After dark | Retail therapy | Riverside City | Ten bridges | Battersea power East to west
Skyscrapers and sails ride
Gorgeous river views and a tough workout through docks that were once the hub of the Empire and are now an arm of the City
Distance: 13 miles.
Route: Greenwich, Charlton, Woolwich, North Woolwich, Silvertown, Canning Town, Canary Wharf, Millwall, Island Gardens, Greenwich.
Difficulty: Medium – just one steep-ish climb.
Highlights: Two quirky river crossings: the Greenwich Foot Tunnel and the Woolwich Ferry.
You’re never far from the river on this circuit, with great views of both the maritime institutions and dockside industries it gave birth to – from the Tate & Lyle sugar factory to Canary Wharf. There’s also plenty of green as you pass acres of parkland. There are lots of stopping-off points en route, from the galleries and naval sights of Greenwich to the sweet North Woolwich Old Station Museum. It’s an ideal Sunday-afternoon ride, but not in an idling sense: 13 miles with some climbing is a workout, and you can get up to some proper speeds on the long, straight roads.
Starting at Greenwich, you get the climb out the way first, up Maze Hill and then through Charlton Village (1), with great views north. Where Charlton Park Lane becomes Ha-Ha Road (perhaps London’s jauntiest street moniker, named after a type of trench), turn left. Fly down Repository Road and over Woolwich Church Street for a brief waterfront stretch, before cycling past the cars queuing for the Woolwich ferry (2). Time it right, and you can roll onboard a moment before the boat pulls out.
Feature continues
In North Woolwich, traces of industry and traditional east London mingle with new housing and landscaping. Look out for the surprisingly located Brick Lane Music Hall (3), handsomely built in to an old church (which once survived a fire thanks to the pigeon shit on its roof snuffing out the flames). Then pull in to Thames Barrier Park (4) for spectacular views of the barrier and, if the day’s hot enough, a cool-off in the splash fountains. From here there are some busier roads to navigate before you cruise into car-free Canary Wharf (5).
A sprint down Westferry Road brings you to Island Gardens, where the little domed building marks the start of the Greenwich Foot Tunnel (6). You have to push your bike, but there’s at least a lift to take you down, complete with attendant. Wheel your bike through the pedestrian precinct at the other end, checking out the progress of the Cutty Sark restoration to your left (7), before heading back to the station – unless you’re tempted to do the whole thing again. Ruth Jarvis
See a Google map of this route
After dark | Retail therapy | Riverside City | Ten bridges | Battersea power East to west
9 comments
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!