Cycling to Gatwick

shoulder_of_orion
shoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
edited July 2009 in Commuting chat
Has anyone ever done this before?

I have to meet someone at the airport tomorrow at 7pm. So I thought I'd just cycle there from work, which I think is around 25miles.

Is there cycle parking close to the terminal building? Can you get into to the airport without going on hideously busy roads?

I will be putting the bike on the train afterwards so we will travel back together, but was just wondering if it will be too much of a faff??

Comments

  • shoulder_of_orion
    shoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    Just put "cycling gatwick" into google and found this little gem:

    http://www.nuttycyclist.co.uk/cycling/f ... atwick.htm
  • Porgy
    Porgy Posts: 4,525
    edited July 2009
    From Wikipedia
    Cycle
    Route 21 of the National Cycle Network passes under South Terminal, allowing virtually traffic-free cycling northwards to Horley and southwards to Three Bridges and Crawley. A goods-style lift runs between the terminal and ground level (signed "Lift to Cycle Route"), near Zone L.



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Gatwick_Airport#Cycle
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    The roads around there, particularly the South Terminal, really ain't great - I think you can only approach it from one direction too, because the other way is the M23. I think you'd be fine getting to the Crawley area, but it's just those roads around the airport which would put me off.

    EDIT: I stand corrected! :)
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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    follow the A23 and you can't miss it, though some not wildly lovely roads around the airport as is often the case.
  • stuaff
    stuaff Posts: 1,736
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    Just put "cycling gatwick" into google and found this little gem:

    http://www.nuttycyclist.co.uk/cycling/f ... atwick.htm

    Went up those stairs the other week (me and about 60 others, Friday Night Ride to the Coast riders on our way to Brighton- tea stop).
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  • rmhodv
    rmhodv Posts: 83
    I work on the industrial estate (Manor Royal) about 1/2 mile from Gatwick. Roads aren't too bad. Where are you coming from? I might be able to advise on route.
    Just done a quick Google and it appears that there are cycle racks at Gatwick airport railway station if that helps?
  • shoulder_of_orion
    shoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    Porgy wrote:
    From Wikipedia
    Cycle
    Route 21 of the National Cycle Network passes under South Terminal, allowing virtually traffic-free cycling northwards to Horley and southwards to Three Bridges and Crawley. A goods-style lift runs between the terminal and ground level (signed "Lift to Cycle Route"), near Zone L.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Gatwick_Airport#Cycle

    Cheers that looks promising. Does anyone know where I can download hi-res PDFs of the national cycle routes as that sustrain site is a bit confusing (and offers only really zoomed out maps or a mapping tool that does not allow you to plot a route).
    rmhodv wrote:

    I work on the industrial estate (Manor Royal) about 1/2 mile from Gatwick. Roads aren't too bad. Where are you coming from? I might be able to advise on route.
    Just done a quick Google and it appears that there are cycle racks at Gatwick airport railway station if that helps?

    I am coming from Earl's Court in London. Any route advise much appreciated. Looking at cycle route 21 at the moment, but that starts in Lewisham (near where I live), but I think I might be better off with an alternate route between Earl's Court and joining up with Route 21 at a later point.

    Cycle racks at the station is perfect. Cheers.

    My google-fu is obviously in its waning phase today....
  • rmhodv
    rmhodv Posts: 83
    Just found THIS (what a great tool).
    I think that I would go from Earl's Court on route 20 to Wallington. At the junction of Park Lane & Stafford Road, then cut across to route 21 via Coombe Road & Gravel Hill (quite steep mind you.
    Hope this helps?
    Good luck
  • risi
    risi Posts: 231
    If you use http://www.bikehike.co.uk or http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com one of the mapping options is the open cycle map, which you can then use to plot a route.
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  • rmhodv
    rmhodv Posts: 83
    THIS may also help.
  • Roougers
    Roougers Posts: 36
    I've done it a few times coming down from Wallington.

    You dont have to go anywhere near the aproach roads, there is a path along the railway line from Horley that skirts the staff car park of the South Terminal and on the path you will find the staff bike rike which can definately be used be anyone (I left my old tatty Subway there for 2 weeks once!) It has full CCTV and there are always security people buzzing around. Its then a short 2 min walk to the South Terminal.

    The path is well signposted from Horley (its just off The Drive) but its very busy at peak times and very narrow, and a bit scary in the dark!! LOL
  • shoulder_of_orion
    shoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    Gah.

    I just spent ages on that Bikeroutetoaster, plotting in my route all the way from work to Gatwick. click click click blimming click click click tedious, click, couldn't figure out how to save the route clicked help and vamoosh - the route was gone....

    I think I'm going to follow rmhodv's and Progy's advice. Take route 20, then up Gravel hill, hit Route 21 and hey presto Gatwick.

    But, but but, does anyone know what Route 21 is like between Addiington and Gatwick? There seem to be quite a lot of "off road" sections. My bike is very much a road bike. Will it be OK or should I stick to roads?
  • rmhodv
    rmhodv Posts: 83
    It would appear that after Addington it is in fact quite rugged http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cycle_Route_21 . As an alternative you could try this route. Google Map
  • shoulder_of_orion
    shoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    rmhodv wrote:
    It would appear that after Addington it is in fact quite rugged http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cycle_Route_21 . As an alternative you could try this route. Google Map

    Thanks. But your route from Addington is over 30 miles (including a loop - still over 25 when that is taken out) and the whole route from Earl's Court is about the same when I select "avoid highways" on google maps. Good info on Route 21 though, it seems that it gets better as you approach Gatwick.

    I think I am going to just going to go via the most direct route, but try to hit 21 when I get near Gatwick to avoid the busy airport approach roads.

    I am going to leave the office at 5.30 and hope to arrive at Gatwick at 7.30 - I hope I don't take any wrong turnings. I don't have a Garmin, so will be relying on print outs... I have told my brother-in-law to wait in arrivals, I hope he doesn't have to wait too long...

    Thanks to everyone who has added to this thread.
  • rmhodv
    rmhodv Posts: 83
    I think I am going to just going to go via the most direct route, but try to hit 21 when I get near Gatwick to avoid the busy airport approach roads.

    Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

    A23 not too bad. Be careful at Hooley mind you, the traffic speeds up for the M23 turn off.
  • shoulder_of_orion
    shoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    Yep so I cycled to Gatwick after work.

    Tale of the tape:
    I left at 5.32pm
    Total trip time: 1hr 54min 3secs
    Distance: 28.8 miles
    Average Speed: 15.0 mph
    Max Speed: 34.7

    Not fantastic, but I do not use auto-pause so the time and ave speed includes all stops (including 5 min buying and drinking water at around the hour mark). I did not need to take the maps out of my bag - very simple route. The first part was heavy traffic and the second half over quickish road (40 or 50 mph speed limits).

    There were a couple of nasty hills, one steep and the other long. The long one was worse, especially because there was a vicious headwind (which was there all the way to Gatwick). The headwind also prevented me from setting a higher top speed, as on a downhill stretch I thought I would be able to break the 40mph speed limit. That wind was evil!

    As rmhodv says the bit around Hooley is a bit of a nightmare including probably the stupidest cycle lane I have ever been in. It takes you alongside the M23 turn off for a while and then you go perpendicular and have the cross the road with its 50 mph speed limit at a point that is up a hill and round a bend so the drivers can't see you until the last moment. It would be far safer to ignore the cycle lane and just follow the A23 turn off.

    I gave myself a little cheer as I crossed the M25 on the 20 mile mark. Although around then I twinged my shoulder/back - something I have done in the past and takes a couple of weeks to get back to normal. A couple of miles later, a cyclist in full club colours (Norbury I think), passed me at a junction. I think he was quite surprised to see me a couple of feet behind him when he looked and indicated to turn off about a mile later.

    I got onto route 21 literally a few hundred yards before Gatwick and it took me straight to a service elevator with a cycle logo on it (route 21 btw is for MTB or CX only from what I could see). When I got out of the service elevator I was slap bang in the middle of the Terminal building, dripping with sweat, with my bike and in full team Liquigas kit. Quite surreal.

    My brother-in-law wasn't there yet, so I asked information and found the bike racks.

    All in all a brilliant ride. Thanks all for the advice.
  • rmhodv
    rmhodv Posts: 83
    S of L, glad you made it ok. :P

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