5 Scenic Routes For You And Your Friends
One of your goals for 2022 may have been to get back out on your bike more and explore the area you live. While you may not live in an area packed with beautiful cycle routes and you may live in the heart of the city, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a leisurely ride in your local area. If you are looking to veer away from just cycling as a form of commuting, then here is a list of a few places in London for you to try out this year.
1. Regent’s Park
Named after the Prince Regent, who later became King George IV, The Regent’s Park covers an area of 395 acres of central London. While most of the park isn’t open to cyclists, the parameter of Regent’s Park is a great part of London to pick up some speed. There are hardly any traffic lights to worry about and some parts are car-free, allowing you to zoom around as many laps as you can handle. Starting in the far corner, up from Regent’s Park tube station, head anti-clockwise around the park. Packed with scenic, perfectly-kept flowerbeds and wide-open space, this is one of London’s prettiest parks to take a spin around.
2. Hyde Park
When entering the park from Marble Arch, you have the opportunity to grab yourself a hire bike and set off on a journey around the largest Royal Park in central London. Follow the park’s loop and ride your way through the Italian gardens, past Kensington Palace, and admire the Royal Albert Hall as you pass by. If you fancy delving a bit deeper into the park, divert onto West Carriage Drive and enjoy views of the Serpentine and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.
3. Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace
Away from the hustle and bustle of central London, is a route connecting two of north London’s most loved parks. Commencing in Finsbury Park, the path follows along a tree-lined track of an old disused railway, with a small section of road connecting the sections between Highgate and Muswell Hill. The second path will eventually lead you to the spectacular Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally) where you will be served spectacular views of the Canary Wharf skyline.
Opened in 1873, Alexandra Palace, has offered Londoners the opportunity to switch off and relax, away from the crowds in the busy hub of Central London. Home to multiple cafes, seating areas and fantastic, open, green spaces, Ally Pally is a great place to kick back and spend some time with friends.
4. Battersea Park to Greenwich
Arguably the best way to experience London is along the south side of the Thames, with the chance to gaze across the river and be blessed with gorgeous views of Big Ben and St Pauls Cathedral. If you are to follow the National Cycle Network’s Route 4, you too will be given the oppurtunity to participate in unlimited sightseeing. Combining quiet roads with traffic-free paths, the journey passes by iconic landmarks such as the London Eye and The Globe Theatre, you and your friends will fall in love with the city all over again as you enjoy a scenic leisurely ride along this route.
5. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
In 2012, the whole world was watching as London proudly hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Designed by the EDAW Consortium, the park was built amongst what was previously a mixture of greenfield and brownfield land, now, with 560 acres of Park packed with 5 iconic venues, 25 art sculptures, and stretches of parklands and waterways, there’s more than enough to see and do when visiting the Olympic Park.
Whether you bring your bike along or hire one from the View Tube, you have the chance to explore every inch of the park. Stop off at the north side of the park and enjoy a picnic and a catch-up with friends next to the canal. The View Tube offers a fantastic cycle hire facility and cafe, which will even put a delicious packed lunch together for you before you head out and explore all the nooks and crannies of the Park.
With plenty of areas to choose from, this year, get back and out there and remind yourself of why you love where you live.
