London may seem like a vast sprawling metropolis with little to offer the adventurous cyclist, but if you hunt around, you can find plenty of exciting bike trails to keep you occupied in and around the metropolis. Here are a couple of the best.

Paddington to Hayes

While the barriers on the Grand Union canal around Paddington and Little Venice make cycling here a no-no, once you get to the junction with Harrow Road, it becomes a lot easier, with a wide paved towpath flanked by playgrounds and the Trellick Tower. Continuing along the towpath, you will soon see Kensal Green Cemetery on your right and Wormwood Scrubs Park on your left. Past North Acton, you will come to Park Royal, where the canal crosses over the North Circular, and you can see eight lanes of traffic underneath the canal. Also near here is the Neasden Hindu temple and Sudbury Golf Course. From here on in, it starts to get a bit more leafy and rural as you pass through Greenford and Ealing, and under Bulls Bridge, until you reach Hayes, at which point you can either turn back or hop on the train.

Limehouse to Little Venice

The narrow paths on the Regent’s Canal can make it something of an ordeal for cyclists and pedestrians alike at busy times, but at quieter times of day it can be a relaxing place to go for a bike ride. This ride begins at the Limehouse Basin, the point at which the canal meets the Thames. Here you can see a wide variety of extravagant modern buildings, moored yachts, and Hawksmoor’s Church. As you cycle North past Mile End Lock you will see Mile End Park and the eccentric 50s-style pub the Palm Tree, and just past the entrance to the Hertford Union Canal you will see Victoria Park. You then pass through Dalston and De Beauvoir Town on your way to Angel, which features a recently redeveloped basin area. The towpath is closed between here and Kings Cross, so you have to get on the road between these two points, but it shouldn’t take you long. Once you have rejoined the canal, carry on past Camden Town and you can see some of London Zoo’s animals, such as wild boars and tropical birds for free. You will also pass Regent’s Park on the way to Little Venice, the point at which the Regent’s Canal ends and the Grand Union begins.

For more information about bikes, and cycling in general, visit the British Bike Association website.

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