Apologies for the 'bit of a silly title'. But after a few years of doing the Freedom For Aafia Siddiqui Project Ride over winter. But that's about to change as I fancy making a bit easier for myself (kindof) whilst still raising money to free the political prisoners and stop the Schedule 7 and similar stops...

Long story, sorry I digress. So, I'm planning this year to ride the route to London in the summer. After putting it out there it seems it'll probably be just me again, so my my stupid brain has concocted this notion of riding down with BPing kit but on the trails.

Now, I'm not the best at figuring out where the divine lines fall (and nor do I know too much about divides and whatnot, except that they tend to irritate people when people call their routes by that ). So, after having a peek at what trails were available to ride down to London but also not making it too hard, I've realised that the routes are all a bit 'poor show'. Either too much minor roads or just dribs and drabs of trail here and there (I know that's probably the same thing said differently).

So me is thinking, Shirley there must be some sort of dividing lines somewhere there give my project a bit more meaning and instill in me some more 'ooomph'that I'm not just riding the road-lanes when I have to.

Does any of that make any sense

I'm guessing that to figure out my route, I need to start here and examine/understand the watercourses. https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/m ... er-network

There is the North/South divide, but I think that might be somewhere just north of Watford

Personally I'd just pick a decent route and call it a divide, that's what everyone else does!

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:20 pm There is the North/South divide, but I think that might be somewhere just north of Watford

Personally I'd just pick a decent route and call it a divide, that's what everyone else does!

regents park to milton keynes is easy. grand union most of the way, then other waterways.
and home down to nottingham looks easy to put together via tpt and clumber park and sherwood pines.
midshires way from leicester to northampton.

easy to put this together mainly off road. wont be technical but will be away from traffic.

could fancy this myself.

ton wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:35 pm regents park to milton keynes is easy. grand union most of the way, then other waterways.
and home down to nottingham looks easy to put together via tpt and clumber park and sherwood pines.
midshires way from leicester to northampton.

easy to put this together mainly off road. wont be technical but will be away from traffic.

could fancy this myself.

Let's do it Ton. Can we add 'some little bit o' technical in there please mate.

ton wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:35 pm grand union most of the way

Grand Union, as it heads south of Leicester, probably is a reasonable 'divide' between those rivers flowing out to the Wash, to the east, and those flowing west to the Severn--eg at Rugby, where the canal crosses the Avon which eventually joins the Severn--
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... em_map.png

Tractionman wrote: ↑Sat Mar 29, 2025 1:30 pm

ton wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:35 pm grand union most of the way

Grand Union, as it heads south of Leicester, probably is a reasonable 'divide' between those rivers flowing out to the Wash, to the east, and those flowing west to the Severn--eg at Rugby, where the canal crosses the Avon which eventually joins the Severn--

Grand_Union_Canal,_complete_system_map.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... em_map.png

That's very good of you thanks Traction Man and Ton. Hopefully I have enough info now to make my route. So generally if I follow the path on/nearby the river that would be classed as the 'water divide'.

I often ride parts of NCN6 down from Clumber towards Market Harborough, and an old rail line to Northampton. I have ridden further south on occasion. It may not be a divide but it is quiet with fairly easy off road sections which help with speed over a long distance. If you want any assistance let me know, I live in Derby, and could suggest a few things.

Blackhound wrote: ↑Sun Mar 30, 2025 8:12 pm I often ride parts of NCN6 down from Clumber towards Market Harborough, and an old rail line to Northampton. I have ridden further south on occasion. It may not be a divide but it is quiet with fairly easy off road sections which help with speed over a long distance. If you want any assistance let me know, I live in Derby, and could suggest a few things.

Thanks Kevin, I'll be in touch mate.

@Shaf noted

Blackhound wrote: ↑Sun Mar 30, 2025 8:12 pm an old rail line to Northampton.

yes that's a good one I rode it a few year's ago with my son, we enjoyed the tunnels, there's a route map here, from Northampton or Wolverton the canal could be picked up again to head sarf...

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-rout ... alley-way/


cheers,

Keith

Last time I rode those tunnels was in the summer a couple of years ago when I was broadly following the route of Further East that I had started in Mkt Harbrough. Due to a train strike I stopped just before the tunnels and finished the next morning. I seem to recall some mud in the tunnels when I was out. Looks like you and your son had a nice time.

Blackhound wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 4:33 pm Last time I rode those tunnels was in the summer a couple of years ago when I was broadly following the route of Further East that I had started in Mkt Harbrough. Due to a train strike I stopped just before the tunnels and finished the next morning. I seem to recall some mud in the tunnels when I was out. Looks like you and your son had a nice time.

thanks, yes it was July 2023 and reasonably dry, the air shafts in the tunnels punctuated the gloom, that's me spotlighted!