CAMBRIDGE to OXFORD 1 October 2008 http://www.squarewheels.org.uk/bike/routeCamOx/ 1. Start south along King's Parade, 10m elev R into Silver Street (junction on curve), over Cam and past rising bollards L at tfl, SO at rdbt, grass on left Follow 90deg right at tfl into Barton Road Continue beyond city limits; could use (OK) bike path on RHS, to (2.4 miles) 2. SO at big rdbt, over M11, SO at 2nd rdbt R onto B1046 SP COMBERTON Continue through BARTON, COMBERTON, Greenwich Meridian just before TOFT SO (R/L) across A1198 and into LONGSTOWE, Continue on B1046 pass water-tower on right, 79m elev on downhill just before Little Gransden, suddenly: Sharp L onto C-road SP GAMLINGAY. (13.5 miles) 3. SO at Xrds in GAMLINGAY; after 180 metres Follow curve to left. Follow through Xrds on left bend, cross from Cambs to Beds before... R at T, Follow left in EVERTON, into trees, Follow left and downhill to (21.1 miles) 4. R at T onto B1042, cross big rly on bridge and immediately... [ Budgens: 540 metres on left down High Street ] L as for SANDY stn, 23m elev, Continue 0.67 mile to R at T (care!) onto A1 (SP North), imm filter L (Orchard Road) Follow 90deg right, 460 metres to L at T ("unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles") 0.54 mile to R at T (no SP) onto B658 200 metres to L SP HATCH. Pass through HATCH, THORNCOTE GREEN, NORTHILL, ICKWELL. Climb to R at triangular T SP OLD WARDEN, pass through OLD WARDEN, SO (SP Shefford). (27.1 miles) 5. Follow 90deg left (SP Ireland), 0.78 mile, pass old rly station. Follow right under (marvellous skew rly) bridge, trees on left. SO across A600. L on downhill after 280 metres, road-name STANDALONE WARREN. Climbs under trees through HAYNES CHURCH END, 100m elev, down to L at T onto A6, 110 metres, R, Follows left past turning on right, to R (on uphill) SP MAULDEN, road-name Limbersey Lane, in HAYNES WEST END Continue thro reverse curves, then sharp left on downhill. R at T SP AMPTHILL in MAULDEN, climb past pub, over crest to rdbt: 2nd exit (1 o'clock), Continue into AMPTHILL, approach double-mini-rdbt. (35.6 miles) 6. [ Cottage Bakery shop on R opposite Post Office ] [ Toilets (Mon-Sat 08-17h, Sun 10-16h): R imm before zebra crossing, just ahead up one-way road ] [ Waitrose: R (SP Bedford) at first mini-rdbt, R after 120 metres ] L and L (SP Flitwick, Public Library), Continue [ Pub and Fish & Chips on left: "The Old Sun" inn, with F&C next door ] SO over 2 mini-rdbts, then downhill to larger rdbt ("One-o-One"): [ Water and Shop: SO (2nd exit) from One-o-One & into petrol station on R; Water tap {temp. not working!} at ankle-height on white wall facing road. Shell Select Shop (pasty, choccy); window only (door locked) from 23h. Flitwick railway station is 1 mile up this road. ] R at One-o-One rdbt, 160 metres, L at 2nd rdbt SP STEPPINGLEY under rly to SO at Xrds, Follow up thro STEPPINGLEY and then over M1. (38.9 miles) 7. Follow the road up into WOBURN PARK, over cattle grid, summit at 141m, down, half-way point, 2 cattle grids, church SO (L/R) at Xrds in WOBURN, crossing A4012. Climb over crest, then 550 metres to R SP LITTLE BRICKHILL, into Buckinghamshire in forest, over A5 on bridge R at rdbt, into LITTLE BRICKHILL, 250 metres to (Look!) L before zebra crossing SP GREAT BRICKHILL, drop 45m and climb to 161m elev L at oblique T on downhill (Give Way, go straight ahead) down Partridge Hill on good C-road, steep towards bottom but no surprises. (48.4 miles) 8. At 72m elev cross river Ouzel, and Grand Union Canal. At Xrds L/R across A4146, climb up over rly and bypass bridges into SOULBURY R (concealed turning behind crest) onto B4032 SP STEWKLEY L (SP Wing) at triangular jct in STEWKLEY, then 750 metres to... R SP DUNTON opposite Carpenters Arms pub, becomes straight downhill Follow right and thro LITTLECOTE, DUNTON, past barn (interference fringes!) L at T onto A413, a short climb and then down into WHITCHURCH where R at mini-rdbt SP PITCHCOTT. (56.8 miles) 9. Follow to 158m summit, PITCHCOTT, down Pitchcott Hill, under pylons R at Xrds SP QUAINTON (well off the quick part of hill) L in QUAINTON (SP Waddesdon) into Station Road cross Great Central Railway (disused main line, preserved station visible) R at T onto A41, 0.63 mile (past motorbike showrooms) to... L SP WESTCOTT, through WESTCOTT, and climb from 85m to ASHENDON R 210 metres after church (SP Dorton) very near to 156m summit Down Ashendon hill, 45mph+ and 1-in-7 mid-way, down to 70m. (67.6 miles) 10. past old rly stn on left (was a bridge over road), Follow 90deg left R after 0.67 mile (SP Brill), over rly and climb up to Xrds SO, more climb to 153m and another Xrds SO, down to sharp 90deg right at Touchbridge Cottage, Continue to R at T onto B4011; 350 metres to... L SP BOARSTALL, Follow thro twisty section, over M40, into Oxfordshire R SP OXFORD on left curve in HORTON-CUM-STUDLEY, down Horton Hill Follow sharp 90deg left curve SP OXFORD climb 64m to 129m (Woodperry Hill), past TV mast (Beckley) to (77.8 miles) 11. R at T onto B4027 (SP Islip), 1 mile to filter L SP ELSFIELD Follow big bends to right and left, ELSFIELD, speed humps, church, down to L at T, cross Oxford ring road on bridge, OXFORD, 60m elev L and R at adjacent rdbts, along Marston Road (ignore cyclepath on left) SO/R at tfl, SO at next tfl (care, buses creating pinch point!) at large rdbt "The Plain", take 4th exit (1 o'clock), over Magdalen Bridge. Past tower, SO at tfl, and Continue up The High to Stop at Carfax. (83.9 miles)