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
Clotheshorse retail ride
Put a basket on your bike and cycle to the independent shops of Holborn and Farringdon – or, if you’re wise, cycle past them…
Miles: 3.1.
Difficulty: Easy.
Route: Bayley St to Russell Square, Guilford St, Lambs Conduit Street for a stop, then up Calthorpe St into Farringdon, Exmouth Market, Rosebery Ave, Myddleton Square, Colebrooke Row, Duncan St, Upper St, Camden Passage.
Highlights: Russell Square and Exmouth Market.
Apparently cycling is not all luminous Lycra, sweating and thighs the size of Chris Hoy’s – behold the stylish bike ride. Not only have I planned a route that includes some of London’s finest independent garment shops, I’m actually wearing a dress. This is only made possible by the Pashley Sonnet cycle I’ve rented – in red, to match my outfit. A traditional ladies’ bike with a dropped top bar, it allows me to dismount while preserving my modesty to Victorian standards. And the large front basket holds all my wares – although it should be noted that the more you buy, the less balance you have. With the finishing touch provided by my quirky helmet (a Bern Brighton from www.cyclechic.co.uk) I’m ready to set off.
From the Time Out offices in Tottenham Court Road, I’ve decided not to head west down Oxford Street – aside from the general unpleasantness of the place, it’s pretty much devoid of alluring boutiques. Instead, I make my way north-east, down Bayley Street, towards the first highlight of the route: the lovely Russell Square Gardens (1). The sun is shining and I’m tempted to stop for a picnic on the grass, but as I’ve only been on the move for ten minutes and I did not pack lunch, I continue on my way. Feature continuesAdvertisement
The first stop I make is on the quaint Lambs Conduit Street (2), which, happily, has been overlooked by redevelopment: its independent outlets still maintain their village-like idiosyncrasies. Stores to look out for include Persephone Books and Symphonic Records. There is also Bike Fix, a handy cycling store where I stop for help in raising my bike seat.
Next I pass a small, quiet residential area, which leads me to my halfway point on the corner of Phoenix Place and Mount Pleasant: The Apple Tree. Majestic, high ceilings and a quality gastropub menu make it the perfect stop-off. Once refuelled, I only have a short cycle across a slightly tricky crossroads and I’m in Exmouth Market (3). It’s eccentric clothes shops galore under the avenue’s pretty fairy lights. And there are numerous trendy-looking café-bars for extra dawdling.
My basket full, I tackle the only real incline of the trip – Amwell Street, at the top of which several charming low-roofed delis and Dickensian antique shops await. Then it’s on, past a pretty church, a busy Sadler’s Wells and a lovely private garden, until finally I’m in Camden Passage (4) near Angel, my destination. And it’s a shame I’ve got no money left. Everything from high-end jewellery boutiques to heavily laden junk shops line this cobbled lane and are a fitting conclusion to my delightful saddle-borne retail trail. Nina Kelly
See a Google map of this route
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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!