# Stratford to Canary Wharf: recommended route?



## CopperBrompton (13 May 2008)

(Apologies to anyone who sees this here and on the CTC forum)

I'm based at Canary Wharf for the next 6-8 weeks. The train takes me as far as Stratford, and I cycle from there. The cycling is on a Brompton, so fast roads aren't ideal. 

I've made a couple of attempts to plot back-road routes while still keeping things reasonably direct, and neither have been a great success. One route looked excellent on paper but ended at a locked gate and a 'Private road' sign, and the other involved a connecting bit of road that both Mapsource and googlemaps think is there but in fact isn't. 

Can anyone suggest a good quiet route? If you happen to have it in GPX format, I can give you an email address. 

Ben


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## spindrift (13 May 2008)

Maryland station, south down here:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.s...=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

Dive down Water Lane and Vicarage Lane and bosh bosh zoom zoom.


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## mr_cellophane (13 May 2008)

I'd skip the bike and get the Jubilee Line all the way to Canary Wharf. 

But, that's not what you want to know. Head towards Bow on the main road. There is a wide bus/cycle lane or wide pavement which doesn't usually have many pedestrians on it. Just after The Greenway (cycle path on the Northern Outfall Sewer) there is a turn off on to the path by the side of the River Lea. Head south to Three Mills (past a monument to 3 men killed in a well collapse). Over the bridge towards the Tescos and back down between the two water ways. Head under the railway bridge. There is a footbridge over the locks and on to the Limehouse Cut (the dead straight canal). 
You can either carry on to Limehouse Basin and work your way back round the Thames Path to West Ferry Circus or turn off the tow path at Burdett Road or Commercial Street.

I have done all this at one time or another, although mainly only up to West Ham.


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## CopperBrompton (13 May 2008)

spindrift said:


> Dive down Water Lane and Vicarage Lane and bosh bosh zoom zoom.


That's actually above Stratford. My current route is West Ham Lane then Manor Road, both of which are fine, but then I end up on East India Dock or Aspen Way.

There's a cycle path alongside part of East India Dock, but then it vanishes. It's that last part of the ride in particular that's pretty busy.

Ben


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## CopperBrompton (13 May 2008)

mr_cellophane said:


> I'd skip the bike and get the Jubilee Line all the way to Canary Wharf.


Heh - believe me, I did that and the DLR on the first two days, and cycling is a lot more pleasant!



> Head towards Bow on the main road.
> <Snip>
> turn off the tow path at Burdett Road or Commercial Street.


That looks like a brilliant route - thanks! Will try that tomorrow. :-)

Ben


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## mr_cellophane (13 May 2008)

I was going to suggest Manor Road, but last time I went that way (Marathon Saturday) the road was closed to traffic and pedestrians for major road works.
The Cycle Paths around Canning Town do tend to vanish especially when you get to the roundabout under Aspen Way by the McD's.
I think that from Canning Town the CP goes along Blackwall Way to the roundabout. From there head up the slope to the McD's and the back way into Canary Wharf.


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## CopperBrompton (13 May 2008)

Yes, the bottom end is closed, so you get diverted onto Stephenson Street (world's worst road surface!) but that's only a tiny diversion.

I'm just plotting your route on Mapsource. The footbridge over the lock, does that go somewhere underneath Twelve Trees Crescent and then come out onto Barratt Industrial Park (the unmarked spur road that intersects Gillender Street)?

http://tinyurl.com/5c9t6b

(Googlemaps shows that as continuous, Mapsource shows the water in between but doesn't show the footbridge.)

If so, then I've got that all plotted, will feed it into the GPS and give it a go.

Ben


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## BentMikey (14 May 2008)

Ben Lovejoy said:


> (Apologies to anyone who sees this here and on the CTC forum)




Don't apologise mate, just don't do it again.


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## spindrift (14 May 2008)

On Aspen Way i collided with a nurse, we both fell off and got bruised arses. My insurance paid for her new bike. She was quite foxy.


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## spindrift (14 May 2008)

Pointless story badly told.


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## mr_cellophane (14 May 2008)

spindrift said:


> On Aspen Way i collided with a nurse, we both fell off and got bruised arses. My insurance paid for her new bike. She was quite foxy.



Did you check how badly bruised ?


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## spindrift (14 May 2008)

Right on the dimple of her buttocks, I think my handlebar hit it.


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## CopperBrompton (14 May 2008)

BentMikey said:


> Don't apologise mate, just don't do it again.


Well, it was a good thing I did ask here too, as the advice there was to take the Jubilee Line ...

Then again, maybe the answer is only to ask here. :-)

Ben


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## mr_cellophane (14 May 2008)

Ben Lovejoy said:


> Yes, the bottom end is closed, so you get diverted onto Stephenson Street (world's worst road surface!) but that's only a tiny diversion.
> 
> I'm just plotting your route on Mapsource. The footbridge over the lock, does that go somewhere underneath Twelve Trees Crescent and then come out onto Barratt Industrial Park (the unmarked spur road that intersects Gillender Street)?
> 
> ...



12 Trees is the roadbridge that I said "goes to Tescos". I have only done this route from Cannary Wharf to West Ham, so am half guessing. You should see this after 12 Trees. Then under the railway and over the footbridge.


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## mr_cellophane (14 May 2008)

And you should pass this just before 12 Trees. In the direction of view.


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## BentMikey (14 May 2008)

LOL, sorry Ben!


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## CopperBrompton (14 May 2008)

mr_cellophane said:


> 12 Trees is the roadbridge that I said "goes to Tescos".


Ah, ok, then I _think_ I have plotted it correctly - will find out this evening. :-)

Ben


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## beancounter (14 May 2008)

You're not the Ben Lovejoy who does the Nurburgring website are you?

http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/

bc


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## CopperBrompton (14 May 2008)

Guilty as charged.

Ben


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## beancounter (14 May 2008)

Ben Lovejoy said:


> Guilty as charged.
> 
> Ben



Good man!

Fantastic website.

bc


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## CopperBrompton (14 May 2008)

Thanks. I never know, on cycling forums, whether I'm about to be complimented or berated for being a petrol-head. :-)

Ben


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## beancounter (14 May 2008)

Ben Lovejoy said:


> Thanks. I never know, on cycling forums, whether I'm about to be complimented or berated for being a petrol-head. :-)
> 
> Ben



Oh sh*t, have I blown your cover!

bc


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## CopperBrompton (14 May 2008)

Yeah, I'm blaming you if I get taken out by a CC sniper on tonight's commute.


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## CopperBrompton (14 May 2008)

mr_cellophane said:


> I have only done this route from Cannary Wharf to West Ham, so am half guessing.


Your half-guessing was entirely correct. :-) Thanks!

Did the route this evening, and it's absolutely lovely. A little slow for the morning ride, as it has some rough patches on the path, and a few of those raised-cobble sections where you have to get off and walk for a short time, but it's a very pleasant route indeed for the ride back at the end of the day.

I'll post up the route later if anyone's interested.

Ben


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