Birmingham Advanced Motorcyclists Registered Charity Number 1057912

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A grand day out

This route takes in some very pleasant scenery, two good hills, one on the north and one on the south of the Cotswolds, a spectacular estuary crossing (if you get the tide right) and a good combination of B roads, last sweeping A Roads, Dual Carriageway and even some motorway (sorry).

The disadvantages are that there are no Gatso cameras to protect us from those road users who would abuse the speed limit and the day will cover over 200 miles, so unless you are used to long days on a bike you may be too tired to enjoy the last few hours.

TL = Turn Left : TR = Turn Right.

Starting from Becketts Farm take the A435 southwards to just beyond Alcester TL onto the B4085 through Cleve Prior and South Littleton, a pleasant little road with a surface made just the right mix of compressed tar and gravel and mud. 3/4 of a mile after the level crossing, you have been warned) TL onto the B4035 and then TR onto the B4632, follow it through Willersey towards Broadway where we TL onto the A44. Enjoy Fish Hill, (then maybe turn round and do it again) and continue on theA44 until we fbrk right onto the A424 towards Stow on the Wold where we TR onto the A429,just after the lights, there is a little Chef.

Out of Stow continue on the A429, bypassing Bourton on the Water and eventually TR onto the A40. (In the height of summer we may want to detour into Bourton for tea and cakes instead of the usual at the Stow Little Chef).

Just outside Shipton Th onto the A436, a very scenic road with good open views and fast sweepers. There is a staggered junction at a set of lights where we TL and immediately Th to cross the A435. Leave the A436 by turning left onto the A417 and, after a last ride up a steep hill, TR onto the B4070 towards Birdlip and Slad. As we turn, a track on the right goes off to a spectacular viewpoint over the valley convenient for a fag break or a picnic if you're that well organised. This section was recently used by Bike magazine lor part of their Lap of Britain Ride.

The B4070 eventually takes us via a series of fairly steep gravel strewn descents into Stroud. Use the series of mini-roundabouts to join the A46 towards Bath and follow the valley until, beyond the village of Nailsworth you find out why we're here as the road climbs steeply through a series of twisting 90 degree plus bends and as it finally levels out there is a lay-by on the right, usually occupied by a tea wagon so we can have break and a kit-kat before... going back down and doing it again.

The A46 continues in a series of open sweeping bends to junction 18 of the M4. Beware there is one right/left uphill combination that IS tight and the straight after it looks like a good place to do the slow artic, until you realise that the lorry depot is hidden in the trees on the right... About haff a mile before the motorway fuel is available on the right.

I know, I know, I know motorways are boring but this one's got the Severn Bridge on it with some marvellous tidal races below and it gets us to the Wye Valley which is seriously pretty.

Cross the M5 at the Almondsbury Interchange, remember that we are heading for Chepstow and Monmouth and take the M48 at Junction 21 towards the Severn Bridge.

The motorway service area with the best view this side of Germany is available from the junction just before the bridge, and if we have the time to visit the red and green marl cliffs at Aust below the bridge you can even bring a fossil home.

Cars and lorries pay on the bridge, motorcycles are FREE, a concession gained by generations of motorcyclists never taking less than 5 minutes to actually find some cash hidden in all the layers. Be careful though the toll booth staff will drop the barrier after each bike goes through, and helmets aren’t that good. Be careful as well if it's windy, especially in the turbulence around the main pillars.

Remember in the middle of the span the 'road' moves up and down by 3-4 inches each time a big heavy goes past.

Leave the motorway just after the Severn Bridge at what is now Junction 2 of the M48 on the A466 towards Chepstow.

The A466 takes us past the racecourse and down a series of twists into the beautiful Wye Valley, past the ruined Abbey at Tintern (more tea and cakes available). If we stop anywhere along here you stand a good chance of seeing swans, herons, salmon and all sorts of small pretty birds that live in the woods. At Monmouth join the A40 dual-carriageway and, as it climbs up a long sweeping left hander out of the town look to the right into a Forestry Commission plantation dating back to the Coronation. ER can still be made in different coloured conifers.

After 138 miles comes decision time. If you've had enough join the M50 and head home up the MS. If not enjoy the A449 through Ledbury to the top of the Malvem Hills where we TL onto the B4218 (car park on the right, ice cream van normally parked on the left). Follow the scenery around the left side of the hills rather than the more usual main road through Malvern Wells and rejoin the A449 at Great Malvern and the A422 towards Worcester and the MS Junction. Again there is the opportunity to cut the day short but why not ignore the motorway and TL onto the A44 for half a mile before turning right onto the A422 again to get to Inkberrow, then take theB4O92 to join theA448 outsideAstwood Bank before cutting across the B4093 to join the A435 a few miles below Becketts Farm.

GERARD CROWLEY

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