Dartford to Greenwich

[flash]

I'm possibly going to have a few hours on my hands and based in Dartford. I think there's a chunk of Thames path I can cycle to Greenwich Is it OK to cycle or a footpath? What's the surface? Tarmac, Gravel or mud??.
Ta....

[gaz]

NCN1, not especially well signed although it could be worse and so long as you keep the river on your right it'll work out OK in the end.

From Dartford to Erith it's mostly traffic free if you use the shared paths alongside the road. These are OK around Dartford, much less so approaching Erith.

There's a stretch between Dartford and Erith alongside the rivers Cray, Darent and Thames that begins with the wonder of the Crayford Climbing Frame, beyond which the next mile is bumpy, narrow and usually overgrown with brambles, followed by another bumpier but wider mile.

CrayfordClimbingFrame.png

From there onward it's almost but not quite entirely paved and traffic free, the occasional barrier and/or steep bridge over jetties with a few quiet roads around Woolwich.

NCN1a to short-cut the bit around the Millennium Dome/02 Arena is only signed by a sticker and is easy to miss. About 12 months since I went around the Dome, path was closed after it with no advance warning or signed diversion. Retracing and diverting by Zen were both simple enough.

NCN1a uses shared paths and quiet roads into Greenwich, NCN1 follows the river. I think the final section by the Maritime College and Cutty Sark is cyclists dismount, possibly enforced by Royal Parks/LB of Greenwich.

The Streetview backpack has been along most of it so you can take a preview.

Enjoy.

[mercalia]

An interesting ride. do it. There is a small bit at Greenwich by the naval college that is walk only and rather narrow, even for walkers is narrow. Some bits deviate from the the river bank onto nearby roads so you have to keep your wits about you. But thats part of the fun. You can cycle all the way to Waterloo Bridge by the yuppy rich abodes. Maybe get a train back? The early part from Dartford is over scrub land and is dirt track, need decent tyres, not narrow ones. After, it is all paved or tarmaced. Many bits are quite wide, some go past Industrial archaeology debris. a fun ride.

[flash]

Thanks guys. Mercalia how long is the dirt track at the Dartford end? I’ll be on my Brompton which isn’t the best off road....

[mercalia]

Well looking at my map. I am refering to the Crayford marshes, very pleasant but not Brompton terrain, I remember I walked a bit on my 26" wide tyre bike - I would not like to cycle a Brompton there. You could easily avoid that section by picking up the path at Erith.

You can see the distances on the first map that are on the marsh land that follow the riover Darent swerve around an industrial estate.

I attach some map pics. click to enlarge

marches

erith

erith detail

A good place to get on it would be near that curved pier ( the yellow star) and onto William Cory Prom ( just under "ERITH"in 2nd map) where TPE and LL meet.

[cbman65]

I used to ride this path quite regularly - albeit some years ago - on a bike with 700 28c tyres.
Only a couple of stretches were unridable.

The biggest issues that I remember were:
- the barriers put up to stop motor bikes which I recall having to lift my bike over,
- the smell on one particular stretch, presumably a water treatment works, and
- finding the start.

Otherwise not an unpleasant ride.

[mercalia]

The difficult bits are where you have to deviate from following the river due to yuppy rich appartments built right at the rivers edge. You have to look out for the signs where to take up the path again.

[carlislemike]

I agree with most of what's been said but the entry to the river path in Dartford is awkward to find.Following the A206 from Dartford, I usually go under the railway bridge and at the next roundabout take the 3rd exit which takes you down a narrow road towards Viridor Waste Disposal and other industrial sites. I go under another railway bridge again and shortly after, join the footpath, which is unmade and runs along the Cray which is to the right. [If the Cray is on your left, you're in for a problem. There's no crossing back at the Flood gate.]Follow that path for a fair bit, meandering through rough fields and usually busy with pedestrians and you'll eventually meet the Thames. This is just after the Cray flood gate. Bear off left and it's straightforward, with a bit of road to return to, nearer to Erith. All I've ever done, is aim for the Morrison's Store and headed down to the river when I've got off course. The only bits I would warn about, are a steep ramp near one of the pumping stations/building materials sites where I climb off and even walk down as the descent is precipitous on a heavy bike. The exit from the path near Woolwich is badly signed. You have to go through a small housing estate and this then throws you back uoto industrial sites and a busy roundabou; however, if you dip down to the right and take a sharp left through one of the industrial parks, you pop up at the end almost at the Thames Barrier. The signing after that, it's narrow for a while then opens out near the new developments. If your'e going beyond the O2 along the cycle path, there are works in situ for the new Silvertown / SilverlinkTunnel. You can get through but may have to wait for heavy plant crossing or even meet the dreadfully glutinous mud if it's been raining. When you get into Greenwich, cycle through the old Naval College/University of Greenwich site. It's both signed and wide. Beware of film crews making yet another costume drama or the inevitable gaggles of tourists replete with selfie sticks and phone camera oblivious to your world.Rece it on Cycle Travel. It's fairly clear and the cue sheets mention most of the lefts and rights. Whilst in Greenwich, can I recommend The Prince of Greenwich, a pub with flamboyant Italian owners, decent beers and decent Italian food at reasonable prices. Pietro and Paula are lovely hosts; in fact I had my 70th birthday bash there, two years back.The joy for you then, is the train from Greenwich to Dartford.

[carlislemike]

re the Brompton, a pal has cycled this on his 6 speed Brompton, no racks or bags, only a light rucksack. He didn't do much walking

[mercalia]

re the Brompton, a pal has cycled this on his 6 speed Brompton, no racks or bags, only a light rucksack. He didn't do much walking

even the track part by the Darent and Crayford marshes?

[carlislemike]

Allegedly; I found it a pain on 23 skinny tyres. Stuck with 28s or 32s since. The former rides were on a Witcomb, the last, 32s, on a bloody heavy Surly LHT.

[flash]

Thanks for all the really useful information. Unfortunately I stayed at the Mercure at Brands Hatch, arrived later than expected (blessed be the M25) and then it poured down, so I hid in my room. Still I had a brill ride the day before, a bit of the Grand Union, Thames path and Richmond Park. I’m quite tempted to try London to Birmingham next year along the Grand Union...