h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The ONLY way to get round London is by bicycle. Although this article is vaguely positive about cycling, the whole entry just says:

"Cycling is great for longer distances. Use smaller roads, parks and canalsides where possible to avoid the traffic. There are not enough cycle lanes and London drivers can be aggressive, so care is needed on the roads, and cycling competence is essential."

Well, cycling is great for any distance. The only downside is finding somewhere vaguely safe to lock your bike up, but most work places will have secure space for bikes, next to the managing director's Jag usually. Makes them look good if they encourage cycling. A lot of places have changing, showering, drying facilities too.

Also, there are loads and loads of cycle routes. It's easily possible to get from, say, Wandsworth to Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park without going on any major roads. Occasionally you have to cross one, but that's hardly difficult as the traffic is rarely moving anyway.

The London Cycling Campaign's "Cyclist's Map of London" is an essential purchase for anyone travelling around London, cycling or not. As the article says, London is not that big a place, and the map is a real eye-opener if you're a) used to flicking from page 17 to page 68 to page 43 etc in a London A-Z and never really knowing where you are or b) used to diving into one dirty hole in the ground and coming out of another 2 hours later when using the Tube.

Presumably, people scale London according to the famous Tube map/diagram. Look at Bank and Moorgate on the map and you'd think they were about 3 miles apart. Pimlico to Victoria anyone? Better put stout walking shoes on and take some sandwiches. (It's actually less than 1/2 a mile in each case.)

Where can I get a "Cyclist's Map of London"? It sounds really good. I'm only in london rarely for liesure not work. I like to walk where I can and tube where I can't. Sounds like this publication would be a great help.

Any London cycle shop definitely. Larger book shops with map sections. I checked the London Cycling Campaign website but they don't seem to sell it there (although there was a note about plans for extending the map to show all of Greater London - the one I was on about shows a good part of Central London anyway, about 10 miles out from the centre I suppose, far more than your standard tourist map).

Its full name is "The Central London Cyclist's Route Map". Good luck.