Details of train fares are only held for 12 weeks in the National Rail Database. I could provide journey timings for 17th May but not the cost and a little investigation confirms that price varies considerably according to forecast demand. As an example, Derby to Portsmouth via London on 5th April (a Monday) would be £81 but a week later would only be £23.
Applicable detail will be posted on this site in early March.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
CTC discount & Euopean Bike Bus cost/availiblity
No discount on Brittany Ferries for you CTC members but it is available on Sea France Ferries.
The European Bike Bus does have a pick-up in Bordeaux at 19.40 on the 27th May and will arrive at Trowell Services, Notts at 15.00 28th. The cost is £129 if booked on the website www.bike-express.co.uk (the times may be slightly effected as its the first altlantic route date of the year but the ticket when bought will reflect the modified times if any).
I still favour travelling back this way (door to door nearly), its likely the train costs + ferry will be similar.
As Maldwyn as said we need to book this as early as possible when we are all agreed on our personal preferences, ie train/boat, bike bus, plane, air balloon or rocket.
Keith
The European Bike Bus does have a pick-up in Bordeaux at 19.40 on the 27th May and will arrive at Trowell Services, Notts at 15.00 28th. The cost is £129 if booked on the website www.bike-express.co.uk (the times may be slightly effected as its the first altlantic route date of the year but the ticket when bought will reflect the modified times if any).
I still favour travelling back this way (door to door nearly), its likely the train costs + ferry will be similar.
As Maldwyn as said we need to book this as early as possible when we are all agreed on our personal preferences, ie train/boat, bike bus, plane, air balloon or rocket.
Keith
Day 4: Angers to Thouars
On a de la chance, mes amis! (We are in luck.) We are booked into the Hotel de la Gare, Thouars: 3 twin rooms for a total of 160 euros (60 + 2 x 50). He says that they 'adhere to the Thouarsais cyclists' welcome charter', whatever that is.) I know I still haven't released the final draft of the route but I make Day 4 come to 108 km. Day 5 would consist of following this GW southwards to Parthenay and then turning more or less due E to Poitiers - 121 km - although, if the going got tough, we could simply strike out roughly SE (at almost any point along the GW) to Poitiers, cutting off the corner and getting there quicker (if that makes sense.)
Hotels at Laval - 2nd night 19th May
Details of two possible hotels at Laval: One hotel is located in Bonchamp-les-Laval, which is, as far as I can tell is near the Greenway that passes on the east side of Laval (Greenways are not shown on my map, but looks to be close - can you confirm Clyde). It is a ETAP hotel and the rate is £36.40 per room and it reckons to sleep upto 3 adults per room, although cheap enough to have 3 rooms - see pic. "If we decide to go for this I bag the top bunk"!! The address is 2, Rue Bernard Palissy, Bonchamp-les-Laval.
The other hotel that is in the area is a Formule 1- Boulevard de Buffon, Laval (one that Clyde mentioned as a possible - not sure if it is closer to our route or not). It has the same rooms as the ETAP i.e upto 3 in a room and a bit cheaper £27.73 per room.
There are a few other cheap hotels in the area but the reviews were not good.
Your comments please
Maldwyn
Return Journey - Bike-Bus
With regard to Keith's info on the Bike-Bus. The cost £129 for the return journey does seem high, but the Flight and Train from Bristol would be almost as much (assuming Rynair continues not to fly to East Mids). With the convenience of the Bus (once your bike is loaded you can forget it until you arrive at Trowell) this would seem a good option.
I checked the schedule on the Bike-Express web site and apart from the 27th there is one on the 26th May, and that's until the 8 June, so I guess we would have to book fairly quickly if we decide to use this service - I am thinking the Bus could get booked up quite a bit in advance (given the fairly irregular service).
What do you think?
Maldwyn
I checked the schedule on the Bike-Express web site and apart from the 27th there is one on the 26th May, and that's until the 8 June, so I guess we would have to book fairly quickly if we decide to use this service - I am thinking the Bus could get booked up quite a bit in advance (given the fairly irregular service).
What do you think?
Maldwyn
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Day two: Villaines to Laval
Between Mayenne and Laval there are actually two greenways. Firstly, there is the Voie Verte du Chemin de Halage de Mayenne, which we can take as far as Daon, on Day 3 (85 km). Un chemin de halage is a towpath, and don't forget that the Mayenne is a river, as well as a town, so thIS GW should be pretty flat! Then there is also the Voie Verte de La Chapelle-Anthenaise à Ambrières-les-Vallées which starts to the north of Mayenne and runs southwards towards Laval, stopping a few km short of that town. It seems that for much of its length it runs parallel to a 'velorail', where you pedal yourself along in a special truck on the original railway track. Would this be an amusing diversion from our other pedallings?
So many ex-railways. Was there a Monsieur Beauchamp who wielded his hache back in the 'Sixties?
So many ex-railways. Was there a Monsieur Beauchamp who wielded his hache back in the 'Sixties?
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