I’d like to do more exploring of London tracks/paths/cycleways

I work in Central London and live in North London, I’d like to extend my commute every now and then and detour via some interesting places

I should highlight I commute on an Arkose running Marathon+ tyres so can’t do anything muddy at this time of year, gravel/hardpack/tarmac are all OK, I can do the muddy stuff when it starts to dry up. Some of the below has also been done on a Brompton.

It’s always done in the evening, and at the moment in the dark, so there’s noone around which is nice

I mainly commute on the road but doing something different is nice. I’ve looked at Sustrans, which is mostly good, but I’m after recommendations.

I’m hoping to pick up some new Veloviewer map tiles, would be good to make this more interesting

So far, I’ve done things like:
– Dollis Valley Greenway (I live just by this)
– Parkland Walk (Highgate to Finsbury Park)
– Lee Valley Canal/Route 1
– Roding Valley Way
– Wanstead Flats
– Canal path from Paddington to Wembley
– Waterlink Way/Route 21
– Track running from West Ham to CS3, and up further towards Olympic Park
– Some bits along the Thames – south side from Greenwich to Woolwich, and south side Hammersmith to Richmond
– I’ve done various Cycle Superhighways, but not worth listing them out as they’re mostly just on the road

More of the same would be great. Some of the above isn’t the correct name but listing it so folks know about them. If you’ve not tried any of those then I definitely recommend them – nothing technical or hard, just good places for a detour and a bimble/pootle

So, any recommendations? (Epping is an obvious missing one, but that’s for a different time of year or bike)

Tow path on the canals?

Cycle to putney bridge, cross to southside of Thames and follow the path up the Thames past putney boat club, barnes, richmond and up to Kingston. You can then loop around on the north bank and back to putney.

@qwerty – are you referring to any specific ones? I’ve done the ones I know of – North bit of Central London, Limehouse Link, Victoria Park, Lee Valley, Paddington Basin heading out North West

@Coconut – thanks. I’ve only really headed out as far as Richmond, I should probably head down to Kingston

One of the advantages of the Brompton is I can ride out one way, and then jump on the train home (or vice versa)

You can go beyond Kingston all the way to Windsor Great Park via Hampton Court and Runnymeade along the Thames Path by the river.

Details: http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Kingston_To_Windsor_Thames_Path-Cycle-Route-533.html

There are a couple of crossing points at Kingston Bridge and Weybridge (small ferry service) and there is signposting with signs indicating Sustrans Cycle Route 4.

If you live far enough north, Epping Forest would be a good detour one day. The paths are that compacted type stuff that’d be rideable all year on 38mm road tyres, even if the off-piste would require knobbies this time of year. Cycling allowed everywhere by default, and the few bits where it isn’t (conservation) are signed.

You can ride 95% off-road on the Thames path from Tower Bridge to Fulham (and beyond)
the path crosses the river a couple of times, and goes inland to avoid a few things but it is a great ride.

Take the river Crane up to Hayes, then return (via the edges of the Nestles factory) back down the Grand Union Canal.
Follow the Hogsmill River out to Esher from Kingston.

Richmond Park? The road route is a bit of a lycra-fest but it’s a good ride and there’s a decent chance of getting into a big group which is good fun and sharpens you up. There’s an off-road route too, but only ridden that once – I seem to recall a short steep bit, apart from that just nice scenery.

If you follow the Thames up to Hampton Court its a very short detour into Bushy Park for a loop of there too. Mostly gravel, no mud.

Thames path between Richmond and Teddington Lock is muddy at the moment.

I live in Twickenham, there are loads of ‘gravel’ routes round the area.

River Crane, Grand Union Canal to Slough Arm, Slough to Burnham Beeches and back into London. River Crane was a bit muddy, but a nice ride.

Thames River Path looks like a great idea (@Superleggero, thanks for the link). What’s the surface like? Might be one for the Brompton and then grab the train home rather than try to cycle all the way back to North London

I’ve done Richmond Park a couple of times, only as a pootle rather than a roadie smash though. I’ve towed the kids round the park in a double trailer too

@aP – have you got any more info on the River Crane? Can’t find much online including a map etc. There are some websites that talk about it but it’s hard to picture where it goes and how i’ll follow it

@TiRed – have you ridden that before? Got any links to a strava outing or similar?

@SixPotBelly – those surfaced paths through Epping is a likely future ride, I can cycle South to North and then from the top cycle across. I’m at the top of the Northern Line

@razorrazoo – thanks for the Bushy Park heads up, didn’t know about that. Have you got any links to previous rides or similar indicating where the gravel paths are? Also, where is that 2nd picture from?

I like being able to see where the route goes, and maybe links to maps etc that I can research it. I’ve found signposting is often rubbish so doing a bit of work before hand means I can make my way around in the dark without too much drama (Roding Valley Way is a good example of this, some missing info at the odd key section)

Bikebouy has some good routes following paths out of London in a few different directions and then a train back.

I rode this last weekend, bit muddy though.
http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NzkwMg==

You can ride around Ally Pally, which is quite good fun.

Bushy Park is an easy one. It’s about 5 mins to the nearest entrance from Hampton Court which you cycle past on the Thames path (google maps it). As you go into that entrance just bear right off the road onto the path and it takes you round the edge of most of the park in a big loop.

The second pic is between Richmond and Teddington lock (the pic is taken near Ham house). The dirt jumps are next to Teddington Lock, but are in need of some tlc.

You can ride along the Thames to Weybridge and then hop on to the river Wey path which you can then take to Godalming or Guildford, from Guildford you can take the Downs Link to Shoreham, or pick up the South Downs Way, the world is your lobster.

@benp1 – which way did you go along the Lee valley, and for how far?

Depending on where you pick it up, you could go north to Luton, or South to Crawley. Loads of interesting sights along the way, and very little of it on busy roads.

Feel free to use this for reference…

https://www.strava.com/activities/710038126/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-GB&v=1473708728??

@drliamski – that’s similar to the sort of thing I do a fair bit. I regularly meet a mate and we go for a pootle in Hadley Wood and Trent Park. Last time I did that section north of Hadley Road it was a bit soft. How is it running at the moment? Did you go anti clockwise or clockwise?

@will – you must be the STWer who is at the top of all the leaderboards on the STW forumites group on Strava! (on the local leaderboards anyway, I’m too slow to challenge that). Are there any particularly good bits of Ally Pally? I’ve only ridden up through the road and pootled a bit around outside of the building

@razorrazoo – thanks, i’ll check that out

@catfood – thanks. Sounds a bit longer than I might try in an evening though, it would take me 1.5 hours or so to get home by train from that neck of the woods

@Belugabob – I’ve not done it all in one go. But in total I’ve done from around Harpenden down to Addington/Croydon (which surprised me with a bigger lump than I expected on my little clown bike). I also haven’t done the polar ends of that ride (which are probably most interesting), probably the middle 80%. It has given me the idea to ride from work all the way round the canal to Welwyn or somewhere similar and jump on the train home, thanks

You’re welcome – nothing beats looking at maps to work out a new route (apart from riding the route, of course)

Getting train out of town, then riding home is always a good way to stretch your range a bit.

Thames path at Weybridge, Wey Path (Guildford, Godalming as above) or take the right fork under the M25 and Basingstoke Canal towpath for 29 miles – tarmac all the way to Brookwood, muddy in places after. Train stations at New Haw, Woking, Brookwood, Farnborough, Fleet and Winchfield.

i used to live in chelsea and would go putney bridge and down off towards kew, with detours off on the commons around there. occasionally up to richmond park but never really liked that. wimbledon common was fun too but i only rode up there a few times before i quit my job and left. all good for a quick fix after work.

I did the thames path kingston to hampton ct and wey to guildford on a brompton. Tbh i would double back from Wisley the rest was not much fun.

Plenty of nice cafes in shepperton lock, walton bridge cafe, walton high st.

With the brompton you can bus it over to kingston and start from there, bushy park circuit, then bus it back from another point. Woof coffee next to sweat shop on teddington high st is lovely.

Is there not brompton club in central london that rides out kingston way too.

Hi @benp1, you’ve already given me a few routes yourself in a past post, so a chance for me to return the favour. Have you looked at the Condor route club blog. There are a few I’ve been wanting to try: https://www.condorcycles.com/blogs/route-club (Hertfordshire / Kent / Wimbledon – there’s quite a range with good instructions). They say crossbike for winter but some are more tame than that (definitely non-mtb friendly but perhaps less so after a rainy period).

I’m just off your commute route so perhaps we go for a ride one evening to explore (and I’m also slow!)

Greenway out to the Woolwich ferry, Thames path back to Greenwich.

I really recommend a book called ‘Lost Lanes’, it’s a micro adventure cycling book for Londoners. Most of the rides are outside London, so not completely fitting with what you asked for in your op, but full of amazing ideas for days and weekends out! 🙂

Thanks for the info on surface conditions following the Thames out South West

@takeiteasy – thanks for the link. I’ve done bits of the Herts ride and I’m not sure my tyreshave enough tread to deal with some of the sections, but it’s a good resource and good for some inspiration. Happy to meet up after work and go for a ride, I only ride in the evenings these days

@shermer75 – thanks. I’ve actually done that exact ride, including timing arrival at the Woolwich ferry perfectly/luckily! It’s a lovely little ride, interesting part of London. Inspiration is always good. Re that book and rides from London – Many of the road based clubs meet up near or in my home town if they’re heading north out of London, or even ride past the end of my road as I’m right on the edge of the green belt and the ‘countryside’ starts here. I follow a few riders on Strava who are in various clubs, including the Rapha cycle club, they’re cross ride heads out on my local turf

Don’t have this book myself (yet) but might be of interest: http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/london-cycle-routes-book/

Haven’t read all of the above so someone may have beaten me to it.
Check out the ‘Capital Ring’.
It’s supposed to be a footpath but I’ve ridden all the way round a few times with no hassle apart from a park somewhere around Highgate that has high gates (!) and fences to stop you getting a bike over. But it’s small and easily detoured around.

I can recommend The London Cycling Guide by Tom Bogdanowicz which I’ve used quite a bit. There is now a revised version with additional routes (up from 30 to 40):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1504800192/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1847739342&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=P1WF00A5FDJ7JP7RADJG

It’s well laid out with lots of off road and traffic free stuff and you can link some routes together to make a bigger day’s riding.

If you look at the index page on the Amazon site you can see the individual routes listed.

Haven’t read all of the above so someone may have beaten me to it.
Check out the ‘Capital Ring’.

Virtually all of the web search results for this start with…

“The Capital Ring is a 78 mile walking route…”

…so I’m intrigued by how legit the whole things is.

Some people say that it’s almost all ‘rideable’, but that isn’t necessarily the same as ‘legit’.

Having said that, it does look interesting, so I need to do further research if I’m to use it for another one of my ‘Big day out on bikes’ rides.

Beluga, I guess it isn’t really legit, however I’ve ridden it all the way round on three separate occasions with no bother at all.
While some of it is undoubtedly on public footpaths we saw so few other people that it made no difference on most of it.
The terrain is mixed, footpaths, bridleways, canal towpaths, Thames Path, the Greenway thing I think it’s called around the Olympic Park. Pretty much all well surfaced, you can ride 99%. There’s a couple of flights of stairs and couple of narrow footbridges you have to push/carry.
It’s pretty and a really nice way to see some parts of London you’d never really see. My favourite parts were probably around the Olympic Park to London City Airport to the Woolwich ferry and then around Richmond up to Greenford.
We started at Harrow and was certainly a long day out.
Do it mid-summer and mid-week.

Hello.
I think your tyres will limit a lot of the fun on Herts bways.
Trent park wasn’t too bad Saturday a.m.
I’d give it a few days after today’s rain.
Some kind soul has cleared a lot of single track 😉 and there’s a good couple of hours worth of fun. I am quite slow though.
Have a look at a lap of North mymms park ..I get there via cycle path next to a1,South mymms services,onto cycle route 12(which takes you to lea valley ). I then use route 12 to take me up to welham green and onto byways east of Hatfield house.v muddy!
Blast around Essendon/ Epping green area towards river lea..back on route 12 to Trent park /Hadley .
Or,go along lea valley(after a few dry days)to Hertford . Then old railway line to welwyn (can’t remember sustrans number at mo)back on route 12. 🙂

I’ve done a little bit of the Capital Ring near home, using that for detours is a good shout. At the moment I’m doing it at night in the dark, there’s very little chance of meeting anyone!

@Senor J – have you got any strava links for your laps of North Mymms? I used to commute to WGC and did Route 12 every now and then (mainly went on the road as it was faster though). Also interested in seeing where the singletrack is in Trent Park. I go there a fair bit but always do the same sections, don’t think I could manage 2 hours riding round there without doing the same bit more than once or using lots of wider horse tracks etc. I wouldn’t say you’re slow!

I’m definitely going to do Lea Valley up to WGC via that converted railway line between Hertford and WGC, I know the one. Wasn’t too muddy last time I did it. Also gives me the option of jumping on the train home from WGC if I’m feeling tired!

Hello Ben .just saw your reply….
Re Trent park- happy to show you my bits when convenient. 🙂
I do repeat sections,up and down.
Couple of laps of the perimeter ,fire roads, etc.& you can get to wormley woods fairly peacefully from there too. The view ranger map posted previously is good IMO .
(Using whitewebbs etc)

Yeah I’m up for that for sure. Timing is a bit of a problem right now as when we did Epping we met up fairly early, unlikely to be able to meet up that early due to workload at the moment

Popping out in the evening for a few hours of riding my bike is always good!

No worries ,I can do later,as long as I get a nap in the afternoon.ha.
Let me know when you’re free. Fridays are best for me at the moment .
Btw,I forgot to say I don’t have any strava maps.soz.
& re North Mymms,cross the first foot bridge that crosses a1 north of the services & try a clockwise loop.(near motte & Bailey on map, up mymmshall woods & right towards potwells…doesn’t take long but reasonably fun extension to route 12 -Flinty & 1 potentially muddy bit.:-)

Went for a ride on the Brompton the other day, enjoyed 27 miles of pootling around London, sometimes on paths and sometimes on the road. Did the Thames Path between Putney and Hammersmith bridges, was nice, didn’t see a soul. Surprisingly remote all considering

Jason – Thanks for the North Mymms bit, will check that out at some point. Will message you about meeting up, Fridays are a good day for me too