Getting to Kew Gardens

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Fri 23 May 2008 11:10
Getting to Kew Gardens - Dipstick
I've just come across Kew Gardens' new "tree walk" thingy, and that sounds interesting. What's my best bet for getting there from Cambridge?

I'm sure not driving through the middle of London, so I could either go all the way around the M25 and in somewhere (and then where the heck do I park) or take public transport of some sort, with the minimum of changes.

Any suggestions as to the least hassley way of Cambridge to Kew Gardens? Be doing this on a weekend (not a Bank Holiday one though).

Edited by Dipstick on 23/05/2008 at 11:10

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Fri 23 May 2008 11:35
Getting to Kew Gardens - pyruse
Long route is M25, M3, A316 then over Kew bridge
Much shorter (and probably faster at the weekend) to go down the A1 and round the Nth Circular

There's quite a lot of on-street parking right outside Kew Gardens, but you need to either get there early or be persistent (I went round about 3 times before getting a space). As I recall you can stay a long time.
There's also a car park by the river which you get to down a small access road near the main gates (only dicsovered this after findong a space in the road outside).
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Fri 23 May 2008 11:43
Getting to Kew Gardens - jbif
There's quite a lot of on-street parking right outside Kew Gardens,
There's also a car park by the river which you get to down


Go via A1 and North Circular. Find your parking space here
tinyurl.com/4mv9rr

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Fri 23 May 2008 13:17
Getting to Kew Gardens - flunky
There's quite a lot of on-street parking right outside Kew Gardens but you need to
either get there early or be persistent (I went round about 3 times before getting
a space). As I recall you can stay a long time.


I had the same problem last time I went. Lots of driving round in circles in the nearby streets.

Generally Sunday is a better day for parking in most places, to avoid restrictions, don't quite remember for Kew though.

You will have to get the A406 for the last part of the route (Chiswick), and over Kew Bridge. Total delay here shouldn't exceed 10 minutes on a normal weekend.

You can join the A406 at either the A41 (from the A1), or M11.

The stretch of A406 from M11 to A41 contains some single carriageway sections, traffic lights, etc., around Finchley.

These bits are not particularly nice/fast for driving, so add 4.6 miles onto your journey and take M11->M25->A1->A41->A406, thence over Kew Bridge and seek a parking space.

If you want, you can try the slightly shorter A406->M11 on the way back, to compare the time taken.

I don't see any other viable routes than these two (for instance, I wouldn't take the M25 to the A111, and I certainly wouldn't take M4).
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Fri 23 May 2008 11:51
Getting to Kew Gardens - Mapmaker
Cambridge cruiser to King's Cross - 45ish minutes. Piccadilly line to Hammersmith, District Line to Kew - 33 minutes according to www.tfl.gov.uk journeyplanner.

If you're insisting on driving, my choice would be M11, A12, A13 in Poplar, through the Rotherhithe tunnel, B202 Jamaica Road, Ring road, Lambeth Bridge, Embankment, Warwick Road, A4, don't get onto the M4, Kew Bridge (that's your third time over/under the River). Somewhere between 90 and 150 minutes. (google directions says 69 miles, 108 minutes).

You'll need a good navigator, and I suggest a London A-Z.

Google suggests M11 then North Circular anti-clockwise (70 miles, 97 minutes). I hate that road with a vengeance and wouldn't touch it, but I'm sure Lud likes it, and it's probably easier than my route.

If you're totally allergic to London, go all the way round the M25 and in on the M4 (97 miles 107 minutes) but that seems like an awful lot of hard work to me.

Better perhaps, Royston, Baldock (taking advantage of the new bypass) A1 and join the North Circular at the bottom of the M1. In fact, google says that's 69 miles and 93 minutes -so better than google's proposed route. That might just be the best route. Not difficult driving, but the 93 minutes requires a good run.


Don't do it on a Sunday as getting home will be awful.


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Fri 23 May 2008 12:15
Getting to Kew Gardens - rogue-trooper
If you can't face going through town.......

M25, M4 get off junction 1 (Chiswick Roundabout) and take the A205 across Kew Bridge (Chiskwick High Road > Kew Bridge)

There is not a lot of off street parking as the CPZs are quite vicious there. There is a car park. Come over Kew Bridge going south, and take the first right (Kew Green) at end of bridge just after the traffic lights. Go about 200m and there is a gap between two houses that leads to the car park.

The car park is about 1 mile tops from end of M4.
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Fri 23 May 2008 16:10
Getting to Kew Gardens - Dipstick
Very many thanks people - lots of good ideas there. I'll pore over maps and pick a route from these ideas.

You'll be pleased to hear that I am the world's clumsiest person, so the chances of me actually successfully wandering along an aerial tree walk without instant death attending the proceedings is low - in which case so long, and thanks for all the quiche.

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Fri 23 May 2008 16:55
Getting to Kew Gardens - Roger Jones
If you want a feast for the eyes, get into London by train, pick up the North London Line at Highbury & Islington and trundle all the way around to Kew Gardens:

tinyurl.com/6owy3m

It takes you past the back gardens of the world and his wife. From Cambridge, I wouldn't bother with the car. I used to use it for rugby days at Twickenham and Old Deer Park.
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