Author Topic: [LEL17] Travel Advice (Read 13838 times)

LMT · « **Reply #75 on:** 30 November, 2016, 10:45:50 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 30 November, 2016, 07:48:18 pm

Thameslink (or whaetver they call it) is VERY unreliable; great when it runs on weekdays and frequently shit at weekends, with long intervals timetabled and numerous cancellations.

NO, just NO! Sorry chrisbainbridge. Getting stranded for 90 minutes at a Thameslink station is not an experience I would recommend. I'm sure my partner would agree.

(We live 2 miles from Mill Hill Broadway station and partner has used this line a lot but it's been unhappy rather often. Erstwhile schoolmate lives in St Albans and is frequently disappointed.)

Agreed, besides Saint Albans is a shithole, Dunstable is where it's really 'appening.

Personally, with a family of four I'd go with the Stratford option, plenty for the children to do, shopping, cinema, etc.

hellymedic · « **Reply #76 on:** 30 November, 2016, 10:51:40 pm »

I am not a parent but think the Stratford option would appeal to teens etc as LMT suggested.

LMT · « **Reply #77 on:** 30 November, 2016, 11:01:04 pm »

To be fair jo has hit the nail on the head.

Jurek · « **Reply #78 on:** 30 November, 2016, 11:12:11 pm »

Quote from: LMT on 30 November, 2016, 11:01:04 pm

To be fair jo has hit the nail on the head.

As an urbanite, I'd agree.

jsabine · « **Reply #79 on:** 01 December, 2016, 02:49:10 am »

Looking back at the the OP's original thread, he says that while he's riding, his wife and children will be sightseeing. Where do *they* want to be for that week?

To me, if I'm visiting a city I want to be fairly central. If I'm sightseeing, I want to be able to walk easily to at least a couple of major tourist attractions, and be a *short* public transport ride from others. I want to be able to have dinner somewhere central and again, walk or have a short journey back afterwards. If I'm close enough or the city is small enough that I can walk all day and take in a lot of the sights, so much the better.

For that sort of trip I'd rather have a small room in an adequate, clean, central hotel than a suite in a palace significantly further away - I'm not going to do much more than sleep and have breakfast in the place.

I'd wonder about some of the small independent hotels in Bloomsbury, near Russell Square - family have used different ones in the past - or maybe look in Bermondsey (up and coming, near the South Bank) or even in the City - a friend has had good deals at hotels near St Paul's and the Tower (the Grange, I think).

Of course, that all depends on how old the OP's kids are and how keen they, and his wife, are on routemarches around the sights ... If the Aquatic Centre in the Olympic Park is important, then maybe we're back to Stratford in any case.

(I had a quick look at Premier Inn prices, just out of interest. A family room for a week, 28/07 to 04/08, is £1100 in Stratford(!!), £900 near Tower Bridge, and £650 in Greenwich.

You could probably do a lot better, and a lot more central, for £1100 ... But Greenwich might be a good option - big parks and some tourist stuff (Royal Observatory, Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark tea clipper, cheesy weekend market, Old Royal Naval College), quieter than central London, easy access by train or by river boat to the centre.

And while access to Loughton isn't ideal, it's straightforward by DLR and Central Line, and I'm close enough to offer an escort if the OP wants to ride up to registration or the start.)

canuckystan · « **Reply #80 on:** 01 December, 2016, 04:19:04 pm »

Thanks everyone for your input. We just booked an AirBNB 3 bedroom house with full kitchen and backyard in Woodford close to the central line for 100 pounds/night. Staying closer to the center of London got very expensive, very quickly. They are fine taking the tube into London for day trips, and hanging out in the quiet suburb at night. Stratford is a quick tube ride away if they want to swim or shop there for a day or 2. Everyone is pleased - now I just need to secure a spot for LEL!

hellymedic · « **Reply #81 on:** 01 December, 2016, 04:35:03 pm »

Sounds great! If you have a whole house, they can veg out without feeling pressured to Go Out and Do Something or Eat Too Much at Fixed Mealtimes as happens in hotels.
Hopefully there's a washing machine too!
Hope you all enjoy your stay!

canuckystan · « **Reply #82 on:** 01 December, 2016, 04:54:12 pm »

Thank you - yes washing machine, dishwasher and the all important Netflix with flatscreen TV. I suspect on my return they will be growing vegetables and complaining about the tourists

Ham · « **Reply #83 on:** 01 December, 2016, 05:47:49 pm »

If you'd like the lowdown on the area, pm me the address.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #84 on:** 01 December, 2016, 07:23:30 pm »

And if it's in Whitehall Road, make sure it's not the one that was the location of an unsolved murder...

Ham · « **Reply #85 on:** 01 December, 2016, 07:45:05 pm »

I'll have you know I had the hots for a girl a couple of houses along a few years before.....

(Oh, and it's Chingford, not Woodford. And it was in the 70's)

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #86 on:** 02 December, 2016, 01:10:25 pm »

~~Our house~~ The crime scene reckoned itself to be Woodford Green, at least according to the letting agent and the copper on "Crimewatch".

wwatts · « **Reply #87 on:** 01 February, 2017, 01:42:04 am »

I'm starting this topic thinking that those who know the area might be able to offer advice for those of us traveling from abroad. I'll start with my request.

I wonder if someone could recommend a suburb not too far from Loughton that would be easily accessible by public transportation (preferably the Tube), and where I could find a reasonably cheap hotel for two nights.

Here's what i did in 2013: I took the Tube to Buckhurst Hill (wasn't in any hurry, so didn't bother with express), and spent two nights in the Premier Inn where I assembled my coupled bike, posted my bike bag to my final destination in Oslo, got my camping gear together, and rode to the campground near the start. (I then road to the Covent Garden Travelodge in order to do the Prologue, but I obviously won't be doing that this year.)

I can't do that this time around because there aren't rooms available in Buckhurst Hill. I liked Buckhurst Hill, though, because it was 1) easy to get to from Heathrow, 2) wasn't too far from the start and campground, 3) had services (restaurants, post office, etc) nearby, and 4) was in a pleasant area, with roads that aren't too bad to ride on. If I could find something like this within, say, 30 kilometers of the start, that would be wonderful.

Any ideas?

Bill Watts

cygnet · « **Reply #88 on:** 01 February, 2017, 08:52:39 am »

Hi Bill

There is some prior discussion / advice here:

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=100568.0

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=99667.0

Threads merged

oliverb · « **Reply #89 on:** 13 July, 2017, 09:07:14 am »

Can anyone please give me some hints about how to travel from stansted airport to premier inn waltham abbey
(Sewardstone Rd, Waltham Abbey EN9 3QF)?

I will travel with a bike box and a backpack and have no idea about the pricing of taxis to do the trip (about 25 miles), for example.

I will touch ground on friday 28th of July at 17:25.

Any advice will be highly appreciated.

Thanks

Oliver

psyclist · « **Reply #90 on:** 13 July, 2017, 09:36:11 am »

Quote from: oliverb on 13 July, 2017, 09:07:14 am

Can anyone please give me some hints about how to travel from stansted airport to premier inn waltham abbey
(Sewardstone Rd, Waltham Abbey EN9 3QF)?

I will travel with a bike box and a backpack and have no idea about the pricing of taxis to do the trip (about 25 miles), for example.

I will touch ground on friday 28th of July at 17:25.

Any advice will be highly appreciated.

Thanks

Oliver

A taxi from the airport would be the most convenient, but quite pricey.

An alternative would be to get the train to Cheshunt. This would involve getting the train towards London, and changing at Bishop's Stortford. From Cheshunt, your hotel is about 5 miles, so a much cheaper journey.

The train isn't that cheap, but if you get a return, it'll work out much cheaper than a taxi in both directions.

Train times can be found at https://www.thetrainline.com/

Taxis would be available outside the station in Cheshunt.

ScumOfTheRoad · « **Reply #91 on:** 13 July, 2017, 09:36:50 am »

Hi Oliver. The Stansted Expres train has a dedicated station at Stansted Airport and it is easy to get luggage onboard.
There are passenger lifts down to the platform anyway.

Use this site to plan your journey https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/
That site is not being very helpful - it suggests using two buses from Stansted Airport and the journey takes 2.5 hours...
The Stansted Express stops at Tottenham Hale tube station... Even then the TfL site suggests going down to the Victoria Line then a bus and a 25 minute walk.
Going down to a deep Tube line with a backpack and a bike box is possible but would be a struggle.

I stand corrected by Psyclist. Take the local train, not the Stansted Express.

psyclist · « **Reply #92 on:** 13 July, 2017, 09:40:53 am »

Quote from: ScumOfTheRoad on 13 July, 2017, 09:36:50 am

I stand corrected by Psyclist. Take the local train, not the Stansted Express.

It would be the Stansted Express from the airport, changing onto the local train at Bishop's Stortford.

psyclist · « **Reply #93 on:** 13 July, 2017, 11:10:22 am »

Quote from: psyclist on 13 July, 2017, 09:40:53 am

Quote from: ScumOfTheRoad on 13 July, 2017, 09:36:50 am
I stand corrected by Psyclist. Take the local train, not the Stansted Express.

It would be the Stansted Express from the airport, changing onto the local train at Bishop's Stortford.

On second thoughts, you could always head straight for Tottenham Hale using the Stansted Express. Tottenham Hale is about 8 miles from the Premier Inn, so a bit more expensive in a taxi than Cheshunt, but saves the change of trains at Bishop's Stortford.

oliverb · « **Reply #94 on:** 13 July, 2017, 11:20:22 am »

Thanks a lot.

I will then take the Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale and switch to a taxi after that. A very good trade off between money and convenience.

Really looking forward to ride my bike in your beautiful country.

Oliver

canuckystan · « **Reply #95 on:** 13 July, 2017, 02:54:10 pm »

For those traveling from Heathrow: we booked a car/driver ahead of time and through email ensured the car is large enough for the bike, family of 4, and all of our luggage. 75 quid from Heathrow to near Loughton. They take your name and flight # and meet you at the airport.

grams · « **Reply #96 on:** 13 July, 2017, 06:12:28 pm »

Quote from: oliverb on 13 July, 2017, 09:07:14 am

Can anyone please give me some hints about how to travel from stansted airport to premier inn waltham abbey
(Sewardstone Rd, Waltham Abbey EN9 3QF)?

I hope you're aware that that hotel is right at the foot of Mott Street, one of the best known London area hill climbs!

Conversely, Sewardstone Road is one of the worst roads I know of to cycle on, as it's fast, busy, narrow and bendy.

oliverb · « **Reply #97 on:** 14 July, 2017, 07:39:34 am »

Puh, I plan to ride these roads on saturday to and from LEL registration.

Also on sunday morning 7:30 to the start line (start at 8:00).
Hopefully traffic is a lot less on sunday.

Thanks for the warning, so.

Oliver