Cycling from London Heathrow

Nigeyy

I've heard horror stories about cycling from London Heathrow -is it really that bad? I want to cycle from Heathrow heading to the north (roughly following the A1, to give an idea as to which direction I want to go from the airport).

I've driven on the airport road many times, and I know it can be bad from a traffic point of view. Anybody got any pointers? Is it better to go west and around, or cut through the London suburbs (which obviously looks much shorter)? Any roads I should avoid -I'm assuming in London, it's not a good idea to try any A roads, but even the Parkway close to Heathrow on Google looks like it could be a bad idea.....



Fight Cystic Fibrosis: do something. http://www.cycleforhaylee.org http://www.cff.org

Unknown

http://murl.se/25858
gives some info

george

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orienteer

Suggest you orbit London round the north west sector to Hatfield (roughly shadowing the M25), which is on the A1. Several dedicated cycle paths, such as Ebury way from Rickmansworth to Watford, then continue from behind Tesco's eastward on a path to the A41, then there's a route through to Bricket Wood on quiet roads. There's another ex-railway path from St Albans to Hatfield.

I can give you more details if you want (but be quick as I'm off to Toronto this Friday!).



Anyone seen my bearings?

Nigeyy

thanks for the link -I had actually read this page, but it doesn't really cover what I need (i.e. leaving Heathrow to north north east).



Fight Cystic Fibrosis: do something. http://www.cycleforhaylee.org http://www.cff.org

zimzum42

The A4 isn't so bad, there's a cycle lane if the road is too busy for you.

I don't have any problems with the A41 either, or you can use the A1......

But then again, I don't mind riding on major roads, wheras some people really don't like it.......



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My Bikes My Commute

plusgourmande

Don't be such a baby

Unknown

Its doable, you can cycle out from the airport through the cycle lane (tunnels either side of the main road tunnel), before turning up left and then right to the A4. You can follow this (on cycle paths) in towards London. You can head up through Southall then turn east a bit or go further in and go up through Ealing quite easily. The A406 has cycle lanes either side but is unpleasant. This may be of some use: http://www.cyclemaps.net/index.html

thereisnospooncp

Are cycles actually allowed in the tunnels? I wouldn't be very comfortable using them myself.

http://lifeonthetube.blogspot.com/

Unknown

Yes there's marked cycle lanes in the cheeky locals only tunnels either side of the main traffic tunnel like I said above ;o)

zimzum42

Don't think you have to stick to the cycle lane all the way along the M4, in some mparts it's been designed by muppets, and you're safer on the road......

much quicker too!



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My Bikes My Commute

urrrrrrrrrs

From Heathrow go via Sipson, Stockley Park,Uxbridge Road Hayes,Hillingdon,Ickenham,West ruislip,Ruislip,Eastcote,Pinner.Uxbridge Road Hatch End,Harrow Weald,Bushey Heath,Elstree and through to A1 at Borehamwood(i would be here till Xmas naming all the roads but this is the ajist of it)

i do ths route a fair bit,its 21 miles,barely uses any major trunk roads tends to get a bit hilly from Uxbridge Road Hatch End onwards but is quite leafy and green etc just avoid the rush hours !!!!

Hope this helps and apologies but cant work out the bikely stuff at the mo,not v computer literate is me)

---

i'd rather have a bottle in front of me,than a frontal lobotomy

mark1956

Which terminal are you landing in? About 3 years ago I cycled out of terminal 4 (flights to/from US at the time) with no difficulties, ended up on (I think) the A30, which had a separate bike path, although riding in the road was manageable. I ended up in Cranford, then Hayes, then the Grand Union Canal towpath into central London. Getting from Terminal 4 to the A30 was a piece of cake, just followed the road the cars and buses were using. I think I got my route advice from Orienteer, although on USENET/uk.rec.cycling, not this forum. Once on the A30 you can probably put together a route of your choice using info from others on this thread.

mark