A38 - Gloucestershire - OK to ride?

[Chris N]

What's the A38 in Gloucestershire like to ride on?  Looking at route options from Wotton-ish to Tewkesbury and the A38 seems to be the obvious choice, rather than NCN 41.  Advice on getting through Gloucester would be appreciated too, thanks.

[Lady Cavendish]

I'm more than happy to ride on the A38, but am certainly not the person to advise on routes through Gloucester, I get lost

[Hot Flatus]

I'd route through Stroud then take the 4173 to Gloucester. Then head into town and pick up A38 to Tewkesbury. 

[Jaded]

Alternatively
From the Charfield end of Wootton its down to the motorway and over to the A38. Wide road with good sight lines all the way to the McDonald's at the roundabout, quick short stretch of dual carriageway then onto the A4008. This is trafficy through Quedgely. Then onto the A430 (newish piece of 'bypass') and cut left into Gloucester and find your way to the A38, probably involving Kingsholm Stadium. Every time I did it I've got lost and used a different route. A38 to Tewkesbury is generally fine.

[Cudzoziemiec]

The A38 from Bristol to Tewkesbury or even Upton is perfectly fine. I'm not sure if it's the best way going from Wotton though.

To get through Gloucester and up to Tewkesbury my favourite route would be, assuming you come in on the A38, take the first left, immediately after the roundabout at Quedgeley and follow that road – the former A38, I guess it is – until you see a bus lane veering off to your left. Take this, then right leading to lights by a bridge over the canal. Straight on. Follow this till the docks. Cross one of the bridges in the docks then follow a path across Alney Island, through the cattle with their huge spikey horns, to Maisemore, and then follow the lanes through Ashleworth. I think this is NCN41.

[Cudzoziemiec]

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21448054

Alternatively take the left just before the roundabout then follow the towpath to the docks. Or follow Flatus's non-A38 route!

Just remembered, part of the path on that route near Maisemore is closed due to a broken footbridge; there's a diversion along the A417 for a short stretch.

[Chris N]

Thanks all.  Was looking for a direct and not too hilly route as it would be to get to and from audaxes in Tewkesbury.  The laney and or lumpy routes I'll save for shorter days out.

[Vince]

It depends on which bit of Wottonish you are leaving from.

I tend to get all the climbing out of the way in one go, so take the B4058 heading north from the town. Then drop down Froster Hill to join the A38.
The B4060 to Stinchcombe crosses all the valleys and so is continually either climbing or descending.

The A38 North of Bristol used to be three lane, with the middle lane used for overtaking in both directions. It's now two lane and the extra space has been used for cycle lanes in both directions. I'm happy to use it.

[Jaded]

The road to stinchcombe also has poor sight lines and fast traffic.

[Vince]

Yeah, that too.

[Chris N]

South of Wotton.  Looks like Charfield > Damerey > Michaelwood is the easiest way to the A38.

B4058 is OK - would ride to Nympsfield then take the B4066 into Stroud to get on the A4173, or maybe down Frocester Hill to Eastington.

[Vince]

Being allergic to climbing, the route along the A4173 through Edge brings me out in a rash

ETA. From Charfield I would definitely go via Tortworth. Its another bastard hill up into Wotton!

There is also a nice route through the lanes via Huntingford and Damery.

[rogerzilla]

Most of it is paralleled by the M5 and therefore about as busy as a B road, but with more passing width.  It's quite good.  If the M5 is closed it probably turns into a gridlocked mess.

[Hot Flatus]

Except that it also has motorway junctions on or near it, which affects the way people drive. Because it is wide I don't think it is dangerous, but there are much more pleasant roads to ride on. I would never ride it through choice.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I don't think the motorway junctions make that much difference. At any rate, I don't think the driving on the A38 is any worse than elsewhere. But it probably depends on time as well; if you've used it to commute, I'm sure you'll have encountered some idiocy. And from Stroud I'm not sure what routes would logically follow the A38, whereas from Bristol it certainly makes sense.