Best commuting route - Blackheath to Embankment

ridin8ude

I've just moved to the UK and somehow ended up in Blackheath.
My office is near Embankment/Charing Cross and I'm trying to find the best route for my commute.

Anyone do a similar commute and can give advice on roads/places to avoid or nice quiet roads with no people or traffic to make my rush hour commutes pure bliss? :twisted:

Thx

Lbaguley

Hi ridin8ude

Blackheath's great - I used to live there and loved it. My commute to Aldwych from there was the most direct route, so hardly traffic/people free, but it's mostly bus lane/nice wide roads. I used to head over the Heath and Greenwich Park, up Creek Road onto Evelyn Street, then Jamaica Street, Tooley Street, Southwark Street and over Blackfriars Bridge.

As a less 'main road' alternative you could go over the parks and into Greenwich, through the foot tunnel (but you cannot cycle in there) to the Isle of Dogs, up Westferry Road and cut onto the river-side path (you can cycle on here, it's part of the London Cycle Network). This you can follow to Narrow Street and from there you can either cros the bridge over the Limehouse Link and meet up with the Cable Street bike path which takes you to Tower Gateway, or at the end of Narrow Street cut back onto the river-side path and follow this to Wapping (which is cobbled and not fun without some serious suspension) and then to St Katherine's Dock and Tower Hill.

From Tower I do not know of any quiet routes to Embankment - it's all going to be pretty busy!

Hope you find a route that suits you and happy riding

L

artaxerxes

Hi ridin8ude
I commute from Blackheath to Islington and I follow the first route mentioned by Lbaguley, except I cross over at London Bridge. I suggest you take a weekend or two to try out both to see which one you prefer. I thought I'd prefer the quieter toute but I soon switched over to the most direct one.

Once you get to London Bridge, if you go via Tooley St-> Montague Close -> Clink St you can go down the traffic free South Bank

newburb_1968

Hi
I also use the same route "Greenwich Park, Deptford, Jamica Road, Tooley St and then turn off at either London Bridge, Blackfriars or Waterloo. To end up near Oxford St.
It should only take 30-40mins pending traffic lights.

The good thing about this route is that the bus lane is restricted for a complete 24hrs so you don't have to worry so much about motorist cutting in and squezzing you off the road.

I am usually travelling between 6am-7am, so I don't get caught in to much traffic around surrey keys at present.
Have fun and enjoy. (I do espically when I my journey is saving me on time and pocket).
Regards
Baz[/quote]

glenwatt

I agree with the routes mentioned above

"Greenwich Park, Deptford, Jamica Road, Tooley St etc"

Most of it is cycle lane.

IMHO avoid heading North of the river too early as Lower Thames Street etc can be a bit hairy.

But you'll soon find what suits you.

ridin8ude

Thanks all for the advice.

I'd gotten the feeling about staying south of the river as long as possible

Going to do a trial run on a quiet Sunday morning and see how I go...

fred_easey

I used to do this commute every day! (lived in Blackheath, worked in Hammersmith)

The best route I found was as follows:

Blackheath -> Peckham

At Peckham pulse cut up the old canal path to Burgess Park. Go all the way across Burgess Park to Oval.

Over Vauxhall Bridge -> Embankement.

Trust me the canal path / Burgess Park route is brilliant, much nicer than being on the roads with all the traffic and lights

fred_easey

Here's a gmap pedometer map of the route:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2067611

Man I used to love that ride. Coming home onto the heath at Blackheath at sunset was amazing, such a nice way to end a long day at the office

fred_easey

Just reallised something - it's not great in the winter a it is really dark on that route. I only used to take that route in the summer and then in winter would simply go up Vauxhall Bridge road.

Great route for when it starts getting lighter again in the spring. One to file away for then maybe.

Fred