Great London bike rides
-
By Time Out editors
Updated: Mon Aug 10 2009
After dark | Retail therapy | Riverside City | Ten bridges | Battersea power East to west
Battersea power ride
A pleasant waft along the north side of the Thames that takes you from an industrial icon to the gardens at Kew
Distance: 11.8 miles. Route: Westminster Pier, Tate Britain, Chelsea Bridge, Battersea Bridge, Wandsworth, Putney, Fulham, Hammersmith, Barnes, Kew Gardens.
Level: Medium – fairly flat, all the way.
Highlights: Cycling along the river at the Thames Path and leaving the noise of the city behind you; then the imposing, stately views coming back towards Westminster on the ferry.
This route takes you all the way to Kew Gardens following the river and the Thames Path, coming back on the ferry. From Westminster Pier (1), I take the road behind the Houses of Parliament and continue along to Millbank, watching out for traffic.
I follow the riverbank past Tate Britain (2) and Vauxhall Bridge; soon Battersea Power Station (3) pops up on the other side. Further on, there’s Chelsea Bridge (4) and, just before Battersea Bridge, a little colony of houseboats on the river. I cycle down Lots Road, go right by Chelsea Creek and end up by Wandsworth Bridge (5). Feature continuesAdvertisement
Here, I join the Thames Path, which is mainly a privately owned footpath – cyclists have no legal right to ride for some stretches, so watch out for signs telling you where to get off and on your bike.
After Putney Bridge, I see the famous Boathouse across the river (6), with a flotilla of rowing boats nestling nearby. Next, it’s through Fulham Palace Gardens (7), past its museum (where exhibits include a mummified rat). After the gardens I veer right, around Craven Cottage stadium. This stretch is very peaceful, with a great rural feel. I pass Hammersmith Bridge and push on past Oliver’s Island (8) to Kew.
The ferry back to Westminster leaves from Kew Pier, to the right of Kew Bridge (9). It takes about an hour and a half, giving you time to adjust before arriving back in the city centre. Ferry times vary with the tidal conditions and it’s advisable to check when the next boat is leaving (020 7930 2062/www.wpsa.co.uk). If the ferry is busy, you might not be able to take your bike onboard, but you can always catch the train from Kew Bridge Station outside peak hours. Anja Wohlstrom
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
More ways to enjoy Time Out
-
Weekly London newsletter
The best of London in your inbox
-
Time Out Widgets
|
|
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!