• Ride 1. International Womens Day
  • Ride 2. Herne Hill to The Onion Garden

Ride 1. International Womens Day

Florence Nightingale

Report from Ride LEader Jane C.

9 of us set off from the forecourt of Lambeth Palace for a tour of 15 statues and monuments to mark International Women’s Day. Starting with Violette Szabo and Mary Seacole on the southside of the Thames, we had to implement an impromptu change of route on discovering that both Lambeth and Westminster Bridges were closed – a wide exclusion zone had been set up as a protester had managed to climb up Big Ben’s Elizabeth Tower. Sadly we had to bypass Boudicca and head straight for Bloomsbury via Waterloo Bridge. Thereafter it all went smoothly – traffic was light and as a compact group, we kept together quite well through busy junctions and crossings. We had a short break in Russell Square and finished at the Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst monument in Victoria Tower Gardens, by way of Agatha Christie (Cranbourn St), Anna Pavlova (Victoria Palace Theatre) and Ada Lovelace, perched way up high on a building in Horseferry Rd. 

Thank you to everyone for their interest and good company on the day and special thanks to Chau for being our back-marker.

Ride 2. Herne Hill to The Onion Garden

Ready to leave Onion Garden
Turnng on to Chelsea Bridge
Brockwell Park at small houses
Small houses, Brockwell park
To see photos in full right click an image, select “Open image in new tab”, look for new tab in banner at top of page, open new tab.

First ride to start from Herne Hill. First ride led by Mike T. And first time most of us had been to the Onion Garden. What a gem. Tucked in back streets near Victoria satation a little green patch with so much gong on. And excellent coffee.

Big thankyou to Mike for planning and leading. Full quota of 15 riders plus Mike, 3 marshals and a back stop making a large group on the road. Started at the small space next to erne Hill Station at top end of Railton Road. Down Railton Rd to Brixton, then Stoackwell and across to The Oval. Crossed Thames via Vauzhall Bridge then Wesstmnster back streets to Spenser St. There it is, the tiny Onion Garden just 400m from Victoria Station and the same from the corner of St James Park. The photos gve you the best idea of the “vibe” of this garden. AS well as the plants there is a flower shop and cafe.

Return route was through Pimlico to Chelsea Bridge, followed by Thessally Rd to Stockwell and Brixton. Loop to west to avoid worst of traffic at Brixton Central to enter Brockwell Park from the Tulse Hill side. Stopped to look at the small painted houses created in 1947 and now nicely preserved. We have seen more of these in Vauxhall Park. Brief ride through Brockwell Park to the Herne Hill gates where we ended the ride. Much appreciation shown to Mike T for planning and leading. Also thanks to John S for backmarking and Jamie and others for marshalling.

Back to Ride Report 2025 Index

Back to Healthy Rides Home page