You can cycle from Putney in south west London to Hammersmith in west London entirely on quiet streets and protected cycle lanes, with the help of the newly reopened Hammersmith Bridge.
The route is 5.4km long (3.4 miles) and makes use of quiet streets around Putney, Putney Embankment, Cycleway 57, and Cycleway 9, as well as Hammersmith Bridge itself.
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You can see a digital map of the route and download a GPS/GPX file to use on whatever device or app you want here:
https://www.komoot.com/tour/2201010288?share_token=aPpZywBdaF7V4O0lcKCZsJd2pU1fEMsHhSp1m53vNMIZQPhR8N&ref=wtd
And you can find a viewer-created and maintained map of all the London Cycle Routes videos here:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1h9Hxm57fPvZmcuSXajM_Wu0G0s6f_bs&ll=51.505213496092054%2C-0.1285238120117249&z=12
I also highly recommend the Safe Cycle London map for route planning, which is compiled by @SafeCycleLDN on twitter:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XlpvN9R-Wg7qZHyezO8y-eVlftr4e0WX&hl=en&ll=51.516975804561284%2C-0.21828576419061996&z=11
31 Comments
Putney riverside path looks great in the sunshine. I'm also happy if the bridge doesn't open again for cars.
Doing this route today, usually turn back at the unsurfaced part, good to know it doesn’t go on for too long
We did a loop across putney bridge the other day, north up the Fulham side, across Hammersmith bridge, and down the Thames path back to putney. Really nice route! The Fulham side is nice and quiet too.
One thing you might want to show is crossing putney rail bridge. I just discovered there's those wheel tracks up the steps to push a bike (not great if you struggle with that), but it's a great alternative to putney bridge itself.
The 220 bus route along the Fulham Palace Road = no thank you 😂
Great to see the Hammersmith Bridge reopened. It's a beautiful bridge.
@3:44 can't believe you didn't mention the stunning new Fulham stand !
hopefully there will be mobility scooter type options for people who can't walk or cycle across the Bridge … so it never needs to open to SUVs ever again !
I think they should just build a separate bridge for cars/buses. As said, the current bridge isn't designed to take the weight of current traffic and depending on where you put it, might even end up cheaper than trying to fix a listed bridge.
I live in Barnes and commute to Farringdon – this is such a massive improvement. Just Kensington High Street to go and it’ll be super easy.
The bridge looks really good. The benefit of linking the two networks together so directly is huge. Would be nice to see this level of commitment to active travel infrastructure in our other major cities
Another great video in sunny weather. The downside of this route was the tow path that really needs a new surface. The upside is Hammersmith Bridge. I agree with you – looks a great long term solution as it is. Thanks for sharing the video.
This is nice. My first thought was "this must take so long compared to the straight line up the Fulham Palace Road" until you look at the map and realise that if you hug the riverbank it's virtually the same distance. I know you are a purist about avoiding busy roads but in practice I would go directly up the High Street to hit Lower Richmond Road and the riverbank straight away, and I'd stick on the gravel path…but then I wouldn't have learned about the naming of Castelnau, so fair play!
Its spelt Castelnau and not Castlenau! Always trips me up that it's pronounced 'castle' here, I'm more used to the 'proper' way of pronouncing it back in France!
I feel I should say that the unsurfaced part of the Thames Path is a lot worse than you make it sound and I would strongly advise cyclists with road bikes to avoid it.
Great video! It’s so wonderful that the bridge is now open to cycle over I’ve been over it several times in the last few weeks – surface has really improved, less ‘bouncy’ and is now excellent for connective routes and family cycling joining up the Thames path either side. I do hope it stays this way as traffic levels in Castelnau are so low now and people seem to have got used to the fact that the bridge is not open to cars? The council website mentions an E-cargo bike service to shuttle older and disabled residents over which is very laudable but I’ve not seen this personally yet. One thing I did wonder is whether some planters could have been added , that would have been the icing on the cake.
Castlenau is a brilliant demonstration that the majority of traffic on a street is not for the people who live there. It's through traffic and on non A/B roads that means rat runners following Google maps trying to save a minute or two instead of sticking to main roads.
You passed a huge number of houses almost all with big driveways and multiple cars. There's even a petrol station. Yet there is so little traffic.
I cycled along this bridge last weekend, to the London wetland centre. Absolutely incredible bit of cycling infrastructure. Let’s keep the bridge like that please 😊
I absolutely can't cycle behind WWT. It would trigger my spinal issues and id likely be on crutches for months. There is no good route for me. I tend to cut thru the common it is concrete but as over a common it's wobbly I don't like it or the exit onto the road. I have tried staying on the motorway but that's surprisingly bumpy as well – it's not smooth and there are tons of potholes. I try avoid it all now tho Barnes is beautiful. I'm this side of Putney bridge so it's an area I now do every week. Charlwood road and the barrier 🚧 behind is just as bad. But you have to go that way to avoid the steep hill via the gym or the dodgy one to Richmond X
A good argument for resurfacing the riverside path would be to make it accessible to wheelchair users. At the moment it’s completely unusable for them.
Very good! Subbed.
I'd like to see motorbikes be allowed to use the bridge. But heavily speed restricted to 20mph with cameras to avoid people taking the piss.
In an ideal world buses as well, to encourage their use, but I appreciate there will be problems enforcing that. There would have to be "airlocks" installed for buses to drive into and then close behind them to avoid cars/vans/lorries tailgating their way in.
There is also a Boileau Road in North Ealing… is it linked???
How do they stop mopeds on the bridge?
Looks like a pretty nice ride, but we still have such a long way to go to get anywhere close to the Netherlands. The quality of the riding surfaces are so much nice and more consistent there for starters. Here bikes still feel like an afterthought rather than a priority.
West London is still somewhere lucky to have bridges that link north and south of London through the River Thames.
I'm amazed they chose to sit down and not do anything to an aging infrastructure that was never designed for mordern traffic and allowed it to be so unsafe. They even gave it a Grade II status back in 2008 knowing these problems keep creeping up.
Now it's too expensive beyond repairs, you are better of demolishing it and rebuild it again with segregated cycling lanes and pavements for pedestrians. But that's not going to happen, because there is a war between motorists and environmentalists.
The route of Beverley Brook is a nice ride, predominantly on quiet roads and cycleways.
They should keep it this way. All the large SUVs, trucks are not suitable for the old infra built tbh, not that loads of car journeys within London are essential on cars too
Great video. The current set-up of the Hammersmith bridge is lovely. It's been so peaceful and pleasant ever since it closed down. I cycle through it several times a week (from South London to work in Hammersmith/Shepherds Bush). One comment on the Hammersmith round about, if one wants to turn left onto Shepherds Bush road, it's extremely poorly designed. Minor point I confess but since I take it every morning, I must admit that I've stopped using the cycle lane and rejoin main traffic to avoid 3 red lights in the space of 50 meters….
It's so much better now they've reopened Hammersmith Bridge for cycling. I remember growing up there when cars could cross. Castelnau was like a slow moving car park most of the day, with tailbacks down to Rocks Lane and horrendous air pollution. Was often quicker to walk to Hammersmith than drive/bus it over. It was also terrible congestion coming back southbound in the evenings.
They need to quickly provide a golf buggy/ cargo bike service to cross the bridge for the infirm/ people with disabilities, to effectively restore bus equivalent services between Barnes and Hammersmith.
Once done that will remove the need to allow cars over the bridge forever.
Another great video Jon, although the locals pronounce Castelnau and Boileau road the English way 😂
Love the Hammersmith Bridge currently, I really hope it stays that way
The bridge is the perfect size for bikes and pedestrians, modern cars are too big. Losing the bus route looks bad but it would be good opportunity to devise an innovative solution. Perhaps a bollard/gate on a side lane that buses take, a few flashing lights on the bridge to warn people it is coming. The bike space already has pullover space on the main span.
The real bonus will be redesigning the southern approach road for the reduced traffic. Get rid of the traffic lights, narrow the carriageway, more green space. It could be a beautiful boulevard, great for festivals.