Road route - east Thames, any ideas?

rflook

Hi,

Currently training for lejog in the summer and am out every weekend putting in about 70 miles. However m getting bored with cycling around the surrey hills and am tempted to go cycling on road routes along the Thames in east London, preferably south of the river, out towards Thurrock kind of way and beyond. However I can't seem to find any info about what it's like in this area. Has anyone ever cycled out this way, are there decent riverside routes or at the very least routes with some decent scenery?

raymondo60

About 4 years ago I rode the length of the Thames as a 5-day 'holiday'. Stuck to the towpath as much as possible, and ended up at the source, out near Ewen in Glos. My original plan was to ride from Southend Pier, i.e. the 'estuary', right up to the source. However, anywhere east of Gravesend (on the south side) or Tilbury (on the north) was basically no go. The only way to do it would be to ride along the A13, and most of that is dual carriageway with a 70mph limit. I did ride around the back lanes of Tilbury, South Benfleet etc - I actually used the foot ferry at Gravesend to cross the river - and there were some interesting bits, especially around Tilbury Fort, but it would be difficult to describe it as great riding country. It improves once you get past Leigh-on-Sea and the seafront at Westcliff and Southend does have a decent cycle path. Like you I am a Surrey hills local, but my folks live in Essex, and I've done a few nice road rides out there; from Hanningfield (there's a big reservoir) out to Maldon/Heybridge Basin and back, and the ride out the Burnham on Crouch. Both have rivers as a theme. Good luck.

Gazspurs

Hi buddy,

Afraid couldn't help with specific routes but I download a lot of my routes from the below

http://www.bikely.com/

Easy to use & has helped me out a lot finding new places to ride rather than the same old routes

charlie_potatoes

The hills won't be comparable that's for sure
I agree with Raymondos comments.
The scenery and ride quality generally gets better the further North from the Thames you ride.
Thurrock is okay as a start point. Say Orsett or Langdon Hills and then heading either North out past Brentwood or North-east to the Hanningfields, Maldon, Danbury, Burnham etc.
Part of that area is known collectively as Dengie Peninsula which can, on a bleak day, present it's own challenges
(google cycling Dengie Peninsular).

I can sort out a few routes if you send me a PM

raymondo60

Isn't there a famous early season sportive on the Dengie Marshes? Because of the lack of routes in that part of Essex, I eventually started my Thames ride at Tower Bridge, in the Pool of London, on a rainy Monday morning. When I reached the source at Ewen on the Friday afternoon, I'd completed almost exactly 200 miles.

charlie_potatoes

Raymondo60 wrote:

Isn't there a famous early season sportive on the Dengie Marshes?

I rode it a couple of weeks ago. Organised by Southend Wheelers.

Also this http://www.dengiemarshestour.com/ which was cancelled this year

pashda

there is also a Dengie sportive in May this year. Starts in Bradwell and is run alongside a triathlon. 25 or 50 miles with a couple of small hills in it and usually plenty of wind to test the legs.

charlie_potatoes

Pashda wrote:

there is also a Dengie sportive in May this year. Starts in Bradwell and is run alongside a triathlon. 25 or 50 miles with a couple of small hills in it and usually plenty of wind to test the legs.

Any more info Pashda?