Stratford to Tower Hill Biking

This morning would be my first full day of biking in London. They have improved the biking infrastructure with bike lanes and rental stations. I'd watched some youtube videos to preview and familiarize myself with the roads after so many years.

The nearest bike rental station for me was at Stratford, at either the station or the Olympic Park. For some reason this is the furthermost east rental station available.

Stratford Centre

View of Stratford

Stratford Bike Rentals

Rental Station

It was easy to rent a bike with your credit card. Rates are 1.65 pound per 30 mins. First I took Romford Road all the way to the City. The name changes to Mile End Road and then Whitechapel Road, but it is the same street leading all the way to Tower Hill.

Around Aldgate with all the new construction and road layouts I was thrown off a bit and overshot to London Bridge. I did my planned route in reverse back to Tower Hill.

First I made my way from London Bridge to the Bank of England. We had driven past this many times as kids. I had no idea about Leadenhall Market a street away so went down this historic arcade. It was all closed on a Sunday morning.

Using street maps I navigated my way back to Tower Hill which was confusing as all the streets were twisting throwing your bearings off.

At Tower Hill I biked the perimeter which we would always walk as kids. Entrance is now a steep 32 pounds. I last went in 1994 for 10 pounds.

To get to Tower Bridge was a long staircase so I went the long way with my bike. South of the bridge is Butlers Wharf with a long staircase to go down again. I had to detour thru side streets.

Growing up this was all run down and boarded up. The Doctor Who series Resurrection of the Daleks was shot here in 1984 so the DVD shows "Then and Now" shots of how the wharf looked back in those days when it was still in neglect.