You can visit central London's hotspots on a cycle in one day, whilst enjoying delicious vegan food! Here is how...
Breakfast at Eat of Eden
Before embarking on your journey, get some tasty breakfast in Hammersmith. This is where you will be hiring your cycle anyway, so might as well get some food at Eat of Eden. This place serves vegan Caribbean food, which is very delicious and reasonably priced.
Picking up your cycle in Hammersmith
You will need to hire a Santander cycle, which is offered as part of public hire cycle scheme operated in London. It costs £2 to hire one and you can pick it up at a docking station in Hammersmith. Hammersmith is a district of west London and is the most western point of London you can hire one.
By downloading a Santander Cycles app from your mobile’s app store, you will be able to check exact locations of cycle docking stations. You will need to pay for it at the docking station using your card or through the app. If you are using the payment station, a receipt will be printed with a code. Once you enter that code on a touchpad by a cycle, one will be released to you.
Riding through Kensingston High Street to Hyde Park Corner
Once you are on your cycle you will start your journey and ride on the road towards Kensington High Street. It is an affluent area to the west of central London known for upmarket retail stores. When you reach Kensington Gardens there will be a gated entrance to Hyde Park, where you will be able to ride through the park. It is a very lovely park and the ride through is scenic. Kensington Gardens surrounds Kensington Palace, which is the working residence of the British royal family.
Once you reach Hyde Park you will need to dock your cycle at a docking station. Check the app for the nearest docking station. In Hyde Park you will be able to see the beautiful Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. Take a stroll down the Serpentine lake, where you will come across different beautiful birds. Hyde Park is famous for being the largest park in central London.
Continuing your ride via Buckingham Palace towards Regent Street
At Hyde Park Corner get a cycle from a docking station and ride towards Buckingham Palace. When you are taking a cycle from a docking station, you will need to tap your card again and a new ticket for the cycle with a release code will be printed. Your card will not be charged again, but you will need to tap it at each docking station when taking a cycle to obtain a release code. As to Buckingham Palace, it is most famous for being the Queen’s official residence.
Continue towards Trafalgar Square and find a docking station on the Strand. Trafalgar Square is magnificent and is home to the National Gallery and the iconic Nelson’s column. Whereis the Strand is a long stretch of road, which is the centre point to theatres, taverns and restaurants. Whilst on the Strand walk towards Covent Garden. In Covent Garden there is a nice TK Maxx if you fancy some shopping. Covent Garden is a beautiful district in London offering plenty of restaurants, bars, shopping and a market.
From thereon walk towards Leicester Square, and via Piccadilly Circus to Regent Street. Leicester Square is widely used for film premiers so you might come across some celebrities there. George Clooney once shook my hand there. You will come across the beautiful Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain and statue of Anteros in Piccadilly Circus. Lastly Regent Street is one of the most popular shopping streets in central London where you will find all types of designer stores.
Lunch at Neat Burger
Now that it is lunch time, grab some food at a great spot called Neat Burger. It is 50s American style food place with a menu filled with vegan burgers and wraps. Cheesy fries are definitely worth it! It is not expensive and you can tailor your meal to your budget.
Ride from Oxford Street to Camden Town
Once you are done with lunch walk over to Oxford Circus and get a cycle from a docking station. If you ride from one docking station to another within 30 minutes, you will not get charged for the journey. Each journey in this post is less than 30 minutes, so you will only pay the £2 hire fee for the whole day! A note on Oxford Circus, it is like Regent Street another famous shopping street in London. You will find every type of clothing, shoes and accessories store there from Zara to Burberry.
Ride to Camden Town via Marylebone and once you get to Camden Town dock your cycle. Marylebone is an upmarket district in London and a home to few celebrities. There is so much to do in Camden Town! Walk through Camden Market and pick out some unique clothes, shoes or accessories. There is plenty of vegan street food to choose from. I tried vegan Chinese from one of the stalls and some ‘bubble’ tea. If you have never tried this type of Taiwanese tea, I recommend this fruity tea with tapioca balls.
Make sure to pop into a shop called Cyberdog. It is hard to miss, as there are two giant robots standing outside it. It is a very surreal shop with a live DJ and interesting dance style clothing. Camden Town is truly different to the rest of central London. All about Camden Town shouts ‘alternative’. Different fashion, interesting mix of people and vibrant street art.
Making your way back via Westminster to Chelsea
It is now time to start making your way back. Get on a cycle at a docking station and ride towards Westminster. Westminster is the home to London’s most iconic attractions. Dock your cycle there and walk over the Westminster Bridge to London Eye. It is the London’s oldest surviving road bridge and London Eye is one of the world’s largest ferris wheels. You can see from there the Westminster Palace and Elizabeth Tower too. It is also known as the Houses of Parliament and is the house to the British government. Whereis Elizabeth Tower is also known as Big Ben and is London’s icon clock tower, which rings every hour.
Once you get a cycle again from a docking station, ride along the London’s longest river, Thames, to Chelsea. When you reach Chelsea you can dock your cycle again and walk along the popular King’s Road. Chelsea is an affluent district in London, known for posh residents and the Chelsea football club. Get another cycle from a docking station further down in Chelsea and ride to Hammersmith via Earls Court, which is on the western edge of central London.
Dinner at Sagar
Once you return your cycle back at the docking station in Hammersmith, walk towards the high street. There you will find a restaurant called Sagar. It serves Indian vegan dishes with plenty of options at good prices. Once your belly is full you are now free to go home.
