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United Kingdom
It is not immediately obvious how to find it, but once you do, the new View Tube; café, classroom, fledgling art space and bike hire, located on the Greenway adjacent to the stadium offers something alternative. A structure made from recycled shipping containers, this low-key green building solution puts into focus the monumental building project just feet away in the Olympic Park.
The Greenway, Marshgate Lane, Stratford, Greater London E15 2PJ
+44(0)845 262 0846
www.theviewtube.co.uk/
Google map: bit.ly/geFq0c
Cycle down to Springfield Park for a morning cup of tea at the Springfield Marina. Then continue along the River Lea. You can follow it all the way, alongside Walthamstow and Hackney Marshes past Lea Bridge and Millfields park. There are various pubs along the way, and lovely open fields with farm animals. Cycle all the way to the Olympic Stadium - and then around it on the pedestrian path if you wish - then continue along the Hertford Canal, alongside Victoria Park and the beautiful canal path to Old Ford Lock.
Turn right again along Regent's Canal, and come out to finish at Broadway Market for a cold drink or a cup of coffee. If that's all too tiring, refresh with a dip in Hackney Fields Lido.
In perhaps the most urban borough in London, it's the most beautiful and relaxing canal-side walk/cycle ride you can imagine, and with the added bonus of a tour of the new Olympic Stadium. Makes for a brilliant day out for all. An undiscovered gem of a park as well.
Take your bikes on the train to Clapton, Stamford Hill or Stoke Newington, and go down to Springfield Park from there. Springfield Park, Spring Hill, N16.
Google map: bit.ly/c2RKDD
This website offers a web-based cycle route planner you can use to search cycle routes anywhere in Europe. The planner combines several existing, described routes to make your cycle route complete. It's a Dutch site originally, but with the English translation you can use it anyway.
A really good web resource I’ve been using to expand my repertoire of riding is a website called www.bikely.com. It’s a global community site for logging routes and sharing them with others. I’ve been using it for everything from holidays to training rides.
You can draw your proposed route on the map and it’ll work out distance, height gains and you can even export it to Google Earth for a pre ride fly through. Great fun for planning your own Tour De France in the lunch hour with some really good local knowledge on a lot of the routes.
You don't have to go far to enjoy cycling, do it all year round by commuting. If you do you will find your holiday cycling even more enjoyable. We even have great routes and climbs here in London. Try Highgate Hill West about 1km long and steep. Yes it's hard work but the joy of having done it at the top is great. And in our recent weather what better way to travel London.
528272,186369 on the street map
A cycle (or walk) along the canals in London will give you a different view of the city, and there are some great places to stop off along the way: start with a coffee in Angel, stop for a stroll around Victoria Park, and end up in Limehouse, from where you can cycle on to Canary Wharf, and even Greenwich, if you want - where you could have a nice lunch.
More info on www.tfl.gov.uk/cycles/routes/leisure-routes.shtml
This is a big, friendly event - in fact it's one of Central London's largest environmentally-friendly festivals. It's held on the first Sunday of every June in Regents Park.
At the festival you'll find many stalls offering options for the environmentally conscious consumer, with everything from herbs to green electricity and eco-holidays. Another aim of the event is to reduce its environmental impact each year.
The Bikefest allows punters to try out all sorts of bicycles and find out about cycling activities going on in London.
Regents Park
www.camdengreenfair.ik.com/
The National trail along the banks of the Thames has a few interruptions but provides a chance to see the river at its best. A highlight is to cycle from Putney Bridge to Weybridge taking in Richmond Park and Hampton Court - do it on a weekday and the path is virtually deserted. Too tired to cycle back? Stick your bike on the train and head back into town.
Beside the river. www.sustrans.org.uk. Various tube/rail along the route.
To really appreciate the city in style, either take a canal boat from Little Venice to Camden, or cycle from Maida Vale all the way to Kings Cross along the canals. Or go the slow way, by foot! You can stop off at any point to appreciate cafes, pubs, parks, city streets, London Zoo or Camden Market. Lush!
Nice place to start the journey is from the top of Golbourne Road near Portobello, or get on from Westbourne Park Tube and then just keep going until you can´t take it anymore!
Is this your business?Search Been there
