Route 12
25 May 2012
National Route 12 of the National Cycle Network will run from Enfield Lock in north London to Spalding via Stevenage, St Neots and Peterborough. The route is described here from Enfield Lock to Spalding but is signed in both directions. Where no printed map is available for a particular section please use the Sustrans online mapping.
At present there are some sections of route still under development, including the stretch between Enfield Lock and Hadley Wood, as well as intermittent sections between Stotfold and Sandy. The route into the south of Peterborough is incomplete but can be avoided by following Regional Route 21 or National Route 53 before rejoining Route 12 in central Peterborough.
Enfield Lock to Letchworth (the Great North Way)
Currently starting from Hadley Wood near Potters Bar due to an incomplete section between here and Enfield Lock, Route 12 follows predominantly traffic-free routes through Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City, continuing on minor roads to Stevenage. Between Stevenage and Letchworth the route again contains traffic-free sections, some of these being the Hertfordshire Way. This entire section is known as the Great North Way.
Map: The Great North Way and Sustrans online mapping.
Letchworth to St Neots
From Letchworth the route continues to St Neots on a mixture of traffic-free and on-road stretches, although the route is broken through Stotfold, between Arlesey and Biggleswade, and around Sandy. From Sandy, the route follows the traffic-free University Way, before heading north on a mixture of on-road and traffic-free sections to St Neots.
Map: RPR20 Explore Route 51 - The University Way and Sustrans online mapping.
St Neots to Spalding
Route 12 reaches a traffic-free route alongside Grafham Water via a few bridleways and on-road sections, continuing to Peterborough on-road but for a traffic-free stretch through Huntingdon. Heading north out of Peterborough the route utilises a banktop track to Crowland and continues via minor roads to central Spalding.
Map: FC03 Central Cambridgeshire cycle map, Your Cycle Map Peterborough and Sustrans online mapping.
