If you have good eyesight and peer carefully enough at this photo, you may just make out Windsor Castle lurking in the background. Don't worry - I haven't gone all monarchist on you, but I've realised that the bike ride I did yesterday took me past Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. Hence the title of this blog entry.
About once a year I grab my bike and head out to Windsor, picking up the Thames Path on the southern side of Hammersmith Bridge and sticking with the Thames most of the way. It's a great London cycle trip, going all the way from the centre of Westminster to the Surrey countryside, via Barnes, Kew, Richmond, Kingston, Hampton Court, Chertsy, Staines and Old Windsor. The gardens at Hampton Court area wonderful place to stop for lunch. The locks you pass are always jam-packed with boats. And be sure to check out the odd assortment of lovingly maintained waterfront properties with the union jacks flying proudly from the garden flagpole as you cycle past the Staines area of the river as well - it really is a different world!
