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planning a one month cycle holiday for 7 teenages mostly in southern England next summer vacation, living in campsites in most the nights. looking for advices!!
| patricklee | 31 Aug 09:41 |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 5 Bike: | Soon get off Heathrow airport, we shall reassemble the bike and start riding, heading Guildford, then all the way to Cornwall along the coast along the English Channel, then along the north coast to Bristol, Oxford, Buxton, Derbyshire, Manchester, Leeds, Grimspy, Norwich, Colchester, Cambridge and finally back to London. The route would be 2000 kilometers. I have following questions and would like your answer to them. 1. Any licence needed for bicycles run on British roads? 2. Any insurance policy available for one month cycle in Britain? The teenage are from 10 years of age to 15.Any medical insurance available as well? 3. Can bicycle run on roads that is suggested by Google Map Cycling? 4. We intent to bring our own tents and living in camping sites and saw a lot of camping site operators on the website, any fair priced operators suggested? toilet, shower facility and electricity supply are the only requirement. 5. how the camping sites charge, per person? per tent? 6. What type of sleeping bag suitable for these locations during the month from mid July to mid Augest? I would imaging the coldest places would be at the Peak District of Buxton and the coastal area of Cornwall. The hottest place would be around London. 7. What type of clothing needed? Is the sun strong? 8. We plan to spend last 5 days in London. Any suggestion of fair price places to stay at the outskirt? We can commute by bike each day to visit places in London. Looking forward to have your advices!! Patrick Lee |
| patricklee | 17 Sep 01:49 |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 5 Bike: | could someone put me into right website that I can get some answer? |
BusterG 
| 17 Sep 06:42 |
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 Joined: 25 Feb 2010 Posts: 372 Bike: My Profile | A lot of questions there Patrick. 1. No licesnce required by bikes must comply to certain standards and have front and rear reflectors (white in front and red at rear) an dhave working brakes. 2.. i imagine you should get travel insurance to cover that. 3. yes but not motorways. 4. most campsites have what you are looking for. there arent really any campsite chains that I can suggest. 5. most campsites charge per person but you may be able to get lower prices as the season is ending. 6. weather is usually warm enough for light sleeping bags but july august can be very wet too. 7. when it is not raining it can be sunny and hot but not normally about 30. average temperature 20-25C. bring light clothing that can be added in layers. 8. premier inns and holiday inns are cheap and cheerful. goodluck |
| My Latest Route: Oct 2013 Liss | |
| patricklee | 18 Sep 21:30 |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 5 Bike: | Hello BusterG, thank you for giving me full reply. The planned route: Heathrow Airport; Guildford, Surrey; Southampton; Plymouth; Penzance; Bristol; Bath; Oxford; Buxton, Derbyshire; Grimpspy; Cambridge; London Metropolitan and finally Heathrow Airport. The planned time of cycling is 1 month. The route map can be found from http://www.chinabikers.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=9736&extra=page%3D1. Could you give me a lead to obtain the travel and medical insurances to be covered for that month for 7 people aged 10 to 67. Will the Automobile Association handle this type of insurance? Lookong forward to hear from you. |
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BusterG
| 19 Sep 04:20 |
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Joined: 25 Feb 2010 Posts: 372 Bike: My Profile | For cycling insurance CTC.otg.uk would be better. The CTC premium insurance includes medical I think. |
| My Latest Route: Oct 2013 Liss | |
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Pesmo
| 19 Sep 08:32 |
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Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 89 Bike: My Profile | My suggestion for the route into London from Cambridge by bike is nat cycle route 1, down the river Lee (also spelt Lea). This is Traffic free to the Thames in East London from about 6 miles north of the M25 so you get a traffic free ride into the city of about 30 miles. There are campsites in that area and it is never far from a railway line. |
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Pesmo
| 19 Sep 08:40 |
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Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 89 Bike: My Profile | Sorry, I meant to say national cycle route 11 south of Cambridge which becomes route 1 at Roydon and then goes into London down the river Lea. I presume you have already found the Sustrans website with all the on road and offroad UK cycle routes? |
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Pesmo
| 19 Sep 08:56 |
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Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 89 Bike: My Profile | You also need to consider your route into and out of Heathrow. Some parts of the airport are only easily accessable by the motorway and cyclists cannot use those, so you need to do some research. I think most of it can be done from central London along the Grand Union canal towpath but I am not sure of the detail. On the transport for london website they give away some detailed London cycle maps. These are high quality so you would be advised to get your hands on the various maps you need. |
| patricklee | 20 Sep 23:22 |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 5 Bike: | Hello BusterG, Thank you for the lead to get insuance coverage. I shall check it up and see the available policy. |
| patricklee | 21 Sep 00:44 |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 5 Bike: | Hello Pesmo, thank you for your reply and information. The road we shall ride are those suggeste in the Google Cycling and a lot of roads are highlighted green on the map which are cycle path, I guessed. I presume all roads, even it is not a cycle path can be used by cyclist. Definately, we shall not get on Motorway. The Google map suggested we ride on the west bank of th River Lee. As we leave Cambridge city centre, we head for Station Road, go south on small road west of the railway, hit Francis Crick Ave., use the road east of the railway...passing through Trumpington, Great Shelford, Triplow, Fowlmere, Barkway, Braughing, Puckeride, Ware, Stanstead Abbots, River Lee National Park, Gunpowder Park, Hackney Marsh, Benthnal Green and finally London East End. This route should be alright for cyclist. Come to the issue of Heathrow airport, there are tunnels to go in and out of terminal buildings, that is a problem!!!! If we choose to arrive Gateway Airport, there should not be a problem to get out of the airport on bike as there is no tunnel. If the airline use Heathrow, the worst action to be taken would be pushing the bikes with rear light flashing as the tunnel is just a couple hundred metre long if there is no other way out of the termial. |
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Pesmo
| 21 Sep 03:01 |
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Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 89 Bike: My Profile | Agree with 99% of your route south of Cambridge. Between Ware and Hackney marshes the local cycle route signs will advise you to take a route away from the river Lee. Ignore them and stay at all times within sight of the river Lee. The silly thing about the recommended routes is that they are out of date and either take you via unecessary diversions or via gunpowder park which you don't have to do. Quite a bit of Olympic money has been spent recently improving many of the routes in the area. Of course if you are looking to see a bit of history then Gunpowder park is worth a visit, but if you want a more direct route stay with the Lee. I hope you enjoy your visit. |
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