Norf Laan Commuters... Route from Kings Cross to Potters Bar

Neil Holland

Required for a mate who's organising a ride from town into deepest Beds.

Has the green and leafy part sorted, looking for suggestions on a pleasant way of getting from town to PB...

Thanks in advance.

N

el_presidente

Camden - kentish town - Archway - east finchley - barnet - PB


Not exactly "pleasant" but no way is really. This is just direct.

You could detour up Highgate Hill instead of Archway if you like.

spasypaddy

try this
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/44256018

_Brun_

spasypaddy wrote:

try this
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/44256018

I see what you did there, evil man.

Neil Holland

Thanks, chaps...

itboffin

I did RP to Potters bar on Sat and got totally lost, spent 50 mins checking routes & maps which was annoying as the entire journey only took 70 mins

I even got fed up and did a few miles on the A406 - that was a lot busier than when i've ridden it at night.

willy b

Could do west Hampstead - Hampstead Heath - east finchley?

Although longer maybe a little nicer.

spasypaddy

_Brun_ wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

try this
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/44256018

I see what you did there, evil man.

:evil: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

_Brun_

spasypaddy wrote:

_Brun_ wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

try this
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/44256018

I see what you did there, evil man.

:evil: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

I also agree that it's a good route, provided you schedule a recovery drink at The Flask.

spasypaddy

unfortunately there is always a hill between Kings X and PB. no way around it so why not throw in the steepest one in the area...

dondare

el_presidente wrote:

Camden - kentish town - Archway - east finchley - barnet - PB


Not exactly "pleasant" but no way is really. This is just direct.

You could detour up Highgate Hill instead of Archway if you like.

I commute from Bloomsbury to Barnet and this is the route I usually take. There are about 150 sets of traffic lights along the way.

A longer but much more scenic route takes me through part of Hampstead Heath and along Dollis Valley. Hardly any traffic lights and much of it along a well made cycle path.

Amanensia

Hi Dondare,

I'm Neil's mate (thanks for starting the thread, Neil!) and your alternative route sounds ideal. We were thinking of moving the start point to Hampstead Heath anyway. Could I trouble you for further details of the more scenic and less traffic-lighty route to Barnet?

Cheers!

dondare

Cycling on Hampstead Heath is limited by a cycling ban on most of the paths. As a completely Law-abiding cyclist I could not possibly recommend a route that took in these paths or admit to using them myself. In fact I do tend dismount and wheel the bike for a few minutes where it is clearly indicated by signage that I should do this.
It is possible, however, to come on to the Heath where there are no such signs, and ride along tracks that are no more than grooves worn in the grass. A cul-de-sac that leads off Fitzroy Park fits the bill perfectly.
Also there are paths where cycling is permitted, although these go in unhelpful directions. Cycling is permitted on most of Millfield Lane which does lead in the right direction.
I leave the Heath one side of Kenwood or the other and cycle west along Hampstead Lane then turn right down Winnington Road. This is long and steep but there's a pay-back later on.
Left turn onto Holne Chase then right onto Kingsley Way, straight across Fallowden Way at the lights and up Ossulton Way: a steep climb up a rather busy section. At the top of Ossulton a left turn takes you onto East End Road which is not as bad as it sounds. Just after East End Road crosses the N. Circular I cross over and get onto Tangletree Close which leads to Briarfield Ave which are perhaps not quite as nice as they sound. Turn right-then-left onto Litchfield Grove at the top of which is Regents Park Road which is a lot worse than it sounds. Turn right and cycle along Regents Park Road until the lights then turn left down Nether Street. I soon turn off Nether Street and go down The Grove and Wentworth Avenue in order to take in Lover's Walk which crosses the railway lines over a footbridge and is renowned for the brickwork in it's walls. Really. It's worth walking for a hundred yards or so to do this. At the bottom of Lover's Walk cross over, mount up and cycle down Lansdowne Road as far as the dog-leg where you turn right (only cyclists and pedestrians can do this) onto Brent Way.
Brent Way becomes Chesterfield Road becomes Westbury Road becomes Holden Road and then you have some alternatives. If you go down Laurel View you will come to a shared path going off to the right that will take you along side Dollis Brook. This comes out on to Totteridge Lane; the path continues on the other side a little way up the hill.
(I do something different; I turn up Woodside Lane then immediately dismount, lift my bike over the locked gate that leads to some allotments. This is not an option for short people. It's a tall gate. There is a kissing gate on one side but it's not easy to get a bike through it. Then there's a road that turns into a path that turns into an overgrown track that runs along the top of the allotments, just alongside the Northern Line. At the far end the fence has gone so there's no problem getting the bike through. This also comes out onto Totteridge Lane but a bit higher up so I go down to join the Dollis Brook.)
After Totteridge Lane the cycle path is pretty good with the brook on the left and an entirely separate footpath running parallel with it to the right. In fact the cycle path is so good that the pedestrians eschew the footpath and walk on the cycle track. Often with dogs. On or off 40 feet of invisible extending dog lead.
This path comes out at the bottom of Western Way (which is where a member of this forum site resides, I believe.) But continue straight on and then turn left onto more footpath (cycling permitted) that still follows Dollis Brook. This comes out on Barnet Lane, which you can cross over and keep cycling on more footpath (cycling permitted) with a very rough surface, I ride across the grass on this bit.
You'll want to turn right and get onto Leeside, up Leeside to Mays Lane, left onto Mays Lane and right soon after onto Hillside Gardens.
If you like killer hills then you'll love Hillside Gardens.
At the top of Hillside Gardens is Wood Street. Turn left and then right at the mini roundabouts onto Staplylton Road. Turn right down Salisbury Road and you'll come out onto the A1000; The Great North Road.
Right goes back to London. Left will take you, eventually, all the way to Aberdeen in Scotland. But Potters Bar is about 3 miles or so north of Barnet on this road. If you get to Aberdeen then you've gone too far.

dugliss

Not much chance of getting lost there then

Amanensia

Thanks, Dondare - that's as comprehensive a reply as I could ever have hoped for!

dondare

Take a map and compass just in case. If in doubt go North.

dondare

I made one mistake.
The Great North Road goes to Edinburgh, not Aberdeen.
That could have been serious.

Amanensia

It's OK, I live just a couple of miles from the Great North Road. Somewhere between Potters Bar and Edinburgh. So if I screw up, hopefully I'll notice as I go past my village.

rubertoe

A 1000 all the way - Barnet to Archway - Keep going down Holloway road and Kings Cross is down their somewhere....

Dondare - i regularly take the left at underhill to take in Hillside Gardens on my commute home - Glutton.

spasypaddy

thats a nice route but exceedingly complex!

from hampstead heath id head down the hill to golders green station, take the third exit on the roundabout towards temple fortune, then its a straight road all the way to high barnet, turn right at the church and onwards to potters bar

lucus_j

mine's the wrong way round but all you have to do is read the map standing on your head. or ride it backwards.

http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ujyzrlcnzyxdsuen

spasypaddy

wow lucus, and i thought i was cruel sending the OP up swains lane. I'd much rather ride swains lane than staggs hill

dondare

It occurs to me that though the A1000 between Barnet and Potters Bar isn't too bad, (40 mph with speed cameras so they keep to it) neither is it very nice.
A turn off to the left down Kitts End Road; right onto Dancers Hill then left onto Baker Street leading to Darkes Lane is more interesting.
But don't be tempted to go down St. Albans Road to get onto Dancers Hill; there are no speed cameras there and the drivers just go mad.

dondare

One more thing: Barnet is the highest point between London and York. So everything between London and Barnet is a kneecap-popping climb, and everything after that is a free-wheeling breeze.
At least until you get to York.

itboffin

dondare wrote:

It occurs to me that though the A1000 between Barnet and Potters Bar isn't too bad, (40 mph with speed cameras so they keep to it) neither is it very nice.
A turn off to the left down Kitts End Road; right onto Dancers Hill then left onto Baker Street leading to Darkes Lane is more interesting.
But don't be tempted to go down St. Albans Road to get onto Dancers Hill; there are no speed cameras there and the drivers just go mad.

I rode the A1000 to PB on Sunday and it was awesome, like a race track 8)

dondare

itboffin wrote:

dondare wrote:

It occurs to me that though the A1000 between Barnet and Potters Bar isn't too bad, (40 mph with speed cameras so they keep to it) neither is it very nice.
A turn off to the left down Kitts End Road; right onto Dancers Hill then left onto Baker Street leading to Darkes Lane is more interesting.
But don't be tempted to go down St. Albans Road to get onto Dancers Hill; there are no speed cameras there and the drivers just go mad.

I rode the A1000 to PB on Sunday and it was awesome, like a race track 8)

Well I hope that you kept to the speed limit.

Where did you start from?

itboffin

The Roebuck @ Richmond pk

spasypaddy

the a1000 is really not a problem road.

rubertoe

dondare wrote:

It occurs to me that though the A1000 between Barnet and Potters Bar isn't too bad, (40 mph with speed cameras so they keep to it) neither is it very nice.
A turn off to the left down Kitts End Road; right onto Dancers Hill then left onto Baker Street leading to Darkes Lane is more interesting.
But don't be tempted to go down St. Albans Road to get onto Dancers Hill; there are no speed cameras there and the drivers just go mad.

This ^


Or bare left at Barnet church and carry on past the hospital and turn right at the Arkely Hotel on to Galley Lane/Trotters Bottom and follow untill you get to the Roundabout - straight over is Dancers Hill Road....

Amanensia

dondare wrote:

One more thing: Barnet is the highest point between London and York. So everything between London and Barnet is a kneecap-popping climb, and everything after that is a free-wheeling breeze.
At least until you get to York.

I'm currently working there Mon-Thurs every week. If you look up "flat as a pancake" in a dictionary, there's a picture of York. The only way of finding a hill is to cycle up a multi-storey car park.

itboffin

dondare wrote:

One more thing: Barnet is the highest point between London and York. So everything between London and Barnet is a kneecap-popping climb, and everything after that is a free-wheeling breeze.
At least until you get to York.

Er what now? Barnet climb, where?

I honestly didn't see or climb anything from RP all the way.