I totally agree, I shouldn't have gone that route. It was my instructor's suggestion and I didn't think to question it (and I passed Human Factors with flying colours).
We went Biggin - City - Stapleford, I had planned these as alternates should the spinny-thing on the front stop spinning.
There were a few (short-ish) periods when a glide wouldn't have got me to any of those, this was bad planning and I have learnt my lesson.
Cheers