Great London bike rides
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By Time Out editors
Updated: Mon Aug 10 2009
After dark | Retail therapy | Riverside City | Ten bridges | Battersea power East to west
Take-it-to-the-bridge ride
A scenic zigzag across central London’s bridges from east to west offers some of the best Thames views in existence
Distance: 10 miles.
Bridges crossed: Tower, London, Southwark, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster, Lambeth, Vauxhall, Chelsea, Albert.
Difficulty: Medium – it’s a traffic-heavy route so not one for novices.
Highlight: At dusk, the Albert Bridge illuminating.
London is at its most dramatic when seen from the river, and, short of cycling up the middle of the Thames, this ride offers the most scenic views of all, with kaleidoscopic vistas that slide from east to west. While Greater London has 30 bridges over the Thames, it’s the ones between Battersea and Tower that count as the bridges of London town proper. I kickstart my ride on the north side of Tower Bridge (1), and cross it with the minor thrill of falling prey to a century-old custom as the bridge opens to allow a tall ship to sail through. Setting off west through Bermondsey, the Gherkin, NatWest Tower and Tower of London appear as tight cluster, making a pleasing contrast with the near-spherical GLA building (2).
Though unremarkable in terms of architecture, London Bridge (3) is the one with the iconic panorama of Tower Bridge, St Paul’s and Tate Modern. I cross it, then zigzag back over Southwark Bridge (4), to find myself back on the South Bank. I could walk my bike over the Millennium Bridge, but the ride along the riverfront is scenic (if cluttered with tourists), so I do that. Feature continuesAdvertisement
Crossing Westminster feels like cycling through London’s epicentre, complete with the city’s signature smell of hot dogs and caramelised nuts. One of the ride’s best stretches, I get to put my bike through its paces as I head down behind St Thomas’ Hospital (5) and cycle down the riverside walk with its sniper’s view of the House of Commons. On Lambeth Bridge (6), I pause for the splendid view over the House of Lords – the bridge is painted red to match the seats inside – then it’s on to Millbank. I stream down here to Tate Britain (7), which makes a good pitstop at the western end, before crossing Vauxhall Bridge (8).
Other than a view of the MI6 building, this is the least redeeming part of the ride. Since you can’t ride close to the water, I have to pick my way through traffic-clogged Vauxhall streets until I reach Chelsea Bridge (9). At least a detour into Battersea Park sweetens the approach to my penultimate river crossing and revives my spirits. I enjoy the lush views over Albert Bridge and Battersea Park, all weeping willows and fig trees dipping in to the water. London’s original suspension bridge, the Albert Bridge (10), dominates the end of the ride. As dusk falls, the crisscrossing lights on the Albert Bridge bring my ride to a fitting, fairy-tale conclusion. Fiona McAuslan
See a Google map of this route
After dark | Retail therapy | Riverside City | Ten bridges | Battersea power East to west- Add your comment to this feature
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12 comments
Go to the incorrect map, click on the name of the creator, and you will be led to all 5 maps. Simple.
the link for the map on this route takes you to the map for the 'retail therapy' ride. I would love to see the map for this ride.
Thanks,
Matt
i dont havea bike.are there tours where you can get a bike as well????
The map link is wrong
Great bike rides.. but are there and 5 to10 mile loop rides for purely entertainment
Faithful steeds been done
Mmm yes I remember my bike rides through London very well. WIth my student budget, my faithful steed provided a cheap alternative to public transport, but soon also turned into a wonderful way to explore this glorious town (ignoring the traffic's exhaust fumes, that is...). The City is indeed eerily quiet during the weekend, and St Paul's at night is simply stunning.
can u take bike on tuge or bus etc?
Next time I'm back in London I'll have to keep these bikes rides in mind.
You can go on the TFL website - click on the bike option only - and put your departure point and destination in for each part of the journey. It will show you a route map.
I would love to see maps for these routes. It would be a great help for all us London fans out there who are not fortunate enough to live in the worlds capital.
I love bikes!