Route Help - West Hampstead to Wembley

[ludermor]

Hi All
I recently moved to london so im not familar with the roads and having nearly killed myself taking various routes over the north circular i thought i try this website for some guidance.
My most direct route takes me through Neasden but the A4088 put the fear of god in me so i am now taking the underpass which is a nuisance. I tried the route around great cental way but again there is a lot of fast hidden areas so im avoiding that. If someone could suggest and altenative route it would be mucho appreciated.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&s....25775&sspn=0.027586,0.07905&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=14

 

[jefmcg]

When I'm planning a new route, I look here:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11607.aspx

Didn't give me the best route for my commute, but a workable one. And a big improvement on the earlier version that suggested that the A4 was the best route into london.

 

[Aperitif]

CharlieB of this parish knows a cut through Chalkhill Estate that avoids the dreaded roundabout racetrack! (It's OK on Sunday mornings!) and cuts across to Edgware Rd etc and on towards Regents Park... the same sort of direction. Try the search facility and type 'Your Commute' perhaps. Or PM Charlie - a nice chap! Have fun.

 

[ludermor]

Cheers for the info lads, i have found a route through the chalk hill estate which is great but i still have to take the underpass at neasden which can be a pain ( pedestrians and barriers).
Think Ill have a famous five adventure on saturday and try to see if there are any other routes

 

[redhanded]

This may be a bit out of the way, but what about getting on to the path along the Grand Union canal? (the Grand Union actually passes *over* the N Circular) between the A40 and the Harrow Road.

 

[CharlieB]

Hi Ludermor,

My usual route is Harrow to Regent's Park, so this may help if you are a sterrified as I am of heavy fast moving traffic:

West Hampstead - assuming from West End Lane (aren't those temp lights a nightmare?)
Into Iverson Road (near the Bedford-St.Pancras train station)
Bear right into Maygrove Road
Cross Shoot Up Hill at the lights into Christchurch Avenue, and immediately right into Chatsworth Road
Straight on for a ¾ mile or so, until you get to Walm Lane.
Normally I would go straight across Walm Lane into St. Paul's Ave, but there are more temp lights at the bottom end which take forever to change.
So my current alternative is to turn left into Walm Lane, right at the lights onto Willesden High Road, and all the way (c.2m) up over Dudden Hill Lane to the Neasden roundabout. Be Careful - this rab is full of twats who will cut you up without any qualms.
Take the third exit into Neasden Parade. At the bottom is a subway that will take you across the North Circular. Take the subway exit to the left that will bring you out onto Neasden Lane.
Take the first left (a little cul-de-sac) and cross the footbridge over Neasden Lane and bring you out into Elm Way.
Go to the bottom, turn right into Village Way, becoming Chesham Street.
Turn left at the end, immediately right into a small housing estate (Lawrence Way).
Follow Lawrence Way round to the right and you'll see the entrance on the left to a shared ped/bike path that leads over the River Brent.
Following the path all the way will bring you out eventually into Barnhill Road. Follow this in a straight line all the way to the end, turn left onto Chalkhill Road, and turn left at the end into Bridge Road.
Passing Wembley Park train station, follow the road and depending which end of Wembley you want, either head right or straight on.
Straight on will take you past the Arena, and onto Wembley High road at the bottom end.
Going right will bring you more into the centre of Wembley high Road, where more of the shops are.

Hope this helps, it's about 5½ miles and to do it is a lot easier than it reads!

 

[ludermor]

Cheers Redhanded, it would be a bit out of the way for my communte but im loving the idea of a long stroll along the canal during the weekend!
CharlieB from Wembley to Neasden looks perfect , well out of the way of a few very busy sections. I was wondering if there was away of avioding the subway but i guess there is not ( besides Kamikazie on the main road!!)
From Neasden to West Hampstead i take an alternative route through gladstone park ( turning onto Dollis Hill lane and taking the first entrance into the park). Its lovely during the sunny weather and cuts out a lot of roads.
Looking forward to getting lost tonight looking for the river brent!
Cheers Charlie.

 

[redhanded]

Cheers Redhanded, it would be a bit out of the way for my communte but im loving the idea of a long stroll along the canal during the weekend!

I'd recommend cycling the Grand Union / Regents Canals as a way of seeing a completely different side of London. You can go between Brentford in the west to Limehouse in the east although need to get onto the roads around Islington. Quite a few canalside pubs as well.

 

[CharlieB]

Cheers Redhanded, it would be a bit out of the way for my communte but im loving the idea of a long stroll along the canal during the weekend!
CharlieB from Wembley to Neasden looks perfect , well out of the way of a few very busy sections. I was wondering if there was away of avioding the subway but i guess there is not ( besides Kamikazie on the main road!!)
From Neasden to West Hampstead i take an alternative route through gladstone park ( turning onto Dollis Hill lane and taking the first entrance into the park). Its lovely during the sunny weather and cuts out a lot of roads.
Looking forward to getting lost tonight looking for the river brent!
Cheers Charlie.

In 20 months of using this route, I've yet to find an alternative to that subway! It's not ideal, I know, but the guitarist is quite entertaining sometimes!

The Gladstone Park idea looks interesting - I'm going to try that myself this week. Thank you.

Sometimes it happens on the commuting forum that people share their route ideas, then a composite route evolves from all those ideas that is near perfect.

 

[ludermor]

I havent had the pleasure of the guitarist yet but ill look forward to it!
Yeah i think ill have a trek along the canals one of the evenings. looking forward to bit of exploring.