Victoria Park, Spitalfields & Whitechapel Gallery

This is a train-assisted ride, taking the Elizabeth Line from Ealing Broadway to Paddington, and returning on the Elizabeth Line from Liverpool Street or Whitechapel.

Taking our familiar route through the Royal Parks and along the Embankment, we will revisit some of our favourite monuments and memorials in East London, including the murals commemorating the Battle of Cable Street https://lookup.london/cable-street-mural/ and the work of Sylvia Pankhurst https://inspiringcity.com/2018/03/14/giant-mural-of-sylvia-pankhurst-appears-on-the-side-of-the-lord-morpeth-pub-in-bow/ and the sad Stairway to Heaven memorial by Bethnal Green Station https://stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org/ .

We will ride a circuit of the lovely Victoria Park, before turning back towards the City and heading to Spitalfields. Here we will have time to look at the wonderful Herd of Hope sculptures https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/herd-of-hope and have refreshments. If you wish, you can leave the ride here. Elizabeth Line and Metropolitan Line services can be accessed from Liverpool Street station, or you can make your own way home by bike.

For those continuing with the ride, we will ride down to Whitechapel to visit the Whitechapel Gallery, where we can see the exhibition by French Algerian artist Zineb Sedira, “Dreams Have No Titles” (admission £12.50, various concessions available; I don’t think it will be necessary to prebook tickets) and/or “Bio Data Flows and Other Rhythms” by Andrew Pierre Hart (free admission). See the Gallery website https://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/ for details.

Ride from Paddington across to East London, returning to Spitalfields for lunch and option to go on to the Whitechapel Gallery.

Segregated cycle tracks, shared paths through parks, quieter roads where possible, some shorter stretches on busier roads.

Several stops to view sights of interest in East London. Lunch stop at Spitalfields. Option to visit Whitechapel Gallery.

Water & snacks for the ride. Lock for your bike. Money/card for refreshments, rail fare, gallery visit.

First-timers welcome!