Where to go cycling in London?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Are you exploring by bike or riding for fitness?. City of London and East End are good early Sunday morning. Too many interesting little lanes to mention.
 
Location
London
I agree with Vickster's idea, why not get a train to somewhere with quieter roads. It doesn't have to take long.
I live in fairly rural Herfordshire but I get bored of my own local routes sometimes too. I got a couple of Sustrans maps and I get on a train and travel no more than about 30 minutes / ten quid train fare, it opens up loads of new possibilities.
you can also take bikes on a lot of the so-called "underground" out of peak hours.
map available online.
 

avecReynolds531

Veteran
Location
Small Island
It felt like up to me.
The ridge of roads from South Norwood Hill (not too easy!) - Howden Road - Cypress Road (undoubtedly tough) - Sylvan Hill - Stambourne Road - Fox Hill (signed at 20%) and Anerley Hill are all worthwhile - you can't help but raise your heartbeat against the gravity.

South of Croydon (it's less than 20 mins from Victoria on the train) has a lot of good hilly route options out into the country lanes. Head towards Oxted or Westerham. :smile:
 

avecReynolds531

Veteran
Location
Small Island
Or white lane. At the top of that a driver once stopped to check that a riding companion hadn't died.
Yes, know it well! Tough going and the venue for the BEC Cycling Club Hill Climb competition usually run around early October.

Around Bough Beech reservoir further east is lovely and it's close to the infamous Yorks Hill (amongst the worst climbs) and also the difficult south side of Toys Hill. These two put dread into a lot of cyclists but take up their challenge and they'll reward you with a rapid increase in fitness.:smile:

I'd also recommend cycling around Weir Wood reservoir south of East Grinstead (train service from Victoria) and then east towards the Ashdown Forest.

It's good to get out of London to avoid traffic, traffic lights & pollution - it used to take me an age to cycle out of a city that size, so it may be beneficial to use the train to cut all that out.

p.s. Chalk Pit Lane (north of Oxted) is maybe next to Yorks Hill in the table of nasty climbs - once done, never forgotten.:wacko:
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
A

Anonymous1502

Well-Known Member
The London parks are worth exploring or you could go down to the river and follow the Thames, from there keep going or take the ferry across and into Greenwich park.
I once cycled to Greenwich park but everyone it said no cycling allowed.
 
Location
London
not exactly sure where west central is (sounds very manhattan) but you can cycle from little venice right (and from more into town than that) out to Greenford and beyond on the canal - decent surface - I've done it a lot. Flat of course - otherwise the canal would drain over the edge of existence.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
not exactly sure where west central is (sounds very manhattan) but you can cycle from little venice right (and from more into town than that) out to Greenford and beyond on the canal - decent surface - I've done it a lot. Flat of course - otherwise the canal would drain over the edge of existence.
Bayswater? Paddington?
 
Top Bottom