Any Interesting Rides From Paddington for a London Virgin?

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cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
One of the 'perks' of my job includes free weekend travel on the Heathrow Express, so I was thinking of hopping on with the bike one Sunday in the future and having a pedal around London. My local knowledge extends to Paddington being in London, so anybody recommend nice bits to ride around, likewise those to avoid?

Cheers
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
I was born in London but ony lived there for six years in the 80s so I'm not familiar with modern London but I'd say the Embankment from the Thames barrier to as far upstream as you can get and back in the day. It would make a fascinating trip.
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
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I'll get my (duffel) coat :becool:
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
How far would you like to ride?

For real interest, head south the Hyde park, do a circuit and then drop down park lane...its awesome, downhill and zippy., left up along Piccadilly , past the Ritz and into Leicester square. Carry round that and down Haymarket to Trafalgar square and head right under Admiralty arch and up The Mall, wave at the queen and take a left along birdcage walk (back towards the river) and take a picture of all the phone boxes in front of Whitehall and Big Ben (you'll need to join the queue of Japanese tourists for this). Take a left and purr along the river on the embankment, taking in the London eye on the other side. (you'll see it close up on the way back). Turn left at Blackfriars and head up to the fleet street junction with Ludgate hill and do a right to St Pauls, head left across the front into paternoster square and look at the Chop house that they film first dates (or whatever its called) in. Head out and on towards london wall past the Museum and onto Clerkenwell. Stop at Look mum No Hands for hipster latte and quinoa and Lentil oat cake and oogle all the fab bikes that arrive...feel old and push on to old street, turning right down city road to the bottom and head left to tower bridge. head over the bridge and drop right onto Tooley street and past london bridge to Borough Market. stop for Brownies and a pint.

Push on along the south bank, weaving your way along the river until you get to the National theatre. stop here to check out the pop up stores and cafes (do not try to skateboard under the theatre, we have already established that you are too old) and carry on back to the London eye (told you!)

Take a right over Westminster bridge and head slightly left to Victoria (past the Chanel four building, which is a jump to the left) and wind your way up Grosvenor place a little before heading left to Sloane square. go around Sloane sqare and head up Sloane street , Put your dark glasses on so as not to be dazzled by the sun reflecting off of all the gold plated Lamborghini's (there will be a few) and turn left at number one Hyde park (by thye Mclaren showroom) past Harrods and along to the museums. turn right up exhibition way and back into hyde park. follow your steps throught he park to Paddington.

I reckon that's about 25 miles all in. should take you about 2 hours of riding and 5 hours of stopping.

Have fun.
 
Last edited:
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OP
cosmicbike

cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
How far would you like to ride?

For real interest, head south the Hyde park, do a circuit and then drop down park lane...its awesome, downhill and zippy., left up along Piccadilly , past the Ritz and into Leicester square. Carry round that and down Haymarket to Trafalgar square and head right under Admiralty arch and up The Mall, wave at the queen and take a left along birdcage walk (back towards the river) and take a picture of all the phone boxes in front of Whitehall and Big Ben (you'll need to join the queue of Japanese tourists for this). Take a left and purr along the river on the embankment, taking in the London eye on the other side. (you'll see it close up on the way back). Turn left at Blackfriars and head up to the fleet street junction with Ludgate hill and do a right to St Pauls, head left across the front into paternoster square and look at the Chop house that they film first dates (or whatever its called) in. Head out and on towards london wall past the Museum and onto Clerkenwell. Stop at Look mum No Hands for hipster latte and quinoa and Lentil oat cake and oogle all the fab bikes that arrive...feel old and push on to old street, turning right down city road to the bottom and head left to tower bridge. head over the bridge and drop right onto Tooley street and past london bridge to Borough Market. stop for Brownies and a pint.

Push on along the south bank, weaving your way along the river until you get to the National theatre. stop here to check out the pop up stores and cafes (do not try to skateboard under the theatre, we have already established that you are too old) and carry on back to the London eye (told you!)

Take a right over Westminster bridge and head slightly left to Victoria (past the Chanel four building, which is a jump to the left) and wind your way up Grosvenor place a little before heading left to Sloane square. go around Sloane sqare and head up Sloane street , Put your dark glasses on so as not to be dazzled by the sun reflecting off of all the gold plated Lamborghini's (there will be a few) and turn left at number one Hyde park (by thye Mclaren showroom) past Harrods and along to the museums. turn right up exhibition way and back into hyde park. follow your steps throught he park to Paddington.

I reckon that's about 25 miles all in. should take you about 2 hours of riding and 5 hours of stopping.

Have fun.

Sounds perfect, and just spent a good bit of time looking at Google maps to figure it all out. Had no idea Hyde Park was so close to Paddington. And I'd have skateboarded under the theatre 25 years ago, but now I just look at the scars I got.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Sounds perfect, and just spent a good bit of time looking at Google maps to figure it all out. Had no idea Hyde Park was so close to Paddington. And I'd have skateboarded under the theatre 25 years ago, but now I just look at the scars I got.
The thing about riding in town that I like (other than the sights and sounds) is the distance.

Scenery changes so fast that you often find you have ridden 25 miles and not even realised. it just feels like you are pootling about town drinking coffee (which hopefully you are), then you work it out and find you've done a 50 mile ride.

I ride Boris bikes to meetings every single day in the summer (even yesterday once the rain stopped) and reckon that i must clock up about 10 miles a day on average...in a suit. but its all short 2-4 miles trips to and from places.
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Is there going to be some navigation problems here?

I can follow @jonny jeez's route having worked in the West End and City for about 15 years.

But someone who only knows 'Paddington is in London' is bound to struggle with the many turns, and will not be in a good position to get back on piste.

Hats off to @cosmicbike if he can make a fist of it, but being led on a ride sounds a better bet to me.

A google for London guided bike tours throws up some possibilities.

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sour...=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=london guided bike tours
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Is there going to be some navigation problems here?

I can follow @jonny jeez's route having worked in the West End and City for about 15 years.

But someone who only knows 'Paddington is in London' is bound to struggle with the many turns, and will not be in a good position to get back on piste.

Hats off to @cosmicbike if he can make a fist of it, but being led on a ride sounds a better bet to me.

A google for London guided bike tours throws up some possibilities.

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=london guided bike tours
Good Point.
@cosmicbike are you able to upload the attached route to a garmin, or phone app?
 

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subaqua

What’s the point
Location
Leytonstone
You'll be able to enjoy the new cycle superhighway thingy that's along the embankment and up blackfriars.

I have enjoyed that particular CS from horseguards avenue all the way to tower hill. only thing i don't like about it is the crossing at Blackfriars and how difficult it is to get onto past the Blackfriars tunnel.

if CS2 had been built as good as this........
 
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