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Oxford to Cambridge

Nowhere in Britain does cycling better than Cambridge.Bikes throng the roads both there and in its great rival,Oxford. So why not take a weekend to cycle between thetwo?

The 100-mile journey is one of historic churches, village greens,country pubs and tiny shops – a very rural ride. The towns ofBicester, Milton Keynes and Bedford punctuate the trip. There’sa distinct railway flavour to the journey, too, as you crisscross theold ‘Varsity Line’, closed in the 1960s.

The signposted route between the two cities is National CycleNetwork route 51, a well-chosen if occasionally circuitouscollection of minor roads and cycleways. But to save a 15-miledetour, we suggest you swing off onto the National Byway intoCambridgeshire, which brings you closer to the city on somelovely lanes.

What sort of bike?

Any bike will be fine. Bar a few short stretches of unmetalledpath, it’s tarmac all the way. Nor are there many hills, with anaverage of just seven metres’ climbing per mile.

How many days?

We’d suggest two days for a fit cyclist, breaking the route into50-mile halves with an overnight around Milton Keynes.Leisurely riders will want to take three or more days.Oxford–Cambridge can be ridden in one day, but we wouldn’tsuggest following NCN 51 in that case – it’s a bit too fiddly andindirect for fast cycling. Instead, check out our alternative routefollowing more of the National Byway.

Is there an official route?

Yes, National Cycle Network route 51, signposted throughoutwith the standard blue signs. Of course, you never need to followa signed route religiously, and in this case we’d add twoprovisos.

The first is that NCN 51 takes a long detour after Bedford,heading north to St Neots and Huntingdon. Although this givesyou a long stretch on the butter-smooth cycleway besideCambridgeshire’s new guided busway, it’s 15 miles that youdon’t have to ride. Instead, we suggest taking the NationalByway (also signposted) until a few miles outside Cambridge.

The second is that the urban stretches of route 51 can becircuitous even by NCN standards. If you don’t particularly wantto see the suburbs of Kidlington, Bicester or Milton Keynes, youcan save miles (and navigational angst) with a few well-chosenshortcuts.

Which direction is best?

Oxford to Cambridge, so that the prevailing winds are behindyou. Battling a headwind in the flatlands of Cambridgeshire isenough to make you abandon your ride almost before it’s begun.

How do I get there?

Oxford and Cambridge have direct trains from both London andBirmingham. The route also crosses mainline railways at MiltonKeynes, Bedford and Sandy. There’s no direct railway betweenOxford and Cambridge, but the X5 bus runs every half hour, andtakes bikes for no extra charge.

How much traffic is there?

Route 51 does a good job of finding the lesser-used roads, butthe truth is that this is a car-clogged area. On a few roads

between Bedford and Milton Keynes you’ll meet a stream ofrush-hour traffic; near Bicester you’ll have the roar of the A34beside you, even if your own road is clear. This would make uswary of recommending it for an absolute first-timer. That said,there are some really beautiful lanes on this route where carsrarely venture.

Can I avoid the towns completely?

By all means. If you’d rather skip Bicester and MK, we reckonthis alternative route will be more to your taste. It still passesthrough Bedford (with its lovely riverside cycle path) butotherwise it’s rural all the way. There’s a little more climbing andthe roads are slightly busier, so we’d suggest it’s best suited tomore experienced touring cyclists.

Oxford to Bicester

The route starts on Oxford’s Broad Street, by Balliol College, theiconic Blackwells Bookshop and the new Weston Library. It’sdifficult to conceive a more Oxonian send-off.

Turn left (north) by the King’s Arms pub, following the signs forroute 51, and thread through the affluent suburbs of NorthOxford. The route passes the Cherwell School, where morepupils cycle to school than anywhere else in Britain –encouraged by a truly outstanding Dutch-style cycle track.

The pleasant suburbs eventually land you on a standard-issueroadside cycle path, taking you to Kidlington, the self-describedlargest village in England. To avoid an uninspiring detourthrough residential areas, stay on the main Oxford Road as faras Green Road, then turn right to rejoin the route.

A lovely meadowland path, across land owned by RichardBranson, leads into the undulating Oxfordshire countryside.After four miles on remote country lanes, the approach toBicester follows a minor road running parallel with the busy A34.It’s safe, but far from peaceful.

If you want to visit the market town of Bicester (and its sixbranches of Tesco), follow the route 51 signs. Otherwise,continue along the car park for the chic Bicester Village outletcentre, pass the railway station, then pick up the signedalternate route by the level crossing – a more direct, enjoyableride.

Bicester to Milton Keynes

After the village of Launton comes Poundon Hill, the secondclimb of the route and one offering views for miles. The businesspark at the top was once a secret intelligence station, fromwhere MI6 kept tabs on the Warsaw Pact.

These lanes are fine cycling country, grouped into a bewilderingnetwork of little loop routes by the National Byway, whose logoshares sign space with route 51. Keep following the NCNthrough Steeple Claydon, a bustling village with a bakery, pubs,a café, and pretty cottages at every turn. The popular markettown of Winslow follows soon after, clustered around the marketsquare – used as a cattle market until 2007. If you’re givingthree days to the route, Winslow is an excellent choice for yourfirst night’s rest.

Since Bicester, the route has clung close to the oldOxford–Cambridge railway, mostly disused though with sometrack still in situ. A quiet traffic-free lane runs directly alongside itfor a mile, before the gravelly Weasel Lane takes you to theedge of Milton Keynes.

MK has a dense network of cycleways, known as ‘redways’ afterthe colour of their tarmac. Route 51 follows these north toCentral Milton Keynes, its station and shops, before proceedingsouth on a riverside path. You can shave four miles from yourride, however, by skipping central MK entirely for a simpler west-east route. It’s a surprisingly green town, with parks planned intothe urban fabric. The ‘Rose’ art installation, and the Beaconviewpoint, add interest to the sweeping ride through CampbellPark.

Milton Keynes to Bedford

The Marston Vale between MK and Bedford is a curious area,dominated by worked-out quarries and commuter villages. Avaliant attempt to create the Forest of Marston Vale does battlewith ‘distribution hubs’ and landfill sites to claim this land.There’s some enjoyable riding, but it’s far from the highlight ofthe route.

Should you want to skip it, this is one part of theOxford–Cambridge railway which survives; you can pick up anall-stops train at Bletchley and take it to Bedford. Alternatively,you can speed your passage by short-circuiting the loops intoMarston Moretaine and around Wootton. Road bikers will wantto avoid the unmade bridleway after Cranfield in any case,simply continuing straight on to rejoin the route at UpperShelton.

Marston itself is a busy village with pleasant cycleways besidethe gravel lakes, and a café for a cake stop. The station atMillbrook is a short way off-route but worth the detour for itsdelightful branch line air. At Wootton, the route is particularlyindirect, but these quiet lanes via Hall End are much moreenjoyable than the main village road.

A nondescript roadside cycle path brings you to the River GreatOuse at Bedford. The riverside path is one of the highlights ofthe Oxford–Cambridge ride, and Bedford’s elegant waterfront isthe ideal place to stop for a coffee. Be careful when headingunder the railway bridges, though: headroom is barely 5ft!

Bedford to Cambridge

From Bedford to Sandy, the route follows a very enjoyablerailway path close to the Great Ouse – indeed, at one point,you’re right by Willington Lock – and across the fields. It’s alltarmac apart from one muddy section, though tree roots haveoccasionally disrupted the smooth surface. Regardless, it’senjoyable riding, especially with the wind at your back.

In Blunham, a missing railway bridge takes you onto residentialroads for a minute. Instead of returning to the cycleway, go lefthere, uphill into the village. Then, at the T-junction, turn right tojoin the National Byway. This country lane route provides a moredirect and still very enjoyable route into Cambridge, avoiding thelong detour via Huntingdon. The route is signposted with clearbrown signs, but since the National Byway doesn’t have thededicated volunteers of the National Cycle Network, these dosometimes point the wrong way or go missing entirely. Keep amap to hand.

The villages of South Cambridgeshire are the prettiest on theroute, each one with a pub and a parish church. Look out for thetrackbed of the old railway, now entirely lost, after Gamlingay.

Crossing the Roman road at Arrington, you squeeze past anornamental iron gate into the grounds of Wimpole Hall. ThisNational Trust-owned stately home is the biggest inCambridgeshire, an imposing pile that attracts thousands ofvisitors on summer weekends. As a cyclist, you have a primeview with no need to queue for the car park; simply sail past onthe tarmaced track, though watching out for the cattle grids! TheNT farm and stable cafés are perfect refuelling stops for the lastleg into Cambridge.

Follow the National Byway to the implausibly pretty village ofBarrington, strung out along one wide road. Leave the Bywayhere and continue towards Haslingfield and Barton, crossingthe old railway for one last time: the Mullard Radio AstronomyObservatory is built on its line, making reinstatement unlikely.

In Barton, turn right onto the main road and join the cycle pathwhich runs all the way into Cambridge. In the well-to-do suburbof Newnham, bear straight on when the road swings left (afterthe church and Red Bull), then turn left after crossing the RiverCam. This busy cycleway will take you right into the heart of thecity – just follow the hundreds of bikes!

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