andy63 wrote:
Well I just bought a load of secondhand ordnance survey map s off Amazon and poured over them over a few Weeks to find the 'byways open to all traffic'. I got the 'explorer' map as it is more detailed.
Also have a look on your local council site as they should have a list or map of all the legal rights of way,again you need to be looking at the 'Boat's . From there I just had a ride out to see if I could find any of them. After finding a couple of small ones I started linking them up,so basically you have to ride on roads to get to the next one. That's how I'm doing it and it's starting to come together. I can't make most of the local trf meetings because I work shifts so I've basically had to find them by myself. I thought it was going to be a big chore but it's something I actually really enjoy now.
Exactly how I started too, you do just have to be a bit more careful as you are generally on yer own on the recce stage....once you have riding buddies its gets far more relaxing and fun (up to a group size of 5 in my experience). Do remember to look for ORPAS on the map too...One TRF meeting and a phone number swap is the way to go being as nobody checks this forum very much anymore.
Doing it yerself is incredibly satisfying,in my opinion you get the real feeling of being the first person on the route and because there is only one of you, you generally don't get abuse (which, to be fair, I have only ever found very rarely).
Before you know it, you become the 'go-to' person in yer patch.
Crack on and stay between the hedges
DS