The Elizabeth Line service to Central London and on to Heathrow and Reading was fully instated in November 2022. Cycles are accepted on this fast service off-peak; Tottenham Court Road is less than 30 minutes away. From the main station exit R for 200m until L a cycle permeable gate.
The link is dipping south to include the ruins of Lesnes Abbey, in fine parkland and backed by substantial wooded slopes (Abbey Wood). From here your companion is the Green Chain Walk, at first on an elevated walkway heading north to South Mere and the Erith marshes.
A brief ride on the Southern Outfall sewer takes you below an overpass, where you can choose: either continue northwest on the Green Chain Walk, until it takes an interesting meandering path through Thamesmead estates, including small porterages, so at 1.8 a more cycle-friendly direct route diverges to reach the Thames and Arc 3 directly across from Barking Riverside Pier - or at the underpass 1.6 take an unsurfaced path NE through two stiles to Crossness Southern Outfall Works. The latter route might be a little forbidding and muddy in poor weather.
