Written by Joe Card
Life in London is a significant adjustment for many students at LSE. With a campus in the centre of one of the world’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities, it’s very easy to feel like a fish out of water. One of the perennial top tips for Freshers is to take up a sport to help you settle in, meet people, and keep up with exercise, now that the routines of school P.E. are gone. But that’s easier said than done…
Throughout my childhood, my favourite sport had always been cycling. I never really enjoyed the team sports we were forced into at school, but I always enjoyed myself on my bike – whether off on my own, with friends, or with my Dad.. When lockdown came in 2020, cycling almost became a daily ritual, as it was one of the only reasons we were allowed to leave the house. Even once the world began returning to normal, I kept going, exploring the quiet country roads and farm tracks around my house.
This ceased to be an option when I arrived in London. The infamous central London traffic meant that I never cycled further than the 10 minutes from Carr Saunders Hall to my lectures for most of first year, dodging buses and weaving between taxis – hardly an enjoyable or relaxing experience. But, I soon learned there’s far more to cycling in London.
Once you get out of the noise and stress of Aldwych and Holborn, there are wonderful routes off the busy streets all over the city, from the Regent’s Canal towpath to the trail along the River Lea in East London. Then, there’s the spectacular feeling of cycling over Waterloo Bridge late at night when there are no cars, just incredible views of St Paul’s and the Houses of Parliament. Even commuting can be a joy if you’re lucky enough to live near one of London’s cycle superhighways. A network of segregated cycle lines crisscrossing the city, they’re well maintained, relatively direct, and very useful routes just a world away from the meandering lanes I was used to.
If my sales pitch for inner city cycling isn’t working, just get out of London! I was recently dragged away from a peaceful Sunday bed-rotting to join a friend cycling down to Brighton. While the endless London suburbs were an inauspicious start, we soon reached the unbelievable viewpoint at the top of Farthing Down, just inside the M25. Surrounded by the gently rolling hills of Surrey, it was easy to forget London and the anxieties of returning to campus, instead reviving a connection with nature I’ve missed since my regular countryside rides at home over the summer.
Longer distances like that shouldn’t be taken lightly, though. By the time we arrived in Brighton, we were both thoroughly worn out despite taking regular breaks, and very ready to grab a takeaway to eat on the train back to London. Make sure you’ve done your research about the route you want to take, bring snacks, and have a backup plan in case things go wrong. The route we chose, for instance, largely followed the train line, giving us multiple opportunities to bail and go home in the event of technical difficulties.
Cycling around London and making the most of the countryside nearby is an excellent way to get some exercise and take a much-needed study break. There are lots of ways to enjoy it too, whether alone or with friends, for hours at a time or for a quick 30 minutes. But it’s also a way to stay in touch with a hobby many of us enjoyed when we were kids at a stage in life when it feels very easy to lose track of yourself!
