Route help anyone? Paddington to Hampstead

vivski

Hi all,
newbie here! After some advice if anyone can help? I am starting a new job at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead in a few weeks which will mean I'm getting the train into Paddington every day and then cycling from there to the hospital. I've invested in a Brompton (never thought I'd say that!) for ease of carrying on train etc but am a bit stuck for the best route to take. I have never had to ride in London before (don't really know london that well at all) and after a pre-start visit to the new place on Wednesday am slightly terrified about the traffic..... I am a regular road cyclist and currently do a 10 mile commute in Oxford every day on the bike as well as club rides etc but there seems to be much better infrastructure for bikes here and obviously much smaller roads, less traffic! Any advice would be welcome, have had a look on various online mapping sites but would welcome any input from anyone who might do or have done a similar route? Thanks

edrobbin

Hi, I'm a recent convert to London cycling, NHS as well - Imperial.

Google maps is pretty good as far as the route is concerned. I'm not familiar with that side of town so can't really help other than that.

As far as the cycling goes, lots of good advice on this site. Certainly helped me massively

timothyw

I started out cycling with a commute Notting Hill Gate to Muswell Hill, close to what you're after - I planned out a route taking in as many back roads as possible, it was a bit junction heavy but served me well for those six months or so, here it is:
https://www.strava.com/activities/82102347

The scariest bit for you will be getting past the Westway, hard to avoid busy roads doing that, once you're north of that it should be fairly straightforward, and you have the benefit that you're going the opposite direction to most of the commuter traffic.

vivski

Great, thanks both I'd had a look at online mapping but always nice to get some input from people who have actually done the route, or a similar one! Agree TimothyW - when I was in London last week I walked back to the station and was thinking it was fine until I got to the Westway :shock: . I'm sure I'll get used to it and it's only a short section. Thanks again.

Ben6899

I purposefully haven't looked at the other routes - so as not to be influenced - but this is the route I would take:

https://goo.gl/maps/hB1Qwe8K54p

First bit is bike (tow) path and then a subway under the Westway. It's all quiet roads from there and the roundabout near the NW corner of The Regent's Park isn't as scary as it looks on the map.

jedster

Ben's route is good, depending on your attitude to using pedestrian underpasses. To be honest Praed street, then a brief section of Marylebone road before a left turn somewhere near the Landmark Hotel/Marylebone station is fine too. Marylebone road is usually so congested it is pretty easy paced for cycling

Ben6899

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19733021#p19733021]jedster[/url] wrote:

Ben's route is good, depending on your attitude to using pedestrian underpasses. To be honest Praed street, then a brief section of Marylebone road before a left turn somewhere near the Landmark Hotel/Marylebone station is fine too. Marylebone road is usually so congested it is pretty easy paced for cycling

I agree re Praed Street and Marylebone Road - I'd go that way. But the OP seemed nervous of the main roads. Anyway...

OP, let us know how you get on. And have a pint in The Stag!

vivski

Thanks Ben and jedster! Will give those a try. TBH I'm sure I'll be fine once I get used to it - I'm used to riding on fairly busy main roads at the moment but somehow the thought of doing it on a Brompton rather than a road bike makes me more nervous :oops: :roll: Have made a note to visit The Stag for a pint to calm the nerves