Cycling London to Paris. Mike Wells

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      The classic route starts from the Tower of London

      THE TOWER OF LONDON

      When it was built in 1078, the Tower of London was seen by the Anglo-Saxon English as a hated symbol of Norman oppression following William the Conqueror’s invasion in 1066. However, over the centuries it became a cherished symbol at the heart of London, Britain and the British Empire. It is said that if the ravens that live there should ever leave, the kingdom will fall. The tower has been used as a fortress, royal palace, armoury, treasury, the home of the royal mint and is nowadays a museum holding important national collections including the British crown jewels. For over eight centuries (1100–1952) it also housed a prison, mostly for prisoners who had fallen foul of the monarch including the uncrowned king Edward V (imprisoned by his uncle Richard III who took the crown for himself), Anne Boleyn (second wife of Henry VIII) and Sir Walter Raleigh. The heart of the complex is the White Tower, the oldest and best-preserved Norman stone keep in Britain. This is surrounded by other buildings, two sets of encircling walls and a moat, which is nowadays dry. A poignant use of the moat in 2016 saw it filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies in commemoration of British and empire combatants killed during the First World War.

      From Tower Hill on N side of Tower of London follow Tower Bridge Approach S and cross Thames on Tower bridge. Turn L (Queen Elizabeth St) and R at end (The Shad) to reach T-junction. Cycle Superhighway CS4 will be joined here. Turn L (Jamaica Rd, A200), using bus lane, to Rotherhithe roundabout. Turn R (third exit, Lower Rd, sp Greenwich) past Surrey Quays shopping centre L (3.5km, 3m) and continue on Evelyn St to Deptford. Go ahead (Creek Rd) over Deptford Creek to reach T-junction in Greenwich (7km, 6m) (accommodation, refreshments, tourist office, cycle shop, station).

      Greenwich (pronounced Gren-itch), which has a long maritime history, is synonymous with the zero meridian which passes close to the Royal observatory in Greenwich park. The former naval hospital designed by Christopher Wren, which became the Royal Naval college from 1873–1998, now houses the university of Greenwich; while the old naval asylum has been the National Maritime museum since 1934. The tea clipper Cutty Sark, preserved in a dry dock beside the Thames, was built in 1869 for the tea trade from China. This three-masted sailing ship held the record for the journey to Australia for 10 years before steam ships took over the route.

      Turn L following one-way system and bear R (College Approach). To visit the Cutty Sark, continue ahead on Church Street. Turn R again (King William Walk) in front of entrance to old Royal Naval College then L at crossroads (Romney Rd, A206). Continue between old Royal Naval College L and National Maritime museum R (with Royal Observatory in Greenwich park rising behind) into Trafalgar Rd. Continue into Woolwich Rd then go ahead over roundabout beneath motorway and pass through Charlton (10km, 4m) (refreshments, cycle shop, station).

      Go ahead over two roundabouts and at third, turn R (third exit, Woolwich High St, sp Woolwich ferry) to reach roundabout by ramp leading to Woolwich ferry L (12.5km, 6m) (accommodation, refreshments, cycle shop, station).

      Go ahead past Waterfront leisure centre L and bear R at next roundabout (second exit, Beresford St). Pass modern development on site of former Woolwich Royal Arsenal L and continue on Plumstead Rd beside bus lane. Where road turns L, bear R across road and fork R on bus and cycle only lane past Plumstead bus garage L. Rejoin road and pass Plumstead station R (14km, 6m) (refreshments, station).