the A34 to navigate but it’s probably worth it for the short distance involved.

An alternative and again just from map reading, might be to go left off the A4130 before Rowstock and come through Didcot past the hospital on the B4493. This wouldn’t save quite as much distance, but might be a compromise if the A34 junction is deemed too dodgy? Just a thought.

[phil d]

To my surprise, that is actually marginally shorter than the Milton T/E route (11.2k vs 11.3k, or 14.4km on current route, between TL on A4130 after Steventon and turn at southern end of S Moreton) and gives a better line through Didcot, too.

In the way that I used to give an "in the dark" alternative before, I might do it again.

[mattc]

Couple of points:

- The roadbridge from A34 to Milton TE is currently closed for repairs! (plus that route gives you at least 3 interesting roundabouts to negotiate)

- Although _I_ might short-cut thru Didcot if I was so tired that I cared about every km, it won't be nice on a Saturday evening. Despite the occasional comment to the contrary, Didcot is no worse a town than most in England, but it's still a
Saturday Night Town Centre (and the road surface is poor).
So for me, always a 2nd best route choice.

[L CC]

FWIW - the main road to Cane End is clearly much easier than the Ipsden route - I leap-frogged quite a few riders, who were convinced I was behind them  .

Some of them were dawdling waiting for you to pass, and mildly concerned that you hadn't by Waterperry.

Excuse #22 in 'why I was so slow'

[Manotea]

Hard to see why we bovvered with the A4074 really, sniff.

[Chris S]

That's very deceptive.

"Da Route" and the next one down both have chevrons. The main road and "Bottom Lane" (snigger) don't. This was significant for me.

[NHRC Chris]

I always feel as though I'm getting lost traversing Bicester, though I also always seem to pop out the other side in the right place.  

Here's this years trail. An obvious short cut comes to mind.



Having inadvertantly taken the "obvious short-cut" on Saturday (took 2nd left instead of 3rd left at rbt) I would prefer the route through the town centre.  The A41 was quite busy and single carriageway for most of the way, right up until you needed to get over to the right hand lane at the roundabout - not my cup of tea.

[Jaded]

(it doesn't help that the Didcot chimney has the same spatial distance distortion properties as Membury TV mast)

I had to remind myself when I caught sight of Didcot chimney that you can see it pretty much* all round from a very long way away.

*Except from Cholsey 

In Bicester I set off 50m down the fast road before realising my mistake. I knew where it went and nearly carried on, but decided to retrace. My main concern was the shopping centre traffic on a Sat afternoon, and then the roundabout at the end of that stretch - on which M40 mindset traffic blasts about.

For me the road out of Bicester had two problems; the straightness, which just made it more of a drag, and the nature of the traffic -  Nasty fast people passing close. It was about the only part of the ride that this happened and the other sections of the route that I expected to be busy and uncomfortable weren't at all.

[mattc]

That's very deceptive.

"Da Route" and the next one down both have chevrons. The main road and "Bottom Lane" (snigger) don't. This was significant for me.

deceptive AND confusing!

I'm not sure which of the other 3 graphs are which. And they appear to have different vertical axes!
Just visually (ignoring the illegible axes) the bottom-right has a gentler gradient.

And as Chris says, surely avoiding a chevron is a good indication of increased easyness!

[Chris S]

FWIW - the main road to Cane End is clearly much easier than the Ipsden route - I leap-frogged quite a few riders, who were convinced I was behind them  .

Some of them were dawdling waiting for you to pass, and mildly concerned that you hadn't by Waterperry.

Brian Mann warned me that I would probably be in trouble for that! Sorry if you were worried... 

[Jaded]

And as Chris says, surely avoiding a chevron is a good indication of increased easyness!

Not necessarily - the awarding of Chevrons is decided by a committee of hooded men with rolled up trouser legs, in my experience.

[simonp]

I don't get this turning up on fixed for extra hard work then wussing out of the proper route.

(Says he, never having ventured far west of the A1 on fixed).

[Manotea]

That's very deceptive.

"Da Route" and the next one down both have chevrons. The main road and "Bottom Lane" (snigger) don't. This was significant for me.

deceptive AND confusing!

I'm not sure which of the other 3 graphs are which. And they appear to have different vertical axes!
Just visually (ignoring the illegible axes) the bottom-right has a gentler gradient.

And as Chris says, surely avoiding a chevron is a good indication of increased easyness!

The eagle eyed will have spotted that bottom left and top right graphics were the same, now corrected (oops).

The axes were set by Mapsource I'm afraid. I cannot control those, alas.

The hills on the rhs graphics top out at 175m, effectively bypassing the 'high col' of the lhs graphics at 195m.

The graphics do highlight the difference between 'climbing' and 'gradient' though.

If I'm on form I'll definately have a crack at Da Route next time round. If.

Edit: Actually I'll have a look at it next time I'm in the neighbourhood. I climbed Berins Hill a few weeks back on the Henley Hilly Hundred but that was on a more grimperesque gear

[Von Broad]

I went off route twice. One was planned, and i think Scott agreed it was a success. Basically we took the very quiet road parallel to the busy B4030 after Bicester. No more instructions than the official route. It may have been flatter as well, but certainly no worse:

That's the road that the Chiltern-Cotswold Brevet 200 takes [or used to take - it looks as though it's not running in quite the same format anymore. shame. Very nice ride indeed].

[drgannet]

If there's a concern about the degree of "over distance" a better way perhaps to address this might be to come back through Didcot rather than wandering about through Harwell and the Hagbournes, since the latter is for most people ridden in darkness?

I agree with your view.  The problem with the route through Didcot is the A4130 between the A34 and Didcot, though that can be avoided by going through the Milton Trading Estate.  I will investigate that (by riding it at the appropriate time of a Saturday) to see how it feels.

Hi Phil

I came back through Milton trading estate and along past the power station on Saturday. Not very thrilling, but I'm local so knew what to expect - but it was no worse than the A417 (and it was very quiet until joining up with the road past the railway station).

An alternative route to Milton Park (almost the same distance, but probably easy to find the route) would be to carry on past Q gardens, then turn left into Harwell and take the back road into Didcot (B4493). Downside is you get to see more of Didcot that way...

[kcass]

I don't get this turning up on fixed for extra hard work then wussing out of the proper route.

[Tim Hall]

Tim's summary:

That was the first audax I'd ridden for a while, and had been off the bike for a couple of weeks before hand. So when Sgt. Pluck suggested I go ahead while he fixed his visitation only a short distance from the start on the grounds that "he was going to be slow", I panicked. That was my strategy.

Anyway, we went round more or less together, except when the good Sgt. sped ahead so he could grab a fag break...

Rode for a bit, as noted elsewhere, with boab. She demonstrated her fine pumping action not long after I identified her as "the one who does things to pigs". 

Disappointingly few Red Kites, but marvelous scenery and autumn colours. I suffered on the middle leg, climbing up to Graham Chipping Norton, but the Food of Champions (beans on toast anna cake) put me right.

Route sheet was as clear as a bell, going through Bicester was easy. And the soup at the end was just what was needed.  I was bit tired at that point, so sat away from the crowds, chatting to Swarmcatcher.

Many thanks phild and your band of merry helpers. 

[Greenbank]

I don't get this turning up on fixed for extra hard work then wussing out of the proper route.

Nor do I (although I did once, to my shame, Larrington my way around Cleeve Hill).

I took the Cane End alternative on my first Upper Thames as I was worried about being out of time!

[simonp]

I don't get this turning up on fixed for extra hard work then wussing out of the proper route.

Oh, I get that.  It's "macho".

[Swarm_Catcher]

Thanks phil d and team for organising.  What a fab day it was.  I like the two control stops, not that I'm comparing with previous version, I just like a 200 split in thirds.  And the soup was indeed very good!

Here is my usual blog post: Blog

And the pictures are here:Photos

[photo link has been edited]

[Sergeant Pluck]

the Food of Champions (beans on toast anna cake) put me right

The beans on toast was superb. Halfway through mine I noted an emptly plate on the table, and figured out that Tim had employed an Audax trick that I'd heard of before: cake first   Must do that next time.

And the pictures are here:Photos

Great photos  Glad you got one of the abovementioned wall + stonemason.

[Martin]

And the pictures are here:Photos

thanks; now I know what Maharajas Well is, having passed it in a hurry to get somewhere flat many times.