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Can any londoners help with some route advice? Shortly moving to Beckenham and planning to cycle commute to the city (near Museum of London)
Most routes I've come up with seem to invlove Elephant & Castle or Archway Gyratory (which looks worse?), plus a big hill at Crystal Palace (is there a way around for when i'm tired?)
Which is the best bridge to cross the Thames? I'm using London Bridge at the moment, but the north end is a bit of a shambles.
I've done loads of commuting before, including from East London, but the south is still a bit of a mystery.
[url= https://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11682.aspx ]These are good.[/url] And free!!
I don't mind Elephant and Castle tbh, just think like a car and you'll be ok!
I commute south to Newgate St, just next to Museum of London. I always go via Kennington > Lambeth North > The Cut > Blackfriars Bridge > Queen Victoria St >Friday St > Cannon St > New Change > Cheapside > Newgate St > King Ed St > Little Britain > Montague St > Nettleton Court (Roundabout) > Museum of London.
There is a cycle lane cut through just by the pedestrian crossing on Queen Vic St, it brings you out on Distaff lane opposite St Pauls Churchyard and New Change.
I live in Sydenham and ride in 2-3 times a week and this is the route which works for me.
Straight up Westwood Hill, right at the top down Fountain Drive past Dulwich College. Straight over past the picture gallery to Dulwich Village. Left down Burbage Road and past Herne Hill Velodrome to Herne Hill. Follow Railton Road through to Brixton and take A23 North (lots of traffic lights but also a bus lane to hide in.)
Even on a bike you'll get snarled up in rush hour traffic through Brixton and Railton Road keeps you out of that mostly.
I turn off the A23 at Kennington to go over Westminster Bridge but you should keep heading North. If you head for St Barts hospital there's some quiet streets through Smithfields to get you to Farringdon.
Re Crystal Palace Hill - hard to avoid it, but it's great training! and you do get used to it. Alternatives are go through Crystal Palace Park - then you meander up the hill rather than straight up which is easier and traffic free. Or go from Sydenham across to Forest Hill and join the South Circular up to East Dulwich. There's still a climb but not so brutal. A lot more traffic though.
On the way home when you reverse this route you'll get to do College Road - listed here as a classic European climb 🙂
[url= http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2013/sep/24/cycling-the-joy-of-climbing ]Guardian link[/url]
Probably the most cycle-friendly road free route:
Not the quickest, but vastly preferable to using the main arterial roads.
that's SIR Beckenham to you! 😀
I'm a Beckenham resident and although I don't commute, if I did I'd use the waterlink way (sustrans route 21) to Deptford / Greenwich then head up the river to a bridge. It's a longer way, but the waterlink way is a real gem - especially with kids as it's off road most of the way to Greenwich with lots of play areas along the route.
I'd do this route:
http://goo.gl/maps/DfkLW
Crystal Palace - Collage Road - Dulwich Village - Red Post Hill - Denmark Hill - A215 Camberwell Road - Elephant & Castle - Blackfriars Bridge
11 miles and quote a good route. I do it throughout the summer every Tuesday when i race at CP
Thanks for the tips. Might actually come up with a few different routes depending on how energetic i'm feeling. Route 21 is lovely and quiet (i've done bits of it before) but might not be so great on a dark winter evening.
sorry I can't help with a route but I did Kingston - WC2 most days & had a few alternatives just to stay fresh/avoid headwinds/ride back with others etc.