Cycling to Heathrow/Thanks for the advice

BlankA while back I posted a question about the various options for cycling
between Heathrow Airport and Euston Station, and between Holland Park and
Heathrow. The suggestions I got were very helpful, and I'd like to thank
those who replied.

I did end up cycling the Grand Union Canal towpath into London, which was a
wonderful experience. As a cyclist I met en route remarked, cycling along
the canal is the complete opposite of the rest of London. Cycling from the
canal to Euston Station brought me back to the real London in a hurry,
though. I was quite grateful for the bus/taxi/cycle lanes, and using cameras
to enforce observance of those lanes struck me as an excellent idea.

Cycling back to the airport for the flight home, I followed the Lonely
Planet guidebook's route to from Hammersmith to Brentford Bridge, where the
A315 crosses the Grand Union Canal, and followed the Grand Union Canal
towpath back to Hays Bull Bridge, then used various bikepaths to get into
Terminal 4 at Heathrow. This was infinitely more pleasant than following
various cyclepaths alongside busy A roads. All told, I spent about 2 1/2
hours cycling from Holland Park youth hostel to Heathrow, including a
certain amount of dawdling around, last minute photography, and double
checking the map to make sure I hadn't gone off course. I considered using
Uxbridge Road/A4020 as someone sugested, but Hammersmith was easier to find
on the map I had.

I picked up an LCC map at Hammersmith to help navigate, and I was very
impressed, both by the map and by the extent of the cycle routes in London.

I was *not* impressed by those silly barriers put up on the canal towpath,
apparently to keep motorcycles out. I was travelling with front and rear
panniers, and getting through the barriers meant removing the front
panniers, heaving the bike through with rear panniers still attached (which
made a certain amount of lifting necessary), reattaching the front panniers,
and trundling off to the next barrier to do it all over again. Usually while
I was doing this a mountain biker would happen along and hop around the
barrier on the canal side while holding his bike out over the canal, all the
while trying not to laugh at my struggles.

Again, thanks to those who offered advice about cycle routes, it added a
nice touch to an already excelent visit to the UK.
--
mark

"mark" wrote in message
ink.net...
BlankA while back I posted a question about the various options for
cycling
between Heathrow Airport and Euston Station, and between Holland Park and
Heathrow. The suggestions I got were very helpful, and I'd like to thank
those who replied.

I did end up cycling the Grand Union Canal towpath into London, which was
a
wonderful experience. As a cyclist I met en route remarked, cycling along
the canal is the complete opposite of the rest of London. Cycling from the
canal to Euston Station brought me back to the real London in a hurry,
though. I was quite grateful for the bus/taxi/cycle lanes, and using
cameras
to enforce observance of those lanes struck me as an excellent idea.

Cycling back to the airport for the flight home, I followed the Lonely
Planet guidebook's route to from Hammersmith to Brentford Bridge, where
the
A315 crosses the Grand Union Canal, and followed the Grand Union Canal
towpath back to Hays Bull Bridge, then used various bikepaths to get into
Terminal 4 at Heathrow. This was infinitely more pleasant than following
various cyclepaths alongside busy A roads. All told, I spent about 2 1/2
hours cycling from Holland Park youth hostel to Heathrow, including a
certain amount of dawdling around, last minute photography, and double
checking the map to make sure I hadn't gone off course. I considered using
Uxbridge Road/A4020 as someone sugested, but Hammersmith was easier to
find
on the map I had.

I picked up an LCC map at Hammersmith to help navigate, and I was very
impressed, both by the map and by the extent of the cycle routes in
London.

I was *not* impressed by those silly barriers put up on the canal towpath,
apparently to keep motorcycles out. I was travelling with front and rear
panniers, and getting through the barriers meant removing the front
panniers, heaving the bike through with rear panniers still attached
(which
made a certain amount of lifting necessary), reattaching the front
panniers,
and trundling off to the next barrier to do it all over again. Usually
while
I was doing this a mountain biker would happen along and hop around the
barrier on the canal side while holding his bike out over the canal, all
the
while trying not to laugh at my struggles.

Again, thanks to those who offered advice about cycle routes, it added a
nice touch to an already excelent visit to the UK.
--
mark

Glad to hear it worked out well for you, and thanks for the feedback.

Where do you live, by the way?

"Orienteer" wrote
Glad to hear it worked out well for you, and thanks for the feedback.

Where do you live, by the way?

Colorado, about 1 hour west of Denver. Excellent skiing, cycling, and
hiking. It's a fairly sparsely populated semi-desert/mountain region with a
recorded history going back no more than 180 - 200 years. My month in the UK
was quite a contrast!

--
mark