Walking and cycling

These routes are known collectively as the 2012 Games Walking and Cycling Routes and will be the main spectator routes used by people walking and cycling to the Olympic Park and River Zone venues during the Games.

In total over 75km of routes have been largely completed and were launched by Mark Foster alongside the London 2012 Active Travel programme on 24 October 2011. A programme of way-finding is being developed alongside the route improvements to allow users to navigate easily; this is due to be completed by March 2012.

We hope that by improving these routes, we will encourage more people to walk and cycle, helping us deliver our commitment of a truly sustainable 2012 Games.The enhancements will not only benefit the thousands of people expected to walk or cycle to the Games, but will provide an enjoyable and useful travel option for years to come.

The main routes to the Olympic Park and River Zone venues that have been enhanced are:

• Lea Valley North – routes to the north of the Olympic Park through the Lee Valley Regional Park
• Epping Forest – a new route from the north-east of the Olympic Park through Wanstead and Epping Forest 
• Elevated Greenway – follows the route of the northern outfall sewer east from the Olympic Park to Beckton 
• Lower Lea and The Royal Docks – from the south of the Olympic Park to the Isle of Dogs, and on to Maritime Greenwich and other River Zone venues via the Thames Path 
• Limehouse Cut – from Limehouse Basin to the Olympic Park along the Limehouse Cut
• Victoria Park and Stepney – connects the Olympic Park to Islington and Limehouse Basin along the Regent’s and Hertford Union Canals 
• Hackney Parks – connects green spaces in Hackney from Finsbury Park to the western entrance of the Olympic Park 
• Greenwich – follows the route of the Thames Path connecting Maritime Greenwich with the North Greenwich Peninsular and Woolwich.

For further information about walking and cycling in the lead up to and during the London 2012 Games, visit the London 2012 Active Travel Programme.

Walking and cycling route diversions

It may be necessary to change existing routes within or next to the Olympic Park due to construction activity or where improvement works are taking place.

We will do our best to keep these closures to a minimum, and will keep you updated here about any closures affecting these paths.

Free Podcast

Learn about the creation of the Olympic Park venues, parklands and infrastructure and their legacy. A free downloadable audio and video tour of the Olympic Park is available for visitors to the Greenway, a 2.5km walking and cycling path overlooking the park. The tour is narrated by Olympic gold medal-winning triple jumper Jonathan Edwards.