London Bicycle Tour Company is a fast-paced, dynamic business with a small team. We love to work hard but also know how to enjoy ourselves, whether it's catching up for a drink after work, chatting with customers from all around the world, or even heading out on business meetings - which aren't always what you'd usually expect!
Last week company Director Rob and Marketing Coordinator Kiwi headed out from our Tour/Hire Centre on Gabriel's Wharf on the Southbank, en route to Willesden Green in North London, to discuss with a London accommodation provider a deal for a long-term bike rental for their tenants.
Jumping on a couple of bicycles, they set off bearing west over Westminster Bridge while taking in the daily sights, sounds, and energies of the cities daytime. Following on through Birdcage Walk and past Buckingham Palace, they rolled on through Hyde Park Corner and experienced the latest multi-million cycle lane developments.
Having given themselves plenty of time to spare, they continued on leisurely around the cycle path, winding through London's iconic Hyde Park, while stopping to observe the latest architectural design showpiece from a series spearheaded by some of the most prolific artists in their field.
After some more inner-city cycling and a stop at Paddington Central - one of the cities most recent urban inner-city communal spaces - for a spot of street food, they joined the canal.
The canal offers a fantastic route for cyclists who want to see a different side of London. There is no official cycle path - pedestrians and cyclists share the way in harmony - although there is plenty of room to manoeuvre along, with the surface of the canal gleaming no more than a metre or two to your right.
This route also takes you through Little Venice, London's handsome tribute to the Masterful Italian architects of it's namesake. As you cycle, feeling a cool breeze lifting off the canal, observe the colourful houses, the character of the street art, and pick the blackberry bushes that clog the wall on your left hand side.
Boats line the canal, and you're always bound to see one or two of their denizens on deck, cleaning the prows of their homes or simply sitting and enjoying some afternoon sun.
It was definitely one of the nicer routes to a business meeting that Rob and Kiwi had taken; it took a while to get there, but the views of London were incredible and it definitely beat getting stuck in traffic! View the route they took here.
Stay tuned to our blog for more great cycle routes from Gabriel's Wharf, and for any advice on locations and cycling in London pop in to our Tour/Hire Centre on Gabriel's Wharf and chat to us!