With the end of May and beginning of June marking National Bike Week, now is the perfect time to step into a healthy ‘cycle’ and kickstart an active lifestyle. With a social scene bouncing back better than ever, joining the fun and getting off to a ‘wheelie’ good start couldn’t be easier at our fantastic selection of developments. Those keen to embrace a greener mode of transport and fitter lifestyle will love the prime position and easy commuter connections on offer, many with plenty of cycle routes for you to make the most of.
Along with the environmental benefits that cycling offers, some might be surprised to know that just 15 minutes of cycling each day can boost heart and brain health and help you sleep better and live longer. More movement is described compellingly by writer Peter Walker as ‘The Miracle Pill’ and so we took a look at how our new homes can help you to foster a more active lifestyle without having to set records or spend a fortune on new kit.
Manor Place Depot, Elephant and Castle
At Manor Place Depot, residents are situated in a superb cycle zone for getting out and about with Cycle Superhighway 6 (CS6) now fully open. Starting from Elephant & Castle cyclists can now make the 5km journey to King’s Cross where they can find everything and more on offer including The British Museum nearby and Café Vermuteria, a fun spot to stop for coffee with a retro-cycling vibe. Also now open in the borough of Southwark is the first section of Quietway 14 (Q14), which runs from Blackfriars Road to Tower Bridge Road, linking residents to a lively social scene whilst getting in their daily dose of exercise.
For those eager to ditch the seat and use their feet, but without access to a bicycle, there are many with many Santander docking stations close to home including, Walworth Road, only a 4 minute walk away, Doddington Grove, just a 7 minute walk from home and Kennington Station, an 8 minute walk away.
Heron Quarter at Woodberry Down
Whether it’s biking to get a coffee or going to work, buyers can enjoy travelling from A to B and even commuting in a more fun and fit way at Heron Quarter, where they can easily hop onto Cycle Superhighway 1 (CS1) in Stoke Newington which connects Tottenham to the City of London. For active travel enthusiasts who love to set off for a bike ride in their free time, Heron Quarter’s prime position means that they can pass plenty of beautiful green and blue space on their route. To one side, Finsbury Park offers an athletics track, basketball court and tennis court and on the other side bikers can pass by the picturesque East and West Reservoir and stop off at the West Reservoir Café for a bite and a break before they spring into start again.
Coachmakers Yard, Walthamstow
At Coachmakers Yard, commuting on two wheels couldn’t be easier! Launching this June, residents at Coachmakers Yard can join Quietway 2, which connects Walthamstow to the City of London and provides the opportunity for commuters to join Cycle Super Highway CS1 along the way. Outdoor enthusiasts will also be at home here with a number of safe and efficient cycling routes swiftly connecting them to Finsbury Park, Victoria Park and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where they can enjoy an abundance of green space to relax and re-charge before hopping back on to their two-wheeled friend.
With Waltham Forest creating its own ‘mini Holland’ cycle network in recent years, the borough has never been better connected. With Forest Road and Ferry Lane very recently remodelled to provide separated cycle lanes, commuting into central London or taking two wheels to the nearby Walthamstow Wetlands and the Lea Valley Park has never been safer or more enjoyable. For the more adventurous riders, routes out to Epping Forest (which has hosted stages of the Tour de France) offer a sterner test of the legs, with nearby Mott Street featuring in Britain’s 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs.
The Kiln Works, Limehouse
Nearby CS3 takes you into the City and out to Docklands without having to mix with motor traffic, the ride into the City takes you past the stunning mural on Cable Street which commemorates the Battle of Cable Street of 1936 – where the local people gathered to famously prevent the British Union of Fascists from marching through the community. The Lea Valley Park is also a short ride away, accessible via the Limehouse Cut towpath and offering tranquil, traffic-free and uninterrupted rides along the River Lea and Lea Navigation all the way north into Hertfordshire and Essex.