Best Pubs To Cycle To In London

At Westbrook Cycles, we stock and supply a massive range of hybrid, commuter and road bikes to customers across London, whilst a lot of these bikes are used for commuting across the city, many of our London customers purchase a wide range of bikes which they use for recreational weekend rides and everything in between.

Although London may not appear to be the very best place to cycle, there’s actually some fantastic cycling routes across London, varying from routes across massive green spaces, excellent cycle towpaths which follow the Thames and also routes out of the city, taking in iconic places such as Brighton.

Below, we have collated some of the very best routes in, across, and out of our capital city. These routes are incredibly varied, but they all have one element in common - they all feature fantastic pubs to try & enjoy, whether it’s for a sneaky half pint mid-ride or whether you use them as an opportunity to spend a night away.

Battersea Park to Greenwich

The first route we look at is the ride from Battersea Park to Greenwich, this route follows the National Cycle Route 4, and it follows the iconic river Thames, and on the way will bring you past a wide variety of landmarks, such as the Tate Modern, the Globe Theatre and even Tower Bridge. There’s a number of great pubs along the route, but we recommend saving yourself for The Alexander Hay. This pub is just past London Bridge and serves fantastic British food, perfect for refueling on a ride.

Olympic Park to Epping Forest

This 25km ride is suitable for beginners, and can be completed in a couple of hours - this ride starts at the Thames Towpath in Hackney Wick, and does not hit any traffic - this ride follows the River Lea, following the beautiful canal side scenery until you reach Epping Forest. Once you hit Epping Forest, find the Lord Napier Star - this graffiti-covered Hackney pub provides a beautiful rooftop terrace and excellent Thai street food.

The Wandle Trail (East Croydon to Wandsworth)

The Wandle Trail picks up the distance a little bit, so we have graded it as a ride which is suitable for beginner and intermediate riders alike. The ride can be described as a peaceful ride following the River Wandle, there’s a huge amount of scenery covered - from local parks, wetlands and even Morden Hall Park for those who enjoy visiting National Trust properties. The best pub along this route, The Earlsfield in our opinion, is set in a former train ticket office - and there’s a great menu available, along with an excellent bar menu, including plenty of whisky choices for connoisseurs.

Battersea Park to Windsor Castle

This intermediate route flows through scenic stretches of riverside riding, to riding across Richmond Park, it’s the Best of British ride, ending up at Windsor Castle. One of the best pubs to visit across this route is within the charming Walton-on-Thames, this pub has a riverside garden and there’s always plenty of local ale on cask. The food is great, with hearty favourites such as Steak Pie and Gourmet Burgers.

Clapham Common to Brighton

Now hitting the more advanced rides, these routes are more suited to riders with experience and a decent level of fitness. There’s a great 90km route which takes a rider from Clapham Common all the way down to Brighton, through the very beautiful and very picturesque North Downs. This route really does test endurance, but the rewards when it comes to views are massive. The Lockhart Tavern is a great pub along the route, with local craft beer and local dishes which tick all of the boxes.

Greenwich to Cambridge

This route also covers a distance and terrain which we grade as suitable for advanced riders, it’s 130km in length - and is a long ride, which takes you across country through beautiful Essex Villages into the fantastic and historical city of Cambridge. Halfway through the ride, there’s a great pub to visit - the Moorhen in Harlow. This pub serves everything from burgers and posh kebabs, across to local beers and excellent local ciders.

Putney to Oxford

This 159km is a monster of a route, covering everything from scenic riverside paths across to quiet country lanes, it runs past the Thames Valley, running through Windsor Great Park, historic Eton and then onto the historic city of Oxford. One of the best pubs to visit is the Fox & Hounds at Windsor Great Park, this pub has a sunny (most of the time) beer garden, great pizzas and dishes such as baked camembert, which are meant to be shared.

Bikes And Advice for Cycling around London

The above routes provide so many different varied routes, covering different lengths, different scenery and also different pubs and views! A wide range of bikes are suitable for these routes, but we believe that it’s the ever popular Gravel Bike, which provides the best bike for all round performance and versatility.