16km Christmas Lights Tour
South Molton Street, Mayfair
Into the Light from Darkness
Ride Overview
It used to be the Yule Log; a large tree cut earlier in the year and brought inside to burn in the grate of an inglenook fireplace during the darkest days of the year. Around the fire, there would have been carousing and much feasting. Rather than the log and a fire, we have the London Christmas lights, but the carousing and feasting still continues. This ride around the principle streets and markets of London’s West End, rides under canopies of angels, stars, sharks and trees festooned with hundreds of thousands of LED bulbs. The results are spectacular and the ride will lift any spirit made low by another damp and dark December day. However illuminating (!) the route might be, this is a ride ONLY for those comfortable riding in traffic on busy streets, albeit with slow moving traffic. This is absolutely NOT a traffic-free ride.
Ride Practicalities
Two warnings!
1. This is most definitely NOT a traffic-free ride. The West End of London is always busy with traffic, especially in the run up to Christmas. To really enjoy this ride, it is recommended that you ride as late into the evening as you can. That said, the buzz and press of people do add another dimension to this Christmas ride. There are several places where it is obligatory to dismount. Failure to do so down South Molton Street, Carnaby Street or in Covent Garden can incur a large fine.
2. In order to save power, most of the festive street lights are displayed between 3.00p.m. - 11.00pm. The light displays usually run from late November until 3rd January.
Start/finish; Embankment/Trafalgar Square. The Embankment is on the District Line on which bikes are permitted before 16.00 and after 19.30. The start of the ride is a short walk across Hungerford Bridge from the mainline station of Waterloo. Those coming into London from Victoria can join the route outside Victoria station. It takes between 1-2 hours to complete this short ride. The route is paved throughout. It makes for a very good exploration on a Lime or Santander bike.
Route re-ridden and amended December 2024.
Route used as a Guided Ride December 2024.
Into the Light from Darkness
Ride Notes
The route begins on the Embankment from where you can see the Shard and the South Bank spectacularly lit. Once you are all gathered, head down the Embrankment towards Parliament Square, and thence onto Victoria Street, passing the Palace of Westminster and the Abbey, both wonderfully lit, although not especially for Christmas. Victoria Steet is underwhelming, other than Westminster Cathedral and Victoria Palace Theatre.
Having dodged the buses and taxis outside Victoria station, you enter Belgravia, the really festive lighting begins. First down Ebury Street, then into Elizabeth Street and down Chester Terrace and onto Sloane Square. Ride slowly, for the window displays can be worth stopping for.
In the heart of Chelsea at Sloane Square sparkles under a mass of LED stars. Around the square are stalls selling mulled wine and festive food should you need fortifying. Take a short ride down King’s Road, then double back to Sloane Street noting the various jewellers and exclusive clothes shops who try to outdo each other for Christmas brilliance. , ride up the dazzling Sloane Avenue towards Knightsbridge and onto Harrods where the facade of the world famous shop is an extraordinary festive display, as are its Christmas window displays.
Taking care when turning right at the traffic lights, you ride past Halkin Arcade (worth getting off the bike for), across Belgrave Square and Hyde Park Corner. Absolutely avoid riding around Hyde Park Square, rather, use the cycle crossing on the north side into Hyde Park, and then take the cycle lane up Park Lane which you cross at lights opposite the Dorchester Hotel. Ride down glittering Mount Street, through Grosvenor Square, where there is the moving ‘Ever After Garden’ of 30,000 roses lit in remembrance of treasured friends and loved one. (You can make a donation to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity here).
Cross Oxford Street and continue up to Marylebone, for more festive fun. As you ride down Welbeck Street back into Oxford Street, there’s a raising of the magnificence. Oxford Street’s 300,000 LED dangling stars, are soon superseded by South Molton Street’s blue arches (through which you must walk - there’ll be security guards ready to slap a fine on you if you’re seen turning a pedal), followed by Bond Street’s extravagance - including its stores such as Dolce & Gabbana or Dior, to name but two. Frankly, so dazzling are the lights above you and so captivating are the window displays that it can be hard to know where to look.
To Piccadilly, where you ride under the gaze of angels. The heavenly hosts continue up Regent’s Street - where the 800,000 LED lights give a magical golden glow. Then it’s into playful Carnaby Street (more walking and pushing the bike) followed by Soho. Anything so mainstream as angels and stars are eschewed for illuminated planets, sharks and squid. Covent Garden has a huge tree lit with over 30,000 bulbs and inside of the market hall designers have created a set worthy of an opera.
You might have planned your ride to include a Christmas carol concert which are held throughout December in many of the beautiful churches along the way. One of London’s principle choirs, The Goldsmiths Choral Union, hold their concert in the Arts and Crafts Church of Holy Trinity, Sloane Square in early December. Two other notable and beautiful churches, St. James’s Church, Piccadilly and St. Paul’s Church, Covent Garden are also well worth visiting for some lusty Christmas singing.
From Covent Garden, the route heads to the Strand for the final procession to the finish at Trafalgar Square, where the ride finishes at the foot of the nation’s principle Christmas Tree, an annual gift from Norway. A Norwegian Spruce is specially chosen from a forest near Oslo and shipped over to the UK as a token of thanks from the Norwegian people for the help which Britain gave them in the last war. Nearby are stalls selling as much sweet starch and booze as you could possibly wish for.
Ride Practicalities
Two warnings!
1. This is most definitely NOT a traffic-free ride. The West End of London is always busy with traffic, especially in the run up to Christmas. To really enjoy this ride, it is recommended that you ride as late into the evening as you can. That said, the buzz and press of people do add another dimension to this Christmas ride.
2. In order to save power, most of the festive street lights are displayed between 3.00p.m. - 11.00pm. The light displays usually run from late November until 3rd January.
Every route on this website has been carefully researched as well as ridden. However situations on the ground can change quickly. If you know of changes to this route, or cafes, pubs and the like which you think other cyclists need to know about, feel free to share your thoughts below.
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