auzdafluff

I'm trying to come up with some new routes to go cycling, and I'd really like to try the Springs/Meadow area, but I've got no idea how to get from JLT to that area without a car.

Does anyone know of any safe routes?

Miss Anne Thrope

One of the many avoidable drawbacks from the unplanned, unregulated building frenzy in Dubai is that different developers built communities adjacent to one other but in isolation and without any mutual reference. Emirates Living/JLT/Jumeirah Islands/Jumeirah Village is a case study for this short-sightedness. The parallel roads, noxious as they are in many respects, do address this to some degree. Although the road going from the Lakes past Meadows 1 into JLT is not yet open, it may be navigable by bicycle at this point? I'm not sure where or how it links into JLT and my one experience of the road system in JLT was enough to dissuade me from ever investigating again. Anyway, if it isn't passable now it should be soon. It is likely to be as risky as cycling on any road in Dubai.

Once you're into the Springs/Meadows area it is very different. What kind of cycling do you want to do? If you want a relatively easy pace with pleasant surroundings you should find your way into the trails around the lakes, especially the multi-lobed massive lake at the heart of the development. Check out a Google Earth view or detailed map to get a sense of what it's like first or you could get very lost. You won't be able to build up much speed on the paths as there are many pedestrians and it is more suited to jogging than cycling but it is nice. And from the saddle you can peer into some very stylish back gardens of a calibre that you might not expect to find in Dubai.

If you want to do more road cycling then the aforementioned parallel roads have spoiled the fun a bit, especially the eastern parallel road which has replaced a superb 3km palm-lined avenue. On the other hand, the 10-lane road provides so much excess capacity that there may be more room than before to cycle in safety - if you can put up with the traffic lights.

Blue Cat

is an absolute pain in the arse trying to get from the springs to JLT!

Ditzy

The new flyover will be open shortly which will mean a 5-10 minute journey into JLT from the Springs/Meadows area.

It is nearly ready and looks like only road markings need to be completed now.

Ditzy

PS In the meantime you could cycle through Jumeirah Islands...

auzdafluff

Yeah, I'm waiting to see how the connection works. I'm going to give the Jumeirah Islands route a go next weekend.

mentalist

Once you get through the new roadworks between JLT and Jumeirah Islands, it's a nice peaceful cycle through the Islands to Gate 2 and thereafter on to the Springs and Meadows. It's dead easy and quite pretty most of the way.