This 18km route can be extended if you choose to ride around the parks (which is encouraged as there’s much to see). The route starts at Hyde Park, takes you through Kensington, continues to Richmond Park, and ends at the Wimbledon Courts. The cycle routes are well-marked, and most are paved. You can use Parkopedia to find parking spots near you before and after your journey. Also, see this website for more information on bicycles on public transport and this website for bike hire at major stations.
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Route overview
Our route starts at Hyde Park, a Grade I-listed Royal Park. Used as a hunting ground by Henry VIII in 1536 and opened to the public in 1637, Hyde Park quickly became popular with the public, especially for May Day parades. Additionally, the park has been used for multiple demonstrations, protests, and debates including the Reform League and the suffragettes. Well-known music groups such as Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, and Queen have also performed at Hyde Park.
Feel free to explore this park as well as Kensington Gardens. There’s lots to see such as the Queen Victoria statue, Kensington Palace, Peter Pan statue, and the Diana Memorial Fountain. The Royal Albert Hall and Natural History Museum are also just outside the park and worth a pit stop.
Hyde Park at sunset. Credit: Marco Chilese
Exit the park at West Carriage Drive, opposite The Albert Memorial, and turn right into Kensington Gore passing the Royal Albert Hall on your left.
Part 1 of the18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
Continue down this road into Kensington High Street.
Part 2 of the18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
Kensington, coupled with Chelsea, has royal status. The area includes numerous Grade I-listed buildings including Kensington Palace and the Royal Hospital. Kensington Palace is the birthplace of Queen Victoria and the area was thus granted royal borough status in 1901. Most notable, is the annual Notting Hill Carnival held in August; Europe’s largest street party with over a million visitors.
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Credit: Josh Kirk
Kensington High Street becomes Hammersmith Road/A315. At the big intersection with the Hammersmith bus stop and underground head of you, turn left into Butterwick Street. Then, turn right again at the end into Queen Caroline Street (you will see St Paul’s Hammersmith Church in front of you). Turn left immediately into Hammersmith Bridge Road and continue straight over Hammersmith Bridge.
Part 3 of the18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
This road becomes Castelnau after the bridge, follow this road until you reach the intersection with Queen Elizabeth Walk, Church Road, and Rocks Lane. Turn slightly left into Rocks Lane and continue straight.
Part 4 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
At the next intersection, follow the road to the right into South Circular Road/A205 which becomes Upper Richmond where you turn left into Priory Lane and follow the Lane all the way until you enter Richmond Park.
Part 5 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
Part 6 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
Richmond Park is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation and is a Grade I-listed park with Grade I-listed buildings. One of these is the White Lodge, which is now home to the Royal Ballet School for 11–16-year-olds. Impressively, Richmond Park is the largest of London’s Royal Parks, so don’t get lost!
Herb Garden, Richmond Park. Credit: Maggie Jones
Exit the park at the Robin Hood Gate and turn left into Kingston Vale which becomes Roehampton Vale then Kingston Road.
Part 7 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
Part 8 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
On the left, look carefully for a blue sign indicating “Subway”. Follow this path through a tunnel under the main road to the other side. Follow the path into Wimbledon and Putney Commons.
Part 9 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
At the end of the path turn right into the wider road.
Part 10 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
Continue until you see the back of a windmill on your right. Go straight through both gates into Windmill Road.
Part 11 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
At the second bigger intersection, turn onto the path 90 degrees to your left and continue straight until you exit the park into Somerset Road.
Part 12 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
Continue down Somerset Road, turning left at Burghley Road (to stay on Somerset Road). When the road splits, with a parking lot on the left, curve to the right all the way until you see Wimbledon Courts to your left.
Part 13 of the 18km Hyde Park to Wimbledon Cycle Route
Roger Federer’s opening match in 2018. Credit: Shep McAllister
Wimbledon, famous for the Tennis Championships, was originally popular for croquet in the 1800s. The area has been inhabited since at least the Iron Age and some note-worthy locals from the modern age are Tom Holland, Ridley Scott (Director of Blade Runner and Gladiator), and Marcus Mumford (lead singer of Mumford & Sons).
Wimbledon Village in December. Credit: Simona Marinkova
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Resources:
If you enjoyed this route, check out our Canary Wharf cycle route.
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Download the GPX file for this route here.
Information from various sources including wikipedia.org.