Topic ID 5296
Can anyone help? A few of us are going to cycle along the River Lea path to London this summer for a spot of lunch, has anyone done this ride before? If so can you tell me if the path runs all the way along the River lea to the Trinity Bouy opposite the Dome, or do you have to use the Lea Valley walk from Bow Locks to Limehouse? http://www.streetmap.co.uk/oldmap.srf?x=538750&y=181750&z=110&sv=538750,181750&st=4&ar=N&mapp=oldmap.srf&searchp=oldsearch.srf&ax=535546&ay=186567&lm=1
Reply ID 74445
quote:I cycle this quite often - it can get a bit confusing at around Nazing way as there are a couple of ways you can go and no posts to indicate which route goes where! I normally get on at Tott Hale and cycle from there so cannot answer whether it goes to the Trinity Bouy.. check out the lea valley's website - it has a map from memory. Keep to the middle of the paths to avoid thorns etc as there is quite a lot of organic debris on the path. It also isn't really suitable for road bikes (although I've chanced it before and got away with it).. Not quite sure where you want to go to lunch when you get into the smoke - it isn't the nicest part of town round there...
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Can anyone help? A few of us are going to cycle along the River Lea path to London this summer for a spot of lunch, has anyone done this ride before? If so can you tell me if the path runs all the way along the River lea to the Trinity Bouy opposite the Dome, or do you have to use the Lea Valley walk from Bow Locks to Limehouse? http://www.streetmap.co.uk/oldmap.srf?x=538750&y=181750&z=110&sv=538750,181750&st=4&ar=N&mapp=oldmap.srf&searchp=oldsearch.srf&ax=535546&ay=186567&lm=1
Reply ID 74448
I cycled it a couple of years ago - see attached GPS trace. We took the Limehouse Cut/Lea Valley Walk route at the end, mainly so we'd finish at Gordon Ramsey's boozer (The Narrow) for lunch and a pint (then Regent's Canal back to King's Cross and train home). http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&t=h&ll=51.660258,-0.055039&spn=0.356934,0.928345&z=10&msid=108245723724717573849.00044e244be8cba5c82df
Reply ID 74449
quote:
Originally posted by Joby
I cycled it a couple of years ago - see attached GPS trace. We took the Limehouse Cut/Lea Valley Walk route at the end, mainly so we'd finish at Gordon Ramsey's boozer (The Narrow) for lunch and a pint (then Regent's Canal back to King's Cross and train home). http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&t=h&ll=51.660258,-0.055039&spn=0.356934,0.928345&z=10&msid=108245723724717573849.00044e244be8cba5c82df Excellent, the Narrow can be our reaching the Thames celebratory pub before moving on to lunch. Were there any other interesting watering holes along the route?
Reply ID 74452
quote:Not really. After the Fish and Eels at Dobb's Wier, I can't remember seeing another pub to be honest.
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Excellent, the Narrow can be our reaching the Thames celebratory pub before moving on to lunch. Were there any other interesting watering holes along the route?
Reply ID 74454
quote:Be warned it's between 5-7 odd quid a pint in the Narrow from what I've heard!
Originally posted by Jobyquote:Not really. After the Fish and Eels at Dobb's Wier, I can't remember seeing another pub to be honest.
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Excellent, the Narrow can be our reaching the Thames celebratory pub before moving on to lunch. Were there any other interesting watering holes along the route?
Reply ID 74455
quote:Maybe a malicious rumour spread by a rival chef? I certainly can't remember it being outrageous when I visited (and I've been twice - as a Yorkshireman I certainly wouldn't have allowed myself to be stung a second time!) The drinks list on their website suggests more reasonable pricing: http://www.gordonramsay.com/thenarrow/static/pdf/The_Narrow_Drinks_list_xweb_versionx.pdf#page=1&zoom=100
Originally posted by exiled_in_Readingquote:Be warned it's between 5-7 odd quid a pint in the Narrow from what I've heard!
Originally posted by Jobyquote:Not really. After the Fish and Eels at Dobb's Wier, I can't remember seeing another pub to be honest.
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Excellent, the Narrow can be our reaching the Thames celebratory pub before moving on to lunch. Were there any other interesting watering holes along the route?
Reply ID 74458
quote:The Anchor and Hope, Clapton is a triangular Fullers pub, ideal for the midday halfway stop for a pint and a pee. It has it's own quaint, ruddy-nosed clientele and last time I was there, it felt like going into an old street-corner boozer from way back (which it is). It was summed up by the three handpumps, two ESB and one Pride. It's on the towpath and has tables outside; you probably wouldn't want to linger too long in the tiny bar.
Were there any other interesting watering holes along the route?
Reply ID 74467
Victor, I can't PM you but we do this ride regularly, usually cycling down and getting the train back from Liverpool Street. If anyone wants to PM me, I can send you an itinery and also a list of CAMRA approved pubs that are only a few yards detour off the route. Massive warning - professional cycle thieves patrol the whole route, I had my Specialized nicked from under my nose in Bow a few years back. On my last trip I saw two locked bikes being stolen somewhere around Hackney, it all happened very fast. So don't leave your bikes unsupervised for a minute because someone with a van and boltcutters will be along in seconds.
Reply ID 74469
quote:A fantastic small pub..many a wobble back from there in the past.
Originally posted by CSPquote:The Anchor and Hope, Clapton is a triangular Fullers pub, ideal for the midday halfway stop for a pint and a pee. It has it's own quaint, ruddy-nosed clientele and last time I was there, it felt like going into an old street-corner boozer from way back (which it is). It was summed up by the three handpumps, two ESB and one Pride. It's on the towpath and has tables outside; you probably wouldn't want to linger too long in the tiny bar.
Were there any other interesting watering holes along the route?
Reply ID 75774
I'm bumping this because I'd like the benefit of the experience and advice of anyone who has done this ride with inexperienced cyclists and kids, please. I have friends from France staying with me in August and they are really keen to do the ride down the Lea past the Olympic stadium all the way to Tower Bridge, coming back on the train. But they have two kids aged 12 and 10 who are active but not exactly super-fit or used to cycling 30-odd miles, especially on borrowed or hired bikes. Has anyone taken kids on this ride? I know it's flat but it's constant pedalling, are inexperienced cyclists up to it? How long should I allow and what sort of frequency of rest breaks? Also, does anyone have any recommendations for cycle hire? A quick Google shows places in Hatfield and Broxbourne, has anyone used them? Thanks
Reply ID 75776
I can vouch for what Rachel says about bike thieves a friend of mine had his bike stolen whilst on a ride along the Lee in London.
Reply ID 75787
I have cycled this route a few times with kids,the first 2 times we only got as far as Tottenham Hale,and then returned by train. The trouble is that they start getting bored.The first part from Hertford is ok,through Ware and Stanstead Abbotts,Rye Park and Broxbourne,but, kids being kids want to stop and look at the different things around them (I do to[:)]) Once you get to Lee Valley Park,there are more distractions (all good )If you don,t let the kids stop investigate different things then they will get bored and you wont get half way to where you want to. There are some areas nearer to London that are quite drab and boring areas for the kids,if you can get through these it should be ok. We never worried if we didn't get as far as we wanted, as there is always a station nearby. I don't envy you doing it in August though, March and April is always my favorite time for this ride
Reply ID 75788
Thank you, Dutch Knight. I feel happier now you've reminded me it's easy to cut the ride short and get a train home at any point. And you're right, some of it is quite featureless - that bit past Walthamstow reservoirs always drags a bit. It's a while since my kids were that age and I'd forgotten what it's like keeping them entertained.
Reply ID 76085
A word of warning to anyone thinking of doing this ride: two colleagues of mine were set upon and badly beaten by a gang of feral kids on bikes along the river at Edmonton over the weekend while cycling back from London to Hertford (the journey from Hertford to London apparently passed without incident). One also had his bike thrown in the river for good measure. Hopefully this was an isolated incident but be extra vigilant should you happen to be cycling down that way.
Reply ID 76088
This route sounds lethal, as I value my bike and my outstanding good looks i'm never going to venture past Ware on the towpath.
Reply ID 76165
Thanks for the warning, Joby, it's good to be vigilant and sensible about risk in some areas of this cycle route and I'm sorry about what happened to your friends but it is still a wonderful ride into London. We did it yesterday, one way only, with a mixed ability group including a 10 year old (see above) and it was an absolutely enchanting day from start (about 9AM from Hertford) to finish (about 5PM at Liverpool Street to get the train home). Everyone we met was unfailingly polite and friendly, the food and drink at our many stops en route was cheaper than Hertford and my French visitors had a brilliant experience they will remember all their lives. I knew they wanted to take lots of photos by the Olympic stadium, Canary Wharf and Tower Bridge but I was surprised by how thrilled they were to see the Rye House go-kart circuit where Lewis Hamilton started! The Anchor and Hope which is mentioned on this thread was wonderful with cheap food and very charming and informative locals. We also found a good, cheap pub in Wapping, the Captain Kidd, with great views across the Thames and a secure courtyard so we could keep an eye on the bikes. The sensible precautions we took included not leaving the bikes unsupervised for a moment and keeping ourselves in a 'pelaton', so the party didn't get too straggly with anyone out of sight ahead or behind where they might be vulnerable, especially if on an expensive bike. This ride is a great day out and I hope lots more people continue to enjoy it.