Erith (Thames path) to Gravesend, route advice

[robjh]

Planning a small-group ride along the Thames tomorrow (23rd March), but after Erith there is no obvious route along to Dartford and Gravesend that both avoids the worst of the traffic and doesn't go right round the houses. I'm using Ridewithgps, and all routes I can find involve some large roads, hopefully with cycle paths of some kind, or a lot of winding around suburban backstreets.

Does anyone have any suggestions for this stretch?

My current route is here - feel free to scrutinize and suggest improvements.

Part of the reason for the ride tomorrow is to use the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry before it stops running after the 30th.

 

[Oldhippy]

Route 1 is rubbish in places but does what you want eventually.

 

[ianrauk]

@rb58 will be able to help you Rob

 

[robjh]

Route 1 is rubbish in places but does what you want eventually.

Good advice. It will at least be rideable and saves me any guesswork in a fairly busy and urban area I don't know well. Route is now adjusted to stick close to NCN1 on that stretch.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Part of the reason for the ride tomorrow is to use the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry before it stops running after the 30th.

What what what? I hadn't heard about that.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1e8zxeyj15o

That's really bad

 

[Gwylan]

The poetry of such names, With, Gravesend, the frothing Thames, Crossness Pumping Station. Where's John Betjeman when you need him

 

[robjh]

What what what? I hadn't heard about that.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1e8zxeyj15o

That's really bad

Indeed, terrible news.

 

[robjh]

What what what? I hadn't heard about that.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1e8zxeyj15o

That's really bad

It was @Trickedem on another social medium who alerted me to it.
I'm going to have to learn the routes to the Dartford Crossing shuttle.

 

[Slick]

Planning a small-group ride along the Thames tomorrow (23rd March), but after Erith there is no obvious route along to Dartford and Gravesend that both avoids the worst of the traffic and doesn't go right round the houses. I'm using Ridewithgps, and all routes I can find involve some large roads, hopefully with cycle paths of some kind, or a lot of winding around suburban backstreets.

Does anyone have any suggestions for this stretch?

My current route is here - feel free to scrutinize and suggest improvements.

Part of the reason for the ride tomorrow is to use the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry before it stops running after the 30th.

I drive that route quite a lot and definitely wouldn't cycle it. I think that was the first time I saw a ghost bike which probably put me off a bit. The rest of your route looks a cracking ride that I would love, but I just couldn't face that North End road.

 

[robjh]

I drive that route quite a lot and definitely wouldn't cycle it. I think that was the first time I saw a ghost bike which probably put me off a bit. The rest of your route looks a cracking ride that I would love, but I just couldn't face that North End road.

I've changed it to follow NCN1 around Dartford, so I'm hoping that Sustrans have at least found a safe route

 

[Slick]

I've changed it to follow NCN1 around Dartford, so I'm hoping that Sustrans have at least found a safe route

Good luck.

Come back and let us know if they did, as I would love to be able to cycle to Erith from the hotels just the other side of the bridge but it is just to chaotic for a country boy like myself to contemplate. I know there is a bit of a bale out round Slade Green, but there's quite a risk to negate before you ge anywhere near there.

 

[robjh]

Good luck.

Come back and let us know if they did, as I would love to be able to cycle to Erith from the hotels just the other side of the bridge but it is just to chaotic for a country boy like myself to contemplate. I know there is a bit of a bale out round Slade Green, but there's quite a risk to negate before you ge anywhere near there.

If I survive I'll report back

 

[Slick]

If I survive I'll report back

Best.

 

[robjh]

Best.

I survived - we survived - the NCN1 section from Slade Green to Gravesend, but can't say we enjoyed it. It is too confusing, poorly signposted, and convoluted as it tiptoes around absurdly busy dual carriageways and intersections on a series of backstreets, or cycle paths of variable quality. Still, it was safe and had a few good bits, such as the path alongside the A296/A2 Watling Street. I honestly can't see any good routes on that stretch, but this did the necessary.

The whole ride though, from London to Shoeburyness with a tunnel and two ferry crossings of the Thames, was great, and the 6 of us had a fantastic day out, even with the worst surfaces that the riverside paths could throw at us. And I learnt that some of the approaches to Southend are really quite hilly, which had never struck me before.

 

[Slick]

I survived - we survived - the NCN1 section from Slade Green to Gravesend, but can't say we enjoyed it. It is too confusing, poorly signposted, and convoluted as it tiptoes around absurdly busy dual carriageways and intersections on a series of backstreets, or cycle paths of variable quality. Still, it was safe and had a few good bits, such as the path alongside the A296/A2 Watling Street. I honestly can't see any good routes on that stretch, but this did the necessary.

The whole ride though, from London to Shoeburyness with a tunnel and two ferry crossings of the Thames, was great, and the 6 of us had a fantastic day out, even with the worst surfaces that the riverside paths could throw at us. And I learnt that some of the approaches to Southend are really quite hilly, which had never struck me before.

Excellent, glad to hear it.

I knew it wouldn't be pretty around Dartford but the rest of your ride looked magic. Glad you all arrived safely and had a blast.