Hiring a bike with South West Trains in Richmond, London

Cycling on The Thames Path from Richmond to Hampton Court PalaceIt's a public holiday at the end of the summer holidays and it looks like I am not the only one who decided to take my kids on the train, with bikes, helmets and a picnic (as well as a husband who, having had his bike nicked recently, borrowed a friend's vastly oversized and very heavy butcher's style bike). The bike sections on the train from London Bridge are pretty crammed, but the guards have kindly turned a blind eye to the higher than usual quota of cyclists, as it is outside rush hour. However, changing trains is not without its hassles with various sets of stairs to negotiate which, even for an energetic eleven year old, are somewhat challenging with a bike in tow. But I am on a misson - to cycle from Richmond to Hampton Court Palace along the leafy off road section of The Thames Path which is reputed to be one London's most beautiful. 

Starting our journey at London Bridge station, we just have to change once at Clapham Junction for a couple of minutes (more stairs to climb, and a lot of people) and then straight onto a South West trains connection to Richmond with minimal bruising or bickering. We are just heading out of Richmond station when I see a sign for bike rental, in association with South West Trains. It costs from only £10 a day for a gleaming bike, which you can pick up in Richmond station, provided by Evans Cycles - an inspired partnership between these two organisations. And one which would have lightened our load somewhat, had we known about it. It would also have done the trick for our friends who had been due to join us for the day out, but there are six of them, and they didn't dare risk bringing six bikes on London's rail network on a busy public holiday. 

£10 bike hire is pretty good for a day out in London too (with train ticket as well, although with a Family and Friends' Railcard this cost us £7 for all four of us), especially as the cycle route lives up to all expectations. It takes just a couple of minutes to stroll through the pretty streets of Richmond, full of chi-chi shops and a panoply of pubs, to reach the banks of the RiverHampton Court Palace, by bike Thames, where we are met with what felt like a fiesta going on outside riverside bars, restaurants and boat clubs. Heading west for our 7.5 mile cycle, the crowds soon thin out, and the swans fly in. The views of designer riverside homes with their adjoining boathouses, in some of London's most coveted locations, are great for lifestyle watching. But really it is the remote luscious, traffic-free, riverbank which is ultimately the cyclists' joy to behold here. This must be one of London's finest breathing spaces, along a stretch of what is, after all, the city's main artery, and yet which many don't think to visit. 

A couple of hours later, after a stopover at the beautiful Teddington Lock to cool down at The Anglers Pub on the river bank, and also to explore a BMX track, built by the local community and well concealed in a bit of open woodland just by the Lock, we arrive at the gates of Hampton Court Palace. I hadn't realised it was located right on the river and entrance is free to people who just want to picnic and not dedicate a whole day to sightseeing. The Palace and grounds are so magnificent, however, that we are going to come earlier next time, and do the more cultural thing. But  today we are happy to have our picnic, treat ourselves to ice cream, and watch the Tudor world go by, literally, as the actors renacting Henry VIII and his court regularly go to and from the walled gardens on horseback, giving us a royal wave as they pass. 

After a gentle end of summer's day cycle back to Richmond, with another stop off at the BMX track, we arrive in time for dinner at Richmond's Wagamama Restaurant, always a kids' favourite. It is dark when we finally collapse onto the now empty train back to the city, vowing to explore these glorious city escapes on a more regular basis. This one will be hard to beat, however, and if you time it better than we did you can catch the Richmond Farmers' Market to prepare a picnic, (Saturdays 11am-3pm  Heron Square,  just near Richmond Bridge, and book a movie to end off the perfect day at Richmond's wonderful Curzon arthouse cinema, also just beside the river. As my sleepy eight year old says on his way home, "That was a great day - can we take a proper holiday in Richmond next year, Mum?" Out of the mouths of babes. 

To hire a bike at Richmond station, go to the information desk in the main ticketing area, or reserve one online by emailing richmondbikes@southwesttrains.co.uk . The bike hire will be available from 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week. It also includes a lock, helmet, lights, high visibility jacket and a map of local cycle routes.