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West Swindon round, urban cycle.

By Hugh Stewart August 14, 2018 Leave a Comment

The daughter and family live just west of Swindon, and I have therefore come to appreciate this alleged 7 mile circuit, mainly on cycle paths, as a way of keeping the legs going while visiting, and as a brief relief from gardening, DIY and being mauled by grandchildren. It is graded “easy” on the websites (Swindon Travel Choices.co.uk is the best website for the map), but due to the stop/start nature of it, accelerating away from each stop and pushing it on the short hilly bits gives a good general work-out for minimal time out. Adding Lydiard Park as per the the map on the above website is scenically worthwhile (embarrassed to see, for the first time, that pushing your bike through the park is recommended, as I’ve always belted through, albeit showing deference to any walkers), although you may find the route finding to get there difficult the first time.

If coming from Purton or The Fox, to join the circuit go on the new road (Cowleaze) through the new Ridgeway Estate to the Mead Way roundabout, where take a track on the left which leads parallel to the road, but with leafy sides, to cross the Railway and the River Ray. Just before it goes up to the road, a path to the left leads under the road and to the start of a rough track (Route 45). This leads south to join the route by Shaw Forest Park. I am grateful to Rachel, daughter, for showing me the round, and for the above addition which makes it an 11 mile circuit. The map below has the new road, Cowleaze, through the Ridgeway Estate on it, but has come from a gpx made without it.

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: w swindon.gpx

Filed Under: cycling

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Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

View Book

Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

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Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Little Mell Fell from Aira Force.

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Watendlath and Borrowdale circular

A suitable pre-Theatre by the Lake evening production, when the cloud level is low and you don't fancy walking with no views in the damp. It comes to just under 9 miles with 2100ft of ascent. From the Lodore Wood car park up the Watendlath road, take the road south till an obvious track leads off

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Addition to the book of Trespass: Warcop.

This is an 8 mile walk over Little Fell and down and along the side of Scordale. A wild, lonely, and in places rough walk, with 2100ft of climbing. The trespass refers to the fact that most of the walk is in the MOD's land, with access granted by them on 12 weekends per year and other odd days. The

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