Office Move - help needed with new route
edrobbin
Posts: 173
Hi - I am being moved from Charing Cross Hospital in Hammersmith to Hammersmith Hospital near White City. (The NHS clearly can't name their hospitals correctly!).
My current route from Waterloo station is, I'm guessing, relatively simple - Millbank, Chelesa Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Brompton Cemetary, Lillie Rod, so am expecting a bit more chaos when I move. I'm a Dorset bred MTB'er and although fine with London commuting, slightly nervous about the new route.
Google is taking me over Waterloo Bridge, Strand, Trafalgar Sq, Mall, Hyde Pk Corner, Hyde Park, Bayswater Rd, Ladbrook Grove then around the houses for the last bit. 7 miles, which is fine but I'm after a bit of advice;
- Strand/Trafalgar Sq - I'm guessing not much SCR going on there - sounds like a nightmare for bikes - any alternatives?
- Hyde Park Corner - Is there a bike route across what looks like a tricky junction?
- Does anyone do this, or bits of it who might have some handy hints?
Alternatively I could just do my normal route and extend it up through Hammersmith & Shepherd's Bush.
Any advice much appreciated
My current route from Waterloo station is, I'm guessing, relatively simple - Millbank, Chelesa Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Brompton Cemetary, Lillie Rod, so am expecting a bit more chaos when I move. I'm a Dorset bred MTB'er and although fine with London commuting, slightly nervous about the new route.
Google is taking me over Waterloo Bridge, Strand, Trafalgar Sq, Mall, Hyde Pk Corner, Hyde Park, Bayswater Rd, Ladbrook Grove then around the houses for the last bit. 7 miles, which is fine but I'm after a bit of advice;
- Strand/Trafalgar Sq - I'm guessing not much SCR going on there - sounds like a nightmare for bikes - any alternatives?
- Hyde Park Corner - Is there a bike route across what looks like a tricky junction?
- Does anyone do this, or bits of it who might have some handy hints?
Alternatively I could just do my normal route and extend it up through Hammersmith & Shepherd's Bush.
Any advice much appreciated
Waterloo - White City
Cannondale Quick Carbon 1 2016
Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 3 26" (Lefty)
Cannondale Quick Carbon 1 2016
Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 3 26" (Lefty)
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Comments
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Why not just go the route to Charing X Hospital then keep heading north? Seems just as straightforward as the other route through the west end. From Lillie Road you can go across to Silverton then turn right on Rannoch. Its much quieter than going up Fulham Palace Rd and you can wind through the back roads coming out to the west side of Appollo which gives you a better entry to the gyratory. You just need to be patient and wait for a gap in the traffic before heading straight up. Looks like maybe you can go along Uxbridge Rd then take a right to cut up to the hospital but I don't know part of it too well.
Strand/Trafalgar Sq is just a mess of buses and taxis and lemming peds. Yes it is possible to cut across Hyde Park Corner but i think the Royal Parks take the hump if you try to ride in Green Pk.
Avoid Westway like the plague it is frightening. I went that way once scariest few minutes of my life!!!
Edited to say 'west side of Apollo' (Queen Caroline St).0 -
Many thanks - sounds like avoiding central/West end is the plan.
I'll have to un-train my body, as currently it's tuned to precisely 6.21 miles. 6.22 is unchartered territory...9 is going to be a challenge...Waterloo - White City
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Work up gradually. Do 6.215 tomorrow, find somewhere safe to lock the bike and get a bus the rest of the way.Many thanks - sounds like avoiding central/West end is the plan.
I'll have to un-train my body, as currently it's tuned to precisely 6.21 miles. 6.22 is unchartered territory...9 is going to be a challenge...
Then 6.22 the day after. In only 2.5 years you'll have the 9 miles nailed 8)0 -
In general it's best to avoid the busiest areas. What you save in distance you lose fighting your way through traffic. I've tried a few routes from Knightbridge to Hammersmith and they are all pretty horrid. Lillie Road can be a bit cr@ppy especially with the weird double roundabout but the alternatives are even worse. The A4 has woefully narrow lanes, High St Ken is a chopperfest on steroids, Bayswater Road/Holland Park Ave way too many red lights, Westway is terrifying...
You could try following the traditional SCR route of embankment/ New Kings Road and coming out at the bottom of Fulham Palace Road. There is bus lane northwards and it really only becomes a nightmare at the top end at which point it's better to cut through the back roads.0 -
Lillie Road can be a bit cr@ppy especially with the weird double roundabout
That's the only part of my current route that ever causes me problems - lost count of the number of times 3 vehicles arrive at once & no one knows who's going first, with me stuck in the middle trying to go right, being assertive/confident/cocky/stupid.Waterloo - White City
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I'd go via the route Google suggests, apart from perhaps Birdcage Walk instead of trekking up to the Mall. There's a shared cycle/ped crossing across Hyde Park corner, and through the park is pretty quiet traffic-wise. Bayswater Road is no worse than the Embankment, plus you can experiment with back streets such as Pembridge Sq/Crescent to avoid the most of it, and Ladbroke grove is pretty wide with (non-mandatory) cycle lanes either way. It looks nicer than hacking up from Hammersmith or the end of the Embankment."Mummy Mummy, when will I grow up?"
"Don't be silly son, you're a bloke, you'll never grow up"0 -
So, day one of new commute. All good. Green lights all the way around Parliament Sq, Birdcage Walk, Buck Pal, Hyde Park, Bayswater Rd, Ladbrooke Grove, then wiggle through the houses to Hammersmith Hospital.
7.01 miles, a lot more traffic - RH turn off Bayswater to Ladbrooke Grove took ages, but other than that, a really nice route. Ladbrooke Grove even has a HILL!
Will need to take a camera tomorrow though - went past half the sites in London!Waterloo - White City
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So, day one of new commute. All good. Green lights all the way around Parliament Sq, Birdcage Walk, Buck Pal, Hyde Park, Bayswater Rd, Ladbrooke Grove, then wiggle through the houses to Hammersmith Hospital.
7.01 miles, a lot more traffic - RH turn off Bayswater to Ladbrooke Grove took ages, but other than that, a really nice route. Ladbrooke Grove even has a HILL!
Will need to take a camera tomorrow though - went past half the sites in London!
OK - need to reign in my enthusiasm a bit - Ladbrooke Grove & Bayswater Rd are traffic light hell :evil:Waterloo - White City
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So, day one of new commute. All good. Green lights all the way around Parliament Sq, Birdcage Walk, Buck Pal, Hyde Park, Bayswater Rd, Ladbrooke Grove, then wiggle through the houses to Hammersmith Hospital.
7.01 miles, a lot more traffic - RH turn off Bayswater to Ladbrooke Grove took ages, but other than that, a really nice route. Ladbrooke Grove even has a HILL!
Will need to take a camera tomorrow though - went past half the sites in London!
OK - need to reign in my enthusiasm a bit - Ladbrooke Grove & Bayswater Rd are traffic light hell :evil:
I told you Bayswater Road was shoot :roll:
From Lancaster Gate try Gloucester Terrace/ Bishop's Bridge Road/ Westbourne Grove as an alternative route to Ladbroke Grove (brings you out further north).
Do not under any circumstances continue up Gloucester Terrace and onto the A40. Although looking at the map there is possibly a towpath along the canal which would bring you out to the top end of Ladbroke Grove.0 -
Many thanks, and yes, fair point about Bayswater Rd.
Priorities for the day.
1. Scour Google maps for new route
2. book central London hotel for mid-week lash-up next week
3. Avoid being seen doing 1 & 2
4. Do some actual workWaterloo - White City
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Could try St Ann's Rd/Bramley Rd, there's a contra-flow cycle path on Addison Ave to get to it from Holland Park Ave, tho no easy right turn so you may have to freestyle it at the lights. Bayswater Rd always going to be a pain, tho without going miles out of the way alternatives aren't much better."Mummy Mummy, when will I grow up?"
"Don't be silly son, you're a bloke, you'll never grow up"0 -
Many thanks - sounds like avoiding central/West end is the plan.
I'll have to un-train my body, as currently it's tuned to precisely 6.21 miles. 6.22 is unchartered territory...9 is going to be a challenge...
You are overthinking the all matter...
What is certain is that to do 2.8 extra miles you need a new carbon bikeleft the forum March 20230 -
You are overthinking the all matter...
What is certain is that to do 2.8 extra miles you need a new handbuilt wheelset
FTFY
"Mummy Mummy, when will I grow up?"
"Don't be silly son, you're a bloke, you'll never grow up"0 -
You're so last year...You are overthinking the all matter...
What is certain is that to do 2.8 extra miles you need a new handbuilt wheelset
FTFY left the forum March 20230 -
I'm about to put my handbuilt wheels on the carbon bike- I could triple my commute!RIP commute...
Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.0 -
i just cant fathom a route that is worse than bayswater road, i also cant work out how to avoid it.BMC TM01 - FCN 0
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i just cant fathom a route that is worse than bayswater road, i also cant work out how to avoid it.
Bayswater is utter sihte. Period. 3 mins for a half mile. Funnily enough pretty devoid of cyclists. I tried the backstreets through to Ladbrooke Grove but ended up arsing about with right turns.
Thinking about going back to the embankment and up through HammersmithWaterloo - White City
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Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 3 26" (Lefty)0
