Want to do a 400

[Andrij]

I was hoping to work up to doing my first 400km ride this season.  I'm pretty sure I can manage it but I note there aren't many calendar events left and none of those work for me (location / previous commitments / etc.).  It looks like my only other option is a Permanent.

Can anyone recommend a route?  I'm looking for something not too 'scenic'.

Also, is anyone else looking to squeeze in a 400 in late July or August?

[LEE]

Urban Biker and me are doing our first 400 this coming Saturday from Denmead.  Come and join the fun, scrap your commitments (decommit?)

If you are only 'pretty sure' you can manage a 400 I don't reccomend doing a solo permanent if that was your idea.  It would seem more than 400km.  Trust me, I did a solo DIY 300km and a Calendar 300km.  The DIY felt like a 400 and the Calendar event felt like a 200.

[leeg]

Last weekend's Asparagus and Strawberries 400 was pretty flat and appears in the list of permanents.

My GPS tells me I covered 421km with 2514m of ascent.  This included an extra hill going off route and another which I did twice having thought I'd gone the wrong way when I got to the top the first time.

[herd]

Hi Andrij,

I am looking to do a 400 around late July. I had planned to work out a route from North London as aDIY. If you are interested I will get to it, and sort one out.

Harry

[Maladict]

I have worked out this one:

Cherry Hinton
Broxbourne
Hackney
Great Dunmow
Sudbury
Needham Market
Dunwich
Diss
Sudbury
Cherry Hinton

400.5km; it's my Dunwich Dynamo 400 route. 

[Julian]

Andrij - me, Charlotte, Juliet & doop are planning a DIY 400 based on the Asparagus & Strawberries route on 12/13 July.  If you wanted to join us I'm sure you'd be very welcome.

[Andrij]

Andrij - me, Charlotte, Juliet & doop are planning a DIY 400 based on the Asparagus & Strawberries route on 12/13 July.  If you wanted to join us I'm sure you'd be very welcome.

Ooh!  I've registered for the Greater Garboldisham Grovel 200km but I think you've convinced me to go down as a DNS for it.  I will PM my email address - please send me details.

Thanks, everyone, for your comments! 

[vorsprung]

I will be doing a perm 400 in Aug or July

Controls/route will be

Tiverton (24 hour tescos)
(via ilminster/somerton not a control)
Glastonbury
Frome
Bristol/Bath cycle path
Chepstow
Malmesbury
(via stratford on avon- not a control)
Frome (24 hour petrol)
Bridgwater
Tiverton

[Fidgetbuzz]

Anyone thinking of using some or part of the Asparagus and Strawberry route who uses a GPS - dont forget that Maladict , GPS defined,  the route ( although he was a DNS ) and I can confirm that it worked well - including no probs at all with the Balsham turn. I am sure he would share it again.

I also can offer my Norfolk Pootle route , a 200, - which visits several Norfolk market towns - this or part could be used as a building block to make a 400.

[Maladict]

For those who don't use GPS, I also produced a distance-annotated spreadsheet version of the route for the Manningtree 400 as well.  This includes the missing instruction for the infamous Balsham turn. 

[Charlotte]

I've just got a GPS and I'll be doing this strawberry business.  Can you post the files somewhere, Maladict?

[herd]

Where does the Asparagus and Strawberries start from?

[frere yacker]

Where does the Asparagus and Strawberries start from?

Manningtree.  But you can start anywhere on route for a permanent. 

Controls were: Manningtree, Ixworth, Halesworth, Acle, Wells Next the Sea, Red Lodge, Saffron Walden

[Maladict]

I've just got a GPS and I'll be doing this strawberry business.  Can you post the files somewhere, Maladict?

Emailed.

[annie]

Where does the Asparagus and Strawberries start from?

Manningtree.  But you can start anywhere on route for a permanent. 

Controls were: Manningtree, Ixworth, Halesworth, Acle, Wells Next the Sea, Red Lodge, Saffron Walden

Manningtree is but a cat's whisker from my house, well about 45 minutes or less I think.

[mike]

bugger, saffron walden's even closer to here..

Maladict(a), pls can you mail me the files?  I might have to add this one to the ruddy list.