Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Post Reply
nathb
Posts: 208
Joined: 21 Feb 2015, 1:42pm
Location: London

Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by nathb »

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone does this route as a commute and can recommend a good/safe route (I'm relatively new to the area), but not along the canal as I want to use the road bike.

I'm really wanting to start to cycle to work, on Fridays to begin with as the roads are less busy, but I'm struggling to find a decent route due to Heathrow and the M25.

For reference I need to travel between:

W5 4PA

SL1 4AA

(These are just nearby shops)

Thanks in advance!
jgurney
Posts: 1212
Joined: 10 May 2009, 8:34am

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by jgurney »

I'm familiar with the Ealing, Southall and Hounslow areas but have not ridden much between Cranford and Slough.

I'd be tempted to at least try just going straight down the A4. The section from the A30 inwards to South Ealing has cycle paths (albeit not very good ones). I seem to recall noticing on a bus ride between Slough and Langley that there was some sort of cycle facility along the A4 there too.

While the towpath of the Slough Arm was very narrow and muddy last time I walked that way, the towpath of the Grand Union mainline canal from West Drayton to Brentford has a mainly tarmac or paving slab surface and is a reasonable ride although you may have to slow down in places for walkers or fishermen. You could look at using the canal from Hanwell to West Drayton and then use Thorny Mill Road to get to Langley.

In Hanwell, it is better to access the canal from Boston Manor Rd by using Hume's Avenue, St Margaret's Rd and Green Lane rather than via Trumpers Way, to avoid steps, and HGV's going to Trumpers Way industrial estate.
nathb
Posts: 208
Joined: 21 Feb 2015, 1:42pm
Location: London

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by nathb »

jgurney wrote:I'm familiar with the Ealing, Southall and Hounslow areas but have not ridden much between Cranford and Slough.

I'd be tempted to at least try just going straight down the A4. The section from the A30 inwards to South Ealing has cycle paths (albeit not very good ones). I seem to recall noticing on a bus ride between Slough and Langley that there was some sort of cycle facility along the A4 there too.

While the towpath of the Slough Arm was very narrow and muddy last time I walked that way, the towpath of the Grand Union mainline canal from West Drayton to Brentford has a mainly tarmac or paving slab surface and is a reasonable ride although you may have to slow down in places for walkers or fishermen. You could look at using the canal from Hanwell to West Drayton and then use Thorny Mill Road to get to Langley.

In Hanwell, it is better to access the canal from Boston Manor Rd by using Hume's Avenue, St Margaret's Rd and Green Lane rather than via Trumpers Way, to avoid steps, and HGV's going to Trumpers Way industrial estate.


Thanks!

Yeah I think you're right - it's going to have to be canal towpaths, which means mtb.
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by [XAP]Bob »

http://cycle.travel/map?from=w54pa&to=sl14aa
provides an interesting looking route. Normally better than the usual suspects (who assume you are in a slow car)
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by [XAP]Bob »

For 18 miles I'd be tempted to try the road bike - do you have somewhere at work to leave bits and pieces?
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
nathb
Posts: 208
Joined: 21 Feb 2015, 1:42pm
Location: London

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by nathb »

I've not seen that route finder before, thanks!

That's taking me down the canal paths too I think (using my phone at the moment).

Yeah the bike will be indoors near security - so won't even need to carry a lock, can leave clothes in my drawer and take a shower - I've got no excuses not cycle in really, bar finding a route!
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Sounds like a nice setup you have available :)

Is the intention to ride most days? 18 miles each way is a signifiant commute. I idly note that there appears to be a fairly convenient train line which might suffice for one direction?
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
jgurney
Posts: 1212
Joined: 10 May 2009, 8:34am

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by jgurney »

[XAP]Bob wrote: there appears to be a fairly convenient train line which might suffice for one direction?


That line does not carry cycles on trains towards London in the morning peak or away from London in the evening peak. I'm not clear which way round the OP is planning to travel. Even going against the peak London flow, which is theoretically allowed, the trains are often very full with commuters going to Slough and students going to Langley and Southall Colleges, and it may be impractical to load a bike on.
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by [XAP]Bob »

jgurney wrote:
[XAP]Bob wrote: there appears to be a fairly convenient train line which might suffice for one direction?


That line does not carry cycles on trains towards London in the morning peak or away from London in the evening peak. I'm not clear which way round the OP is planning to travel. Even going against the peak London flow, which is theoretically allowed, the trains are often very full with commuters going to Slough and students going to Langley and Southall Colleges, and it may be impractical to load a bike on.


So do the cycle shuffle:
:arrow: cycle to work
:arrow: train home
:arrow: train to work
:arrow: cycle home

Repeat.
Possibly with a folding bike being stored at the "other" location if the trip to/from the stations warrants it...

This does raise the slight issue of the week having an odd number of days ;(
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
nathb
Posts: 208
Joined: 21 Feb 2015, 1:42pm
Location: London

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by nathb »

jgurney wrote:
[XAP]Bob wrote: there appears to be a fairly convenient train line which might suffice for one direction?


That line does not carry cycles on trains towards London in the morning peak or away from London in the evening peak. I'm not clear which way round the OP is planning to travel. Even going against the peak London flow, which is theoretically allowed, the trains are often very full with commuters going to Slough and students going to Langley and Southall Colleges, and it may be impractical to load a bike on.


I'd be travelling to Slough in the morning and towards London in the evening.

To be honest I've caught the train a couple of times when my car has been at the garage, there's barely enough room to stand - so I wouldn't take a bike on it.




I'm just proposing to do Fridays at the moment, the roads are quieter as more people work from home etc. If I find a decent enough route then I'll start commuting more days.

I don't mind doing 18 miles each way on a MTB or Road bike (obviously would be faster on the road) - I'm an accountant so it's not like I do much during the day. :lol:

Cheers for the replies :)
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by [XAP]Bob »

certainly not near year end ;)
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by tatanab »

15 years ago I lived in Windsor and worked a bit east of Heathrow. There's a perfectly sensible route through Datchet, Stanwell and Hatton which is 15 miles each way. I would cycle alternate days. The problem was not distance but that there was only the one sensible route which quickly got very tedious.
nathb
Posts: 208
Joined: 21 Feb 2015, 1:42pm
Location: London

Re: Route Help for Ealing (W5) to Slough (SL1)

Post by nathb »

[XAP]Bob wrote:certainly not near year end ;)


We run Jan to Dec 8)
Post Reply