Waltham Forest Cycling Campaign will be coordinating guided commuter rides to help people ride to work during the closure. The closure starts on Saturday 8th of August and we will be running rides that weekend for people to learn the routes, then in the week starting Monday 10th August there will be morning rides (generally leaving around 8am) to get people to work.
Learn the route rides, Sunday 9th August: We are leading two rides starting from Walthamstow and going to Finsbury Park and back in the morning then to Stratford and back early afternoon. The rides will take quiet/easy paths as much as possible so they’re suitable for a wide range of abilities (and because #miniholland isn’t quite here yet).
Sunday 9th August:
- 9:30 am, Learn the route ride from Walthamstow Market to Manor House/Finsbury Park and back. Meets outside the library.
- 1 pm, Learn the route ride from Walthamstow Market to Stratford via Leyton and back. Meets outside the library.
Riding to work and ride buddies: There are also be a variety of rides led by members of the cycling community who have posted up details in the comments below. Please get in touch with the ride leaders to let them know your interested and for any questions you have.
These will include rides all the way in to central London which are aimed at more confident cyclists and will include sections on busy roads. If you are organising a ride please post a comment below!
Route maps: We have produced some route maps of possible commuter routes which you can look at online and also download to your phone. Some of these are posted up on our routes page, and we will be adding more as they are finalised.
You can also order free cycling maps from the TfL website: We use them all the time and they’re really handy. Local Cycling Guide 4 covers our area and it’s really useful to have – order yours today, it only takes a few minutes! https://tfl.gov.uk/forms/12419.aspx
Other news:
The interesting thing is, all of them are positive but cycling is hardly mentioned, it’s mostly people really happy about the removal of the rat runs where they live.
Waltham Forest Cycling Campaign 
Walthamstow Queen’s Road Station – Kings Cross/Farrindon
On first two days work days of the closure (10th/11th August), I will lead a ride departing at 8am from Queen’s Road Station (Exmouth Road exit) and finishing on Margery Street in between Kings Cross/Farringdon).
It should take no more than 45mins. The route goes through Clapton – Hackney Downs – Dalston – Angel – Margery St. A Google Maps of the route is here: https://goo.gl/maps/zLqtw
There are some busy junctions and stretches of road on this route, so a basic level of confidence/proficiency is required.
Disclaimer: Please bring a map and make sure your bike is in good working order, as we can’t wait for people if their bike breaks down. All rides are at riders own risk.
Contact me here for more info http://www.facebook.com/euanholloway
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I am an experienced commuting cyclist and have been travelling along the same route from Upper Walthamstow for 6 years and in all weathers. If anyone would like to join me my route is Wood Street – LBR – Lower Clapton Road – Cricketfield Road – Dalston Lane – Queensbridge Road – Hackney Road. I’m not a particularly fast cyclist but I promise to keep the pace to that of a manageable one for those that are a bit on the rusty side! Below are bullet pointed pieces of info for anyone interested.
* Dates I’m available – 10th to 14th August and 25th to 28th August (dates inclusive)
* Start times and locations – 8am for an 815am departure from Wood Street station and 1800 for an 1815 departure from outside Hoxton tube station
* Major stops along the way where others can join us (but we won’t necessarily be stopping at each point unless pre-arranged, otherwise we’ll all be late for work) would be at Bakers Arms junction (ETA 820am), Markhouse Road junction (ETA 825am), Orient Way junction (ETA 830am).
As with all London roads they will be busy. Thankfully it is the summer holidays so they are noticeably quieter. I would say that the very small section of Hackney Road that I cycle on would be the busiest part of the route. Please bring a map and make sure your bike is in good working order, as we can’t wait for people if their bike breaks down. All rides are at riders own risk. If you would like to join me then please drop me an email to kath.goodwin@hotmail.co.uk or call/text 07721775677.
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Hi. I’m happy to lead a ride from the junction of Fraser Road and Lea Bridge Road (outside the Samaritans, basically) to my office in Battersea, passing much of east and central London en route. I will be leaving at 7am, heading down Lea Bridge Road, cut through the park to avoid Lea Bridge Roundabout, through Clapton and Hackney, Shoreditch, over Old Street Roundabout, down Farringdon Road to Blackfriars, where I join the Embankment, through Parliament Square, past Houses of Parliament, Millbank, keeping on the Embankment (past a turning for Victoria) until Chelsea Bridge where I turn south to cross the Thames and go to Battersea. If anyone wants to join me I would be more than happy to share my commuting experience! My email is adam_bruntlett@hotmail.co.uk. Would be good to introduce some new people to the joys of cycle commuting.
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Hi
I’ll be riding from Greenleaf Road (junction with Melville Road) into Clerkenwell via Hackney and Islington, mostly on quiet backroads. Here’s the route, although there are other ways, and I’m open to suggestions.
Walthamstow: The route will be backroads, avoiding Hoe Street/Palmerston Road/Markhouse Road/Blackhorse Road. We’ll reach Lea Bridge Road by going via Northcote Road, through the Argall industrial estate.
Lea Bridge Road: No avoiding this, but there is a shared pavement/cycle lane for almost all of it.
Hackney: The route goes down the mostly quiet Chatsworth and Powerscroft Roads, then a short stretch on a more traffic-y, but manageable Lower Clapton Road and Mare Street. Then it’s on cycle lanes to London Fields and towards Islington.
Islington: The quiet ways to avoid Hackney Road and Old Street go from London Fields through Islington via De Beauvoir town and the Angel. Then it’s down St John Street to near the junction with Clerkenwell Road.
I’m planning to set off around 8:45am, getting to Clerkenwell around 9:30/9:45-ish. I can do the same ride in reverse in the evenings, and tend to leave Clerkenwell at around 6-ish.
If this suits you, please get in touch. My mobile number and e-mail are at the foot of the message.
Please bring a map and make sure your bike is in good working order as we can’t wait for people if their bike breaks down. All rides are at the rider’s own risk.
Sean
07940 305 110
sean.cronin@argusmedia.com
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Hi
I’ll be riding from Campbell Road (junction with Hatherley Road) into Liverpool Street via Hackney, mostly on quiet backroads. Here’s the route:
Walthamstow: The route will be backroads, avoiding Hoe Street/Palmerston Road/Markhouse Road/Blackhorse Road. We’ll reach Lea Bridge Road by going via Northcote Rd, through the Argall industrial estate.
Lea Bridge Road: No avoiding this, but there is a shared pavement/cycle lane for almost all of it.
Hackney: The route goes down the mostly quiet Chatsworth and Powerscroft Roads, then a short stretch on a more traffic-y, but manageable Lower Clapton Road and Mare Street. Then it’s on cycle lanes/less busy roads to London Fields. Broadway Market, Whiston Road, ending at Sun Street just behind Liverpool St station.
I’m planning to set off around 6.45am, getting to Liverpool Street around 7:30-ish. I can do the same ride in reverse in the evenings, and tend to leave Liverpool St (Sun St) at around 5:15-5:30-ish.
At normal person (not racing) cycling speeds, this trip takes around 30 minutes, so I’m allowing around 45 minutes to make the trip easy.
If the weather is terrible, I may decide to brave the Overground train and I will be home-working some of the time. However, I’m planning to cycle most days, so if this suits you, please get in touch.
My mobile number and e-mail are at the foot of the message.
Please bring a map and make sure your bike is in good working order as we can’t wait for people if their bike breaks down. All rides are at the rider’s own risk.
Stuart
07768 610163
stuart.moore@srmoore.com
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Here’s a link to the route – you’ll have to zoom in as Google maps seems to like to show the entire planet as a default view!
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zwFDuhG4dV5U.kMkBSWoVfPQY&usp=sharing
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Hi all!
I’ll be riding from the corner of Courtenay Road and St James St (the end of the market) to Euston station, going via Coppermill lane and across the marshes, up the back streets through Clapton, to Hackney Central, London Fields, then along the back streets again to Kingsland Road (near Haggerston), Essex Road, Angel, through Bloomsbury and up to Euston. It’s all mostly along quiet roads or separate bike paths, apart from one small bit where we have to go along Mare St in Hackney for about 100 metres. I’ll be leaving at 8.30ish, getting to Euston a little before 9.30, and will do the same journey back again (we can meet on the forecourt of Euston station outside Sainsburys) at 6ish, getting back to Walthamstow a bit before 7. I’ll definitely be doing this on the 10th, 11th and 12th, and very likely other subsequent days too.
Please get in touch if you’d like to join! tim@timcowlishaw.co.uk or 07904273331. Thanks!
Please bring a map and make sure your bike is in good working order, as we can’t wait for
people if their bike breaks down. All rides are at riders own risk.
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Hello, I’m Anna and I will be going to Stoke Newington and Highbury and Islington stations during the closure period. It’s a quiet route, no major roads and some of it off-road completely.
I was thinking we could meet at Walthamstow Central tube, round the back where the old bike shed is. I would aim to leave at 8am so meet a few minutes before then, which should get us to Highbury and Islington comfortably for 8.45. I am planning to go Queen’s Rd-Coppermill Lane-Walthamstow Marshes-Springfield Park-Cazenove Rd (passing by Stoke Newington station) – Stoke Newington Church St -Aberdeen Park then through Highbury Fields to Highbury and Islington station.
As for return rides, my plan is to meet at 6 on Highbury Fields behind Highbury Station. However my work hours can be a bit erratic so I might not be as reliable in the evening time as in the morning!
Please bring a map and make sure your bike is in good working order, as we can’t wait for
people if their bike breaks down. All rides are at riders own risk.
Please contact me on innrontour@yahoo.co.uk or 07834227134 if you’d like to come along.
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Hello, just to update you, the back entrance to Walthamstow Central seems to be closed just now. I am guessing this means we can’t meet at the bike sheds – instead please look for me at the bike racks at the back entrance to the station, by the barriers and Barclay’s Bank. All other details unchanged. See you there!
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Hi Anna, yeah we checked this out today too. The guys said that the car park and the cut-through to Ray Dudley Way are completely closed. Fred
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Hello,
Just to let you know that due to unforseen circumstances I won’t be leading the rides on the following dates:
Wed 12th August (afternoon)
Thu 13th August (morning)
Thu 20th August (morning and afternoon)
Fri 21st August (morning and afternoon)
Sorry!
Anna
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Hi Anna, are you going to work tomorrow 15 Aug?
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Hi Luigi, sorry I’ve only just got this message! I’m afraid not, I only work Mon-Fri
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Hi Luigi and Anna,
Sorry the delay with Luigi’s comment coming through is that I needed to moderate it before it appeared. We only moderate the first time people comment so now that’s approved your comments should all appear instantly.
Kind regards,
Fred
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Hi Anna, How can I recognize you if I want to join you at Coppermill Lane?
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Hi Luigi, sorry for delay in reply – been away for a few days. I ride a black Townsend hybrid and wear a white helmet and high vis. I’ll be at Coppermill about 8.20 – meet by the pub? Feel free to ring/email if that helps.
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Hi Anna, It would be too late for me. At that time I should be already out of Springfield Park and 10 min sometime makes a big difference at the end of the journey.
I will keep in mind your description and I will wave you if I recognise you.
bye
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CAMDEN LOCK
This has been my regular daily route for several years, taking a mainly low-traffic route. During the first week of the closure*, I’ll be starting at 8:30 from the Lighthouse Chapel in Markhouse Road. The route goes via Springfield Marina, Stamford Hill, Clissold Park, Arsenal, Holloway & Caledonian Road stations (NB: Underground- won’t accept cycles) Camden Road station (accepts cycles after 9:30). Eta Camden Lock: 9:30.
* Maybe occasional days beyond that period.
MrSteveEllis@hotmail.com
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I’m also happy to lead you home again, from 5:30.
Please bring a map and make sure your bike is in good working order, as we can’t wait forpeople if their bike breaks down. All rides are at riders own risk.
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I’ve had a doodle on the Strava route-plotting facility. Here’s this route in detail.
https://www.strava.com/routes/2994906
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I cycle in on a quiet route from Walthamstow to Bloomsbury, via Coppermill Lane, the Lea towpath, Hackney Downs (park not the station), Dalston, Canonbury, near Angel and finally following the Tavistock Place cycle route. It is around 30% off road and the rest is slow moving (often stationary) traffic.
The routes are here (I modified a route @greavsiee17 kindly posted on Twitter!):
Inbound:
http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/Njk3Mjc=
Homebound:
http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/Njk5OTk=
On those route pages, if you click on the symbol with the three grey horizontal lines (menu symbol – next to the Twitter symbol – it’s a little hidden) you can generate PDFs of the routes and also download the GPX files from the linked pages above. The route is approx 9 miles and takes me about an hour.
I’d be very happy to guide a small group on the route on the first few days of the tube blockade (e.g. 10th, 11th). I’d be leaving Walthamstow (near Walthamstow Central) at around 8:30 and (if our timings coincide) I can lead you back as well. Email me (d.e.browne@gmail.com) if you’d like to join me.
Usual disclaimers apply (see above!), but make sure your bike is in order and bring a map or GPX-loaded device. You should be medium fit (There is a hill, and 9 miles each way is pretty far if you don’t cycle regularly) but I will cycle at the pace of the slowest in the group. You’d need basic road cycling competence as there are a few right turns, and a lot of traffic lights where it can be useful to filter past stationary traffic, but there is little riding in traffic – overall it is a quiet and pleasant route.
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Hi, I’ll be cycling from Rensburg Rd / Coppermill Lane to South Kensington via Central London on weekday mornings for most of August.
Route is as follows:
Start at 8 am from junction of Rensburg Rd / Coppermill Lane. Then,
Springfield Marina, Spring Hill (quite steep but we can walk it up!), Stoke Newington Common, Stoke Newington High St, Essex Rd, Colebrook Row, Rosebery Ave, Theobalds Rd, Holborn, Shaftesbury Ave, Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, Belgrave Square, Pont St, Brompton Rd.
Some of the roads are busy and there aren’t any real cycle paths but I’ll be happy to take it slowly and safely! We would probably get to Holborn about 8.45 and South Kensington about 9.15.
If you’d like to join me for all or part of the way, please let me know in advance at george.eksts@network.rca.ac.uk
George
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I’ll be running my bike bus over the next few days. A bike bus is a group of two or more cyclists riding two abreast, with one in primary (a door’s width from the cars parked on the left) and the other in premium (the centre line of the road) as allowed for in the Highway Code.
The rides will practice the bike bus on car-free roads, then explore the best peaceful route to central London, taking in all the Victoria Line Stations between Euston and Victoria. We’ll be using a mixture of back streets, car free areas and the occasional main road, and this ride is for people who can ride the distance but are nervous about tackling rush hour traffic.
Anyone interestede in riding in a bike bus along one of my many peaceful routes to the West End please let me know by email to ; nicholasfripp@hotmail.co.uk or call me on 07961 544044
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Walthamstow Central > Shoreditch High Street
Meet 8.30 am Monday 10 August, bus/Taxi layby on Selborne Road between station and blue carwash.
Hello I’ve got years of experience riding around London and happy to lead a group to Shoreditch High Street Station.
It will be largely traffic free, with a couple of unavoidable main road bits. Should take 45 – 50 minutes. We’ll go at a nice easy pace that anyone should be able to keep up with.
Route:
Selborne Road
Coppermill Lane
Walthamstow Marshes
Millfields Park
Mare Street/Hackney Central
London Fields
Broadway Market
Columbia Road
Shoreditch High Street
I’ll head back in the opposite direction, leaving Shoreditch High Street Station at 6pm.
Please let me know if you’d like to join me – gazlemon @ gmail,com
Cheers
Garry
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