Cycling through London on the Thames towpath?

[snakebasket]

Last year a friend and I kayaked the non-tidal Thames from Lechlade to Teddington lock. We started the adventure with a cycle ride to Lechlade from the Thames Head and am considering ending the journey with a cycle ride from Hampton Court to the QE2 bridge using the Thames path. I'm guessing we may have to walk some of it where bikes are restricted but I'm not really sure whether this is feasible or even possible? Has anyone here done this journey or part if. I would like to stick as closely to the river as possible to "bookend" the paddle route with a cycling route.

Any ideas?

 

[Gloop]

No idea personally, but sounds like a great thing to do.

 

[Wapping]

Some twats on pushbikes, treat the (excellent) Thames Path and the equally excellent canal towpaths as a race track. Don’t be one of them and you’ll be fine.

 

[Orinoco]

Last year a friend and I kayaked the non-tidal Thames from Lechlade to Teddington lock. We started the adventure with a cycle ride to Lechlade from the Thames Head and am considering ending the journey with a cycle ride from Hampton Court to the QE2 bridge using the Thames path. I'm guessing we may have to walk some of it where bikes are restricted but I'm not really sure whether this is feasible or even possible? Has anyone here done this journey or part if. I would like to stick as closely to the river as possible to "bookend" the paddle route with a cycling route.

Any ideas?

Likewise, no idea, but post the adventure here, will look forward to it

 

[LOLGEOFF]

I only really know the section from Deptford Creek to QEII bridge, mainly Cycle Path 1, and that follows mainly the river bank. The main problem is when you get to large areas of habitation there is so much building going on that large sections of the path can be suddenly diverted inland around the construction sites, considering the old flood plain of the Thames is relatively flat it won't be long before the river will be running through a man made canyon. In what most people consider 'London' there are still lots of wharves and warehousing along the banks with no public access so again mainly inland but there is good cycle lanes along these sometimes busy roads. When it comes to footpaths, as Wapping has said, most people don't mind if you are courteous and not riding like a nutter, saying that the food delivery ebike riders and the Strava Warriors don't seem to care. Here's a map showing the cycle routes if you don't already know about it. Take a spare tube, pump, tools and a repair kit with you as your can be quite a way from the nearest help, even if you don't know how to fix it yourself there is usually a helpful person passing that will, if you have the parts.

Detailed maps & routes to explore across the UK | OS Maps

Discover millions of routes to walk, run & cycle; or plot your own with Ordnance Survey mapping and route planner tools on web and app. Try it for free.

explore.osmaps.com

 

[The Other PaulG]

Just looked at my hames map but it desn't offer much helpful information.

@LockieP is the man to ask, esp regarding the Richmond stretch.

 

[snakebasket]

I only really know the section from Deptford Creek to QEII bridge, mainly Cycle Path 1, and that follows mainly the river bank. The main problem is when you get to large areas of habitation there is so much building going on that large sections of the path can be suddenly diverted inland around the construction sites, considering the old flood plain of the Thames is relatively flat it won't be long before the river will be running through a man made canyon. In what most people consider 'London' there are still lots of wharves and warehousing along the banks with no public access so again mainly inland but there is good cycle lanes along these sometimes busy roads. When it comes to footpaths, as Wapping has said, most people don't mind if you are courteous and not riding like a nutter, saying that the food delivery ebike riders and the Strava Warriors don't seem to care. Here's a map showing the cycle routes if you don't already know about it. Take a spare tube, pump, tools and a repair kit with you as your can be quite a way from the nearest help, even if you don't know how to fix it yourself there is usually a helpful person passing that will, if you have the parts.

Detailed maps & routes to explore across the UK | OS Maps

Discover millions of routes to walk, run & cycle; or plot your own with Ordnance Survey mapping and route planner tools on web and app. Try it for free.

explore.osmaps.com

Thankyou. That's incredibly helpful and great local knowledge.

 

[er-minio]

@LockieP is the man to ask, esp regarding the Richmond stretch

It’s doable. And very enjoyable. Just a few bits where you have to jump on the road later on.
I didn’t venture too far out though.

 

[LockieP]

You can cycle on the towpath from Teddington to Kew Gardens on the Surrey bank uninterrupted. I’m not sure about Kew onwards.
Be aware that the Thames is tidal after Teddington & some parts of the towpath are submerged at high water on Spring tides.

 

[adventuredon]

from teddington to tower bridge is easy and close to the river. Then it goes a bit here and there. Richmond to Barnes is the pits and bump as. Unless you use the north side path but thats a bit more stop start with pedestrians

 

[snakebasket]

A big thankyou to everybody for the great advice so far. I'm planning to do this ride very early one Sunday morning (literally starting at dawn to avoid as many people as possible.) in July. I will post on here to let you know how it all pans out..

 

[LOLGEOFF]

The Greenwich section between the Naval College and the Blackwall Tunnel gets very narrow in places, as in one bike wide with lots of blind corners, lamp posts, litter bins and swarms of tourists with no road sense what so ever so it pays to have a warning device fitted, like a bell or a cigarette card in the spokes etc to warn them you're coming, don't whatever you do yield to anyone, look everyone straight in the eyes and power through.

 

[er-minio]

(literally starting at dawn to avoid as many people as possible.)

Hampton to Richmond is ok, no strict need to go through it at 4am.

I used to do it quite often (other direction) and is wide enough to let everyone enjoy their time.
The section of the Thames towards Hammersmith has a few (short) bits where it's narrow, but never an issue of, course.
It is a very enjoyable, relaxed, ride. This post is a reminder that I have to get back into the habit of cycling from home to Richmond for a beer like I regularly did until a couple of years back.

I might have miscalculated tidal times near Petersham, a few years (and more hair) back:

I agree with the above that the Greenwich bit is a bit more busy/less enjoyable.
But one can do the north bit and hit the breweries

 

[snakebasket]

Hampton to Richmond is ok, no strict need to go through it at 4am.

I used to do it quite often (other direction) and is wide enough to let everyone enjoy their time.
The section of the Thames towards Hammersmith has a few (short) bits where it's narrow, but never an issue of, course.
It is a very enjoyable, relaxed, ride. This post is a reminder that I have to get back into the habit of cycling from home to Richmond for a beer like I regularly did until a couple of years back.

I might have miscalculated tidal times near Petersham, a few years (and more hair) back:

I agree with the above that the Greenwich bit is a bit more busy/less enjoyable.
But one can do the north bit and hit the breweries

Great advice and much appreciated.

 

[The Other PaulG]

Be aware that the Thames is tidal after Teddington & some parts of the towpath are submerged at high water on Spring tides.

Indeed - maybe 10 summers ago I was enjoying a fabulous pint outside a pub in Richmond - beautiful summer evening on the Thames. A couple of Kiwis drove their old banger down the slipway and sat in their car, music blaring, smoking up a load of weed.

Being Brits, no-one complained... but neither did we warn them that the river was rising - only when it started to come through the door seals did they realise. Tee hee!

 

[Wapping]

There is an (unnamed) subscriber to UKGSer, who also discovered the misfit between: A pub, a tidal Thames and a car.

 

[snakebasket]

After all of the info seeking and planning I went for it and did the 50 miles Thames cycle ride from Teddington Lock to the QE2 bridge with my friend Paul. (We'd previously kayaked the Thames from Lechlade to Teddington and cycled from Thames Head to Lechlade).
My other half Jan has been our support driver during our travels.
We set off with our bikes on the back of our trusty KIA Sportage from the south coast after the England v Norway game (in good spirits!) at 01.45 and started the ride at 03.45 at Teddington Lock.
It was fantastic fun . The first 5 miles or so were in the dark using our bike lights. The path hugged the river and was very easy to follow and it was a great ride to Hammersmith Bridge where we had our first drink stop. We then worked our way along through the major sites in the city centre. Amazing going past Westminster and Tower Bridge without any people . Highlights for me HMS Belfast , Cutty Sark and Thames Barrier. There were a few issues around developments and industrial areas where there were gated paths which meant heading inland to divert briefly but the ride was really very easy to navigate.
The ride towards the QE2 Bridge takes you to the River Darant which means riding down the bank until there is a road to the tunnel / bridge (where the operative was not pleased with us taking the photo!) . Jan had been tracking my phone and was there to collect us for the journey home to Sussex. We got to the bridge at 10.30.
Everything went fabulously : thanks to everyone who contributed advice and I’m pleased to recommend the ride to anyone who has reasonable cycling fitness and a sense of fun! I’m older (68) and tosser sized and coped fairly easily so good luck to anyone else who wishes to do it. Maps and data from my Apple Watch . My bike is a GIANT Talon 29er and Paul's a Specialised G2. I’m happy to share any info or answer any sensible questions .

 

[snakebasket]

A few more pictures and a map!

 

[Udders]

Nice ride!

 

[LOLGEOFF]

The ride towards the QE2 Bridge takes you to the River Darant which means riding down the bank until there is a road to the tunnel / bridge (where the operative was not pleased with us taking the photo!) . Jan had been tracking my phone and was there to collect us for the journey home to Sussex. We got to the bridge at 10.30.

Well done.

If you do it again, or anyone else is thinking of doing it you can get back to the Thames Path. Just after you go over the Darent on Bob Dunn Way there's a path that takes you back to the river and under the bridge, rather than going down the dual carriageway, and your support vehicle can pick you up either by the huge Amazon depot or further downstream near Asda Greenhithe.