Cycle route from Finsbury Park to North Finchley

Hello Londonistanis,

I live in Finsbury Park, and am currently working in North Finchley. I've
been getting there by public transport so far, but now that the weather is
going a bit less jungle-like, i would like to start cycling.

Any thoughts on a route?

The one time i've been up there by bike, i took a slightly indirect route
in order to skirt the hills: up to the top of the park, then up Wightman
Road, parallel to Green Lanes, to Turnpike Lane, then up round the back of
Wood Green High Road to Bounds Green Road, up there to New Southgate, then
along Friern Barnet Road to North Finchley. I'm actually working a bit up
the High Road, just past Woodside Park, so i could perhaps avoid Tally Ho
corner by going through the backstreets northeast of it.

The route i took home was to go down the High Road to East Finchley, then
on to Highgate and Archway, and then to head over to Finsbury Park from
there. This also skirts the hills, and was very quick coming back, but i'm
not sure how fast it would be getting there.

tom

--
OK, mostly because of Tom, but not only because of his bloody irritating
character and songs.

Tom Anderson wrote:
Hello Londonistanis,

I live in Finsbury Park, and am currently working in North Finchley.
I've been getting there by public transport so far, but now that the
weather is going a bit less jungle-like, i would like to start cycling.

Any thoughts on a route?

For travel in London I find that the TFL Journey Planner with mode set
to bike gives a route worth trying.
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...T2?language=en
The journey times are less silly than you might expect given all the
variables.


--
CTC Right to Ride Rep. for Richmond upon Thames

Tom Anderson wrote:
Hello Londonistanis,

I live in Finsbury Park, and am currently working in North Finchley.
I've been getting there by public transport so far, but now that the
weather is going a bit less jungle-like, i would like to start cycling.

Any thoughts on a route?

The one time i've been up there by bike, i took a slightly indirect
route in order to skirt the hills: up to the top of the park, then up
Wightman Road, parallel to Green Lanes, to Turnpike Lane, then up round
the back of Wood Green High Road to Bounds Green Road, up there to New
Southgate, then along Friern Barnet Road to North Finchley. I'm actually
working a bit up the High Road, just past Woodside Park, so i could
perhaps avoid Tally Ho corner by going through the backstreets northeast
of it.

The route i took home was to go down the High Road to East Finchley,
then on to Highgate and Archway, and then to head over to Finsbury Park
from there. This also skirts the hills, and was very quick coming back,
but i'm not sure how fast it would be getting there.

tom



Ooooh, so many choices - but there is always that bloody lump in the
middle. You've done both the 'skirt round the sides' routes.

There is a cut through from the Wood Green end of Ally Pally that leads
you across the bottom of Alexander Park Road and on to Colney Hatch
Lane. (not possible by car due to road closures). After that it's
Friern Barnet - straight over the lights and turn left at Torrington
Park which will take you up to the High Road.

If you're not in a hurry and like constrasts then it's the old railway
track from Finsbury Park to Highgate then up the A1000. Going home that
way, you go past Highgate tube and take the second left - Holmesdale
Road. Just to the left there is an entrance to the old railway that used
to go from Finsbury Park to High Barnet (bloody tube gets in the way
these days).

Once you get bored with all of those it's time to tackle the alps of
Crouch End with St James's Lane to Muswell Hill as a bonus.


--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

On 30 June, 00:36, Keitht KeithT wrote:
Tom Anderson wrote:
Hello Londonistanis,

I live in Finsbury Park, and am currently working in North Finchley.
I've been getting there by public transport so far, but now that the
weather is going a bit less jungle-like, i would like to start cycling.

Any thoughts on a route?

The one time i've been up there by bike, i took a slightly indirect
route in order to skirt the hills: up to the top of the park, then up
Wightman Road, parallel to Green Lanes, to Turnpike Lane, then up round
the back of Wood Green High Road to Bounds Green Road, up there to New
Southgate, then along Friern Barnet Road to North Finchley. I'm actually
working a bit up the High Road, just past Woodside Park, so i could
perhaps avoid Tally Ho corner by going through the backstreets northeast
of it.

The route i took home was to go down the High Road to East Finchley,
then on to Highgate and Archway, and then to head over to Finsbury Park
from there. This also skirts the hills, and was very quick coming back,
but i'm not sure how fast it would be getting there.

tom

Ooooh, so many choices - but there is always that bloody lump in the
middle. You've done both the 'skirt round the sides' routes.

There is a cut through from the Wood Green end of Ally Pally that leads
you across the bottom of Alexander Park Road and on to Colney Hatch
Lane. *(not possible by car due to road closures). After that it's
Friern Barnet - straight over the lights and turn left at Torrington
Park which will take you up to the High Road.

If you're not in a hurry and like constrasts then it's the old railway
track from Finsbury Park to Highgate then up the A1000. Going home that
way, you go past Highgate tube and take the second left - Holmesdale
Road. Just to the left there is an entrance to the old railway that used
to go from Finsbury Park to High Barnet (bloody tube gets in the way
these days).

Once you get bored with all of those it's time to tackle the alps of
Crouch End with St James's Lane to Muswell Hill as a bonus.

--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

It's a darn shame they don't open up that Parkland Walk cycle route so
it goes further up the route of the old railway.
At Highgate, the walk disappears into a tunnel, which is barred
with iron gates.
Didn't it go on to Ally Pally anyway?

tenby wrote:


It's a darn shame they don't open up that Parkland Walk cycle route so
it goes further up the route of the old railway.
At Highgate, the walk disappears into a tunnel, which is barred
with iron gates.
Didn't it go on to Ally Pally anyway?

Nah, that's the other one - the other line out of Highgate.
You can get to it from Muswell Hill Road - the bottm of the dip.
The views from the embankment over East london are superb.
(led a bunch of kids on a ride from East Finchley to Ally Pally and back
the other week. I clocked one of the kids on his mum's ancient Raliegh
at 25mph - on gravel, but you can't use the brakes anyway or you'd be
off so why not just run with it.*

(old fart moment)
I (just about) remember real trains on those lines and goods being
delivered all the way up to High Barnet. Entire milk trains to East
Finchley, coal to all the stations as they all had coal merchants.

*clear path, bottom of Ally Pally, no pedestrians around, brake and
you'd most likely spill so grab the fear and grin.
Odd assortment of bikes - from the aforementioned Raliegh that was far
older than any of the kids, though yer general Appollo heavyweights and
one of those ghastly Schwinn cruisers to a borrowed Brompton ("It
doesn't like bumps, does it?")


--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

Paul Luton wrote:
Tom Anderson wrote:
Hello Londonistanis,

I live in Finsbury Park, and am currently working in North Finchley.
I've been getting there by public transport so far, but now that the
weather is going a bit less jungle-like, i would like to start cycling.

Any thoughts on a route?

For travel in London I find that the TFL Journey Planner with mode set
to bike gives a route worth trying.
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...T2?language=en
The journey times are less silly than you might expect given all the
variables.

Or you could try:
http://london.cyclestreets.net/

This gives you the options of finding a 'quiet' route or the fastest and
lets you chosse a cruising speed.

Jim

On 30 June, 10:42, Keitht KeithT wrote:
tenby wrote:

It's a darn shame they don't open up that Parkland Walk cycle route so
it goes further up the route of the old railway.
* * At Highgate, the walk disappears into a tunnel, which is barred
with iron gates.
Didn't it go on to Ally Pally anyway?

Nah, that's the other one - the other line out of Highgate.
You can get to it from Muswell Hill Road - the bottm of the dip.
The views from the embankment over East london are superb.
(led a bunch of kids on a ride from East Finchley to Ally Pally and back
the other week. I clocked one of the kids on his mum's ancient Raliegh
at 25mph - on gravel, but you can't use the brakes anyway or you'd be
off so why not just run with it.*

(old fart moment)
I *(just about) remember real trains on those lines and goods being
delivered all the way up to High Barnet. Entire milk trains to East
Finchley, coal to all the stations as they all had coal merchants.

*clear path, bottom of Ally Pally, no pedestrians around, brake and
you'd most likely spill so grab the fear and grin.
Odd assortment of bikes - from the aforementioned Raliegh that was far
older than any of the kids, though yer general Appollo heavyweights and
one of those ghastly Schwinn cruisers to a borrowed Brompton ("It
doesn't like bumps, does it?")

--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

.....so, there was one line from Highgate to Ally Pally, but, though
it can now only be accessed from Muswell Hill road, did it branch off
the line that was where the Railway Walk now is?
While (if i understand correctly) the other goes on to High
Barnet...is that where you'd end up IF the tunnel was open and the
route was still open?

....if so, seems like a TERRIBLE wasted opportunity for a really
useful long distance cycle route.

And what happened to the High Barnet route after they took the line
up? Did they sell off the land to become people's garden extensions?
Or for other commercial purposes?
I presume there's no prospect of this ever being opened up?

What a shame that, at the time of Beeching, they didn't have
the concept of cycle routes for the masses.

(Sorry, i'm sure I could go and look all this up through research, but
enjoy a bit of conversation)

tenby

tenby wrote:
On 30 June, 10:42, Keitht KeithT wrote:
tenby wrote:

It's a darn shame they don't open up that Parkland Walk cycle route so
it goes further up the route of the old railway.
At Highgate, the walk disappears into a tunnel, which is barred
with iron gates.
Didn't it go on to Ally Pally anyway?
Nah, that's the other one - the other line out of Highgate.
You can get to it from Muswell Hill Road - the bottm of the dip.
The views from the embankment over East london are superb.
(led a bunch of kids on a ride from East Finchley to Ally Pally and back
the other week. I clocked one of the kids on his mum's ancient Raliegh
at 25mph - on gravel, but you can't use the brakes anyway or you'd be
off so why not just run with it.*

(old fart moment)
I (just about) remember real trains on those lines and goods being
delivered all the way up to High Barnet. Entire milk trains to East
Finchley, coal to all the stations as they all had coal merchants.

*clear path, bottom of Ally Pally, no pedestrians around, brake and
you'd most likely spill so grab the fear and grin.
Odd assortment of bikes - from the aforementioned Raliegh that was far
older than any of the kids, though yer general Appollo heavyweights and
one of those ghastly Schwinn cruisers to a borrowed Brompton ("It
doesn't like bumps, does it?")

--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

....so, there was one line from Highgate to Ally Pally, but, though
it can now only be accessed from Muswell Hill road, did it branch off
the line that was where the Railway Walk now is?
While (if i understand correctly) the other goes on to High
Barnet...is that where you'd end up IF the tunnel was open and the
route was still open?

....if so, seems like a TERRIBLE wasted opportunity for a really
useful long distance cycle route.

And what happened to the High Barnet route after they took the line
up? Did they sell off the land to become people's garden extensions?
Or for other commercial purposes?
I presume there's no prospect of this ever being opened up?

What a shame that, at the time of Beeching, they didn't have
the concept of cycle routes for the masses.

(Sorry, i'm sure I could go and look all this up through research, but
enjoy a bit of conversation)

tenby
Just checked - it was Finsbury Park to Ally Pally but the junction at
Highgate was where the main traffic continued north.

My Grandad's house had a view of the railway to Finsbury Park (I lived
there until I was three - apparently). My dad used to cycle from there
to work in Kennngton on a bike that weighed even more than an Appollo
MTB, complete with huge battery tube for the lights and lovely shiny rod
brakes.


Found this --
"The section of line between Finsbury Park and Highgate remained open to
freight traffic with Highgate High Barnet and Mill remaining open until
1st October 1962 and Edgware until 1 June 1964."

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/s...ce/index.shtml

It was only the dismantling of the Finsbury Park bit that stopped any
further freight as that was the conection to the rest of the main line.

Having a look on Google Earth you can follow the lines and see what's
still left. There are some who belive the part from Mill Hill East to
Edgeware should be reopened but there's a fair bit of property in the
way and it would mean getting rid of an under-used bike route.
The other bit from Highgate overground to Barnet is still there and used
by the tubes.

But, dragging it back to topic, have a go at the tracks that are now
pathways, you'll be surprised that you're still in North London.

http://www.parkland-walk.org.uk/



Oh, and there are some good ways to get to High Barnet via Dollis Brook.
There are planned extensions of the LCN++++++++ or whateveritisthisweek
to permit cycling by the brook in places it is occasionally marked as
'no cycling'. I find this a problem as I've always ridden alongside the
brook since I was 10, these things become normal routes and as long as
you don't hassle the dog-emptiers there's no complaints.(some of us were
riding in the brook at the age of 12, it was clean enough then) Other
parts that are signed as cycle path only can be very quick indeed.

--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

On 30 June, 13:25, Keitht KeithT wrote:
tenby wrote:
On 30 June, 10:42, Keitht KeithT wrote:
tenby wrote:

It's a darn shame they don't open up that Parkland Walk cycle route so
it goes further up the route of the old railway.
* * At Highgate, the walk disappears into a tunnel, which is barred
with iron gates.
Didn't it go on to Ally Pally anyway?
Nah, that's the other one - the other line out of Highgate.
You can get to it from Muswell Hill Road - the bottm of the dip.
The views from the embankment over East london are superb.
(led a bunch of kids on a ride from East Finchley to Ally Pally and back
the other week. I clocked one of the kids on his mum's ancient Raliegh
at 25mph - on gravel, but you can't use the brakes anyway or you'd be
off so why not just run with it.*

(old fart moment)
I *(just about) remember real trains on those lines and goods being
delivered all the way up to High Barnet. Entire milk trains to East
Finchley, coal to all the stations as they all had coal merchants.

*clear path, bottom of Ally Pally, no pedestrians around, brake and
you'd most likely spill so grab the fear and grin.
Odd assortment of bikes - from the aforementioned Raliegh that was far
older than any of the kids, though yer general Appollo heavyweights and
one of those ghastly Schwinn cruisers to a borrowed Brompton ("It
doesn't like bumps, does it?")

--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

....so, *there was one line from Highgate to Ally Pally, but, though
it can now only be accessed from Muswell Hill road, did it branch off
the line that was where the Railway Walk now is?
* * * * * While (if i understand correctly) the other goes on to High
Barnet...is that where you'd end up IF the tunnel was open and the
route was still open?

* * ....if so, seems like a TERRIBLE wasted opportunity for a really
useful long distance cycle route.

And what happened to the High Barnet route after they took the line
up? Did they sell off the land to become people's garden extensions?
Or for other commercial purposes?
* * * * *I presume there's no prospect of this ever being opened up?

* * * *What a shame that, at the time of Beeching, they didn't have
the concept of cycle routes for the masses.

(Sorry, i'm sure I could go and look all this up through research, but
enjoy a bit of conversation)

tenby

Just checked - it was Finsbury Park to Ally Pally but the junction at
Highgate was where the main traffic continued north.

My Grandad's house had a view of the railway to Finsbury Park (I lived
there until I was three - apparently). My dad used to cycle from there
to work in Kennngton on a bike that weighed even more than an Appollo
MTB, complete with huge battery tube for the lights and lovely shiny rod
brakes.

Found this --
"The section of line between Finsbury Park and Highgate remained open to
freight traffic with Highgate High Barnet and Mill remaining open until
1st October 1962 and Edgware until 1 June 1964."

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/s...a_palace/index....

It was only the dismantling of the Finsbury Park bit that stopped any
further freight as that was the conection to the rest of the main line.

Having a look on Google Earth you can follow the lines and see what's
still left. There are some who belive the part from Mill Hill East to
Edgeware should be reopened but there's a fair bit of property in the
way and it would mean getting rid of an under-used bike route.
The other bit from Highgate overground to Barnet is still there and used
by the tubes.

But, dragging it back to topic, have a go at the tracks that are now
pathways, you'll be surprised that you're still in North London.

http://www.parkland-walk.org.uk/

Oh, and there are some good ways to get to High Barnet via Dollis Brook.
There are planned extensions of the LCN++++++++ or whateveritisthisweek
* to permit cycling by the brook in places it is occasionally marked as
'no cycling'. I find this a problem as I've always ridden alongside the
brook since I was 10, these things become normal routes and as long as
you don't hassle the dog-emptiers there's no complaints.(some of us were
riding in the brook at the age of 12, it was clean enough then) Other
parts that are signed as cycle path only can be very quick indeed.

--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

Yes, i go down the parkland walk/cycle from time to time. Another
handy cycle link after that, for anyone heading citywards towards
docklands/canary wharf/greenwich is, of course, the canal side from
Springfield Park all the way down to Limehouse Basin - you only have
to do about 1 mile (and a bit) on the roads from the east side of
Finsbury Park to reach Springfield Park. And of course, if you hang a
left you can cycle all the way north to Bishops Stortford or Ware (if
you really wanted to).
There seem to be so many 'nearly' connected routes in
london that could really make cycling a number one choice for
commuters, i just wish there was enough political will to be a bit
more daring, to join up the dots, and do something radical.
If I was dictator, I'd have half the width of some, or all,
of London's arterial canals covered in pontoons, thus making direct
highways to the heart of the capital, completely free of cars. Thess
canals are wide enough presently to let two narrowboats pass. I reckon
they should just tell the narrowboat people, sorry, you can only head
one way before midday, and the other after. They'd still be able to
move the boats to and from the various basins where people are living.
But let's face it - how many people are there using the boats for
leisure, compared to the zillions of cyclists who could be doing
fitness-enhancing, carbon-free commutes? Let's get our priorities
right.
The other big missed opportunity for cycle lanes is the
existing overground rail arteries - why not slot a cycle lane in next
to some of the railway lines that are still operational, separated by
a fence (with gates for rail-maintenance access). OK, there would have
to be some circumvention or widening of tunnels, but the potential
gain in creating a quick and direct cycle system would be incredible.

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009, Paul Luton wrote:

Tom Anderson wrote:

I live in Finsbury Park, and am currently working in North Finchley. I've
been getting there by public transport so far, but now that the weather is
going a bit less jungle-like, i would like to start cycling.

Any thoughts on a route?

For travel in London I find that the TFL Journey Planner with mode set to
bike gives a route worth trying.
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...T2?language=en
The journey times are less silly than you might expect given all the
variables.

I am usually a bit skeptical about the Journey Plannery - it often gives
stupid results for public transport journeys, and if it can't even get
that right, i don't hold out much hope for its cycle routes.

In this case, it tells me to take the Greenway to Highgate, and then the
East Finchley route i described from there. That's not a bad route in
distance and climb terms, but i don't find the Greenway very fast to
travel on, due to the surface. I might give it a go on the way home,
though.

tom

--
Why did one straw break the camel's back? Here's the secret: the million
other straws underneath it - it's all mathematics. -- Mos Def