Route from south west london to Box hill?

bobinski
bobinski Posts: 570
edited May 2012 in Commuting chat
Hi,
I have agreed to take some newish cyclists out from Herne Hill to Box Hill on sunday. I can find lots of routes out from say richmond or windsor but i dont really want to take them out that far west before going south. Ideally, we would go up through Dulwich, Crystal palace, say Elmers end, quietish roads but after that i am not too sure. Had a look at the Dulwich Paragon site but cannot find their Box Hill route which is a shame because i am sure they start in this way. It would also help if we could make use of the cycle lanes around Box Hill too. Any advise greatfully accepted.
cheers

Comments

  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    Depart from Herne Hill [HNH] Platform 4 @ 09:26
    Change at Sutton (Surrey) [SUO]. Arrive @ 09:57
    Depart from Sutton (Surrey) [SUO] Platform 2@ 10:11
    Disembark at Box Hill & Westhumble [BXW] Platform 1 @ 10:33
    Duration 1:07
    An adult single costs £7.80

    I'm not helping much, am I?
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  • bobinski
    bobinski Posts: 570
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Depart from Herne Hill [HNH] Platform 4 @ 09:26
    Change at Sutton (Surrey) [SUO]. Arrive @ 09:57
    Depart from Sutton (Surrey) [SUO] Platform 2@ 10:11
    Disembark at Box Hill & Westhumble [BXW] Platform 1 @ 10:33
    Duration 1:07
    An adult single costs £7.80

    I'm not helping much, am I?

    :lol:
    NO!
  • northstar
    northstar Posts: 407
    Herne Hill to Box Hill, quietest route:

    http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/2161797/#quietest
    Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.
  • bobinski
    bobinski Posts: 570
    Northstar,
    Thanks for that,
    I had looked at bikely etc but they all seem to go west at first and through rather convoluted routes with lots of twists and turns. DP always ride out through Beckenham and the roads are not too bad so was hoping to find theirs or a similar route.
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 62,511
    I'm Beckenham way and we do see quite a few of the DP crowd out on a weekend - not sure what route that take after that though. Looking at the map you'll probably need a pretty convoluted route if you want to avoid most of the main roads: if you don't mind main roads then one option would be through Beckenham, down through Biggin Hill on the A233 to Westerham then pick up the A25 which takes you to within a couple of miles of Box Hill.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • northstar
    northstar Posts: 407
    Your welcome : )

    I've ridden to Box Hill many times, so if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.

    You could try this website too: http://cyclejourneyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/c ... anguage=en

    I've not ridden through Beckenham, but 9'd be happy to accompany you, as i'm pretty experienced at cycling long distances=8]hy
    Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Broadly: south circular to Clapham Common, then follow the A24. Not the prettiest route, but very difficult to get lost going this way.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    I'm Beckenham way and we do see quite a few of the DP crowd out on a weekend - not sure what route that take after that though. Looking at the map you'll probably need a pretty convoluted route if you want to avoid most of the main roads: if you don't mind main roads then one option would be through Beckenham, down through Biggin Hill on the A233 to Westerham then pick up the A25 which takes you to within a couple of miles of Box Hill.

    That's quite a long way round - basically two sides of a triangle when you can get there direct on the third side. Having done something similar a few times, I would guess Westerham would be the halfway point of the route.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 62,511
    Greg66 wrote:
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    I'm Beckenham way and we do see quite a few of the DP crowd out on a weekend - not sure what route that take after that though. Looking at the map you'll probably need a pretty convoluted route if you want to avoid most of the main roads: if you don't mind main roads then one option would be through Beckenham, down through Biggin Hill on the A233 to Westerham then pick up the A25 which takes you to within a couple of miles of Box Hill.

    That's quite a long way round - basically two sides of a triangle when you can get there direct on the third side. Having done something similar a few times, I would guess Westerham would be the halfway point of the route.
    True, although as he'd mentioned heading South East from Herne Hill through Beckenham, I figured that he wasn't too worried about not taking as direct a route as possible. Westerham is also good for a cake & coffee stop on a little loop I sometimes do.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Specialized Needs
    Specialized Needs Posts: 802
    northstar wrote:
    Herne Hill to Box Hill, quietest route:

    http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/2161797/#quietest
    Be careful following the roads on the 'quietest' route north of Cheam (Park Road, Park Lane). There is a new, very inventive rumble strip/4-wheeler rat-run deterrent on both of those roads. It would not be nice to cycle over the rough bits! There should be an OK route through the middle of the road, though.

    Unfortunately these two structures appear to have been put in since the last Google Streetview cars went around, so I cannot show you what I mean.
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    bottom half of Box Hill from zig zag road up to NT cafe has just been resurfaced for Olympics and speed humps removed. Riding very nicely at moment.

    They are doing the works on the second half (Caravan parks down to Dorking road) commencing next weekend so this sunday is a good day to go.
    FCN = 4
  • jonny_trousers
    jonny_trousers Posts: 3,588
    Shouldn't this thread be titled South East London to Box Hill? Glad I looked at it all the same as I was thinking of making my first trip down there from Crystal Palace next week.

    Thanks for the tip MTB-idl! better head out there next week then.
  • bobinski
    bobinski Posts: 570
    Probably. See I forget I live on the last road near Herne hill with an sw2 post code.

    Lots of very helpful advice. I feel comfortable going up via A24 or via Biggin Hill just to get there sharpish and then coming back via a more picturesque route. My comrades may not though. They are used to the leafy lanes of Essex. And they have been told the Dulwich Paragon route out to Box Hill is a nice one.
    Northstar i may take you up on that sometime.
    cheers
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    http://app.strava.com/activities/5057235

    KW Box Hill loop if you're interested.
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  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    When I've been out to Box Hill with DP they've generally gone along main roads through Croydon and out.... Apparently Box Hill is completely mobbed with cyclists these days, even more so than before and there's been a fair amount of aggressive driving from people in cars getting held up - be careful!
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  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    Naaaahhh! I have ridden it the last few months with my 19 y o son who has a disability so he can wobble about a bit more than usual and it's been fine.

    Lots of other riders but that's a good thing isn't it? He loves it when he gets a chance to draft or even overtake them.
    FCN = 4
  • optimisticbiker
    optimisticbiker Posts: 1,657
    MTB-Idle wrote:
    bottom half of Box Hill from zig zag road up to NT cafe has just been resurfaced for Olympics and speed humps removed. Riding very nicely at moment.

    They are doing the works on the second half (Caravan parks down to Dorking road) commencing next weekend so this sunday is a good day to go.

    It might be if it weren't for the 1500 riders doing London Revolution that'll be converging on Box Hill between about 9:30 and 12:00 on Sunday (based on starting at Windsor between 8 and 10 and allowing for a range of paces)
    Invacare Spectra Plus electric wheelchair, max speed 4mph :cry:
  • bobinski
    bobinski Posts: 570
    OptimisticBiker wrote:
    MTB-Idle wrote:
    bottom half of Box Hill from zig zag road up to NT cafe has just been resurfaced for Olympics and speed humps removed. Riding very nicely at moment.

    They are doing the works on the second half (Caravan parks down to Dorking road) commencing next weekend so this sunday is a good day to go.

    It might be if it weren't for the 1500 riders doing London Revolution that'll be converging on Box Hill between about 9:30 and 12:00 on Sunday (based on starting at Windsor between 8 and 10 and allowing for a range of paces)

    :lol:
    perhaps we can get in there early!
    Ta for the warning
  • bobinski
    bobinski Posts: 570
    dhope wrote:
    http://app.strava.com/activities/5057235

    KW Box Hill loop if you're interested.

    Everyone backed out last week because of the weather so may be taking them tomorrow. I don't know if it is possible to extract a gpx file from Strava. Do you have one for that route and if so can you pm me with it?
    cheers
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    bobinski wrote:
    dhope wrote:
    http://app.strava.com/activities/5057235

    KW Box Hill loop if you're interested.

    Everyone backed out last week because of the weather so may be taking them tomorrow. I don't know if it is possible to extract a gpx file from Strava. Do you have one for that route and if so can you pm me with it?
    cheers
    Looks like you can download your own rides but not others'. I've got the gpx, PM me an address and I'll mail it.
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  • bobinski
    bobinski Posts: 570
    pm'd
    :)
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    You've got mail
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  • optimisticbiker
    optimisticbiker Posts: 1,657
    bobinski wrote:
    dhope wrote:
    http://app.strava.com/activities/5057235

    KW Box Hill loop if you're interested.

    Everyone backed out last week because of the weather so may be taking them tomorrow. I don't know if it is possible to extract a gpx file from Strava. Do you have one for that route and if so can you pm me with it?
    cheers

    Weather was fine :) and Box Hill was much more benign than I'd been led to believe, although I only pootled up it, having another 50miles to go afterwards. Some went up it like a train! My new avatar is me at the top admiring the view :)
    Invacare Spectra Plus electric wheelchair, max speed 4mph :cry:

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