Rides in Summer 2015

I've written four new rides for Cycle Confident to deliver for the City of Westminster:

Westminster's Finest Chocolate Tasting Ride (also in June's London Cyclist magazine)

Wealthy and Celebrity Westminster

Nairn's Westminster - a ride based on architecture critic Ian Nairn's classic book 'Nairn's London'

Antique Shops and Auction Houses of Westminster

You can download PDFs of these rides (and others I've written) to do independently  at
http://cycleconfident.com/courses/led-rides/ and also book onto led rides there.

I'm also looking forward to leading a ride called 'Lamps, Loos and Traffic Lights' for the13th Annual Transport Practitioners' Meeting.

FREE RIDE Public and Street Art in the City of Westminster - Sun 1 March 2015

10:00-13:30

Where: Start point is the Cycle Hire docking station in Rampayne Street (just along from Pimlico tube station) at the junction with Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 2PU 
Price: Free        

Officially placed (though sometimes controversial) works by renowned sculptors such as Rodin, Moore, Epstein and Frink, are interspersed with unofficial street art by artists such as Banksy during this ride. 
Bikes can be checked over before the rides starts. If you don't have a bicycle you can hire a Barclays hire bike at the meeting point - bike hire isn't included in the free ride.
Come and join us for a fun relaxing half-day exploring Westminster!
Book here onto this Cycle Confident ride on behalf of the City of Westminster.

FREE Nairn's London architectural ride - Saturday 28 February

In the first Lambeth Cyclists architectural ride (open to all) of 2015, we discover Nairn's London, some 50 years on.

Published in 1966, Nairn's London is perhaps the most provocative, inspiring and elegantly written book on London's architecture. After years out of print it was finally republished by Penguin just before Christmas.

On this gently paced ride in central London we'll visit a handful of the hundreds of buildings Ian Nairn wrote about in his book, listen to his words, find what (if anything) has changed, and see whether we argue over or agree with his opinion.

Expect to see buildings that you've passed hundreds of times but never noticed, and to find yourself looking at London in a sharper and more enquiring way.

Bring lock(s) and cash as we'll drop into a pub or two en-route, as Nairn surely would have done himself, and grab a sandwich for lunch.

Meet from 10.15 for a 10.30am departure at Kennington Cross outside The Doghouse pub, 293 Kennington Rd,  SE11 6BY. The ride will finish back in north Lambeth by 3pm.

FREE Westminster Christmas Lights and Shop Windows Rides

Over the Christmas period I'm leading rides on Sunday looking at Westminster's Christmas decorations and shop windows. Details of the rides are on Cycle Confident's website.

Here are a few photos I took on tonight's ride

 The Bond Street decorations are particularly impressive, and our luck was in as carols were being played on  the Atkinson Carillon. Cartier and many of the other shops looked suitably lavish.

I lead with a co-instructor controlling traffic at the back, so children can join in

Here's a little close up of one of Fortnum and Mason's windows

 and this is the Christmas tree in Covent Garden

 Here's Winter Wonderland seen from across Hyde Park

 and here it is a little bit closer

FREE RIDE Public and Street Art in the City of Westminster - Sun 16 November 2014

When: 16 November 2014, 10:00-13:30
Where: Start point is the Cycle Hire docking station in Rampayne Street (just along from Pimlico tube station) at the junction with Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 2PU
Price: Free        

Officially placed (though sometimes controversial) works by renowned sculptors such as Rodin, Moore, Epstein and Frink, are interspersed with unofficial street art by artists such as Banksy during this ride.
Bikes can be checked over before the rides starts. If you don't have a bicycle you can hire a Barclays hire bike at the meeting point - bike hire isn't included in the free ride.
Come and join us for a fun relaxing half-day exploring Westminster!
Book here onto this Cycle Confident ride on behalf of the City of Westminster.

FREE fun ride from the Ovalhouse Theatre - Sunday 5 October

As part of the activities during the Ovalhouse Fun Palace weekend I'll be leading a sociable cycle tour zig-zagging madly around north Lambeth in pursuit of quirky places and curious stories.

En-route we'll visit the true centre of London, see the grand entrance to the Necropolis (the railway for the dead), spy upon astronauts in trees, inhale the latest spray-can art, gaze up at an enormous folly, witness the birthplace of circus, go vulture spotting and much, much more.

Taking place on Sunday 5 October, setting off from the Ovalhouse, 52-54 Kennington Oval, SE11 5SW, the two-hour, gently-paced 8 mile ride is mainly on quiet back streets. It's suitable for all ages, all you need bring is a bike. There's no booking needed, just turn up on the day.

FREE Clapham and Stockwell Ride - Sun 21 September, 2014

10:15 - 13:00 | Sun 21 September 2014

Meeting Point: Clapham Common Bandstand , Near Windmill Drive, SW4 9DE

This gentle 8-mile ride features recent place-making developments: Van Gogh Walk (Winner - Design Excellence - Placemaking awards 2013), Venn Street (Highly Commended, Excellence in Walking & Public Realm, London Transport Awards 2012) and the Edible Bus Stop as well as the brand new 'The Pavement' Clapham Old Town. Buildings include the new Clapham Library, looking like a row of books, by Studio Egret West and the Grade II concrete modernist Stockwell Bus Garage designed by Adie, Button & Partners (1952), plus deep level air raid shelters and the home of Sir Charles Barry.

To book a free place click here.

A Cycle Confident ride for Lambeth Council