Bag a bargain as you ride through town

Hire a bike at Park Street to start at Borough, home of London’s oldest fruit and vegetable market. Since 1756 it has been a haven for foodies who care about food provenance, and it is easy to while away hours wandering through the stalls of seasonal produce sampling delicious treats.

If you like entertainment with your shopping, over the river Covent Garden is the perfect venue. Dock your bike at Tavistock Street to explore on foot. Artists and circus performers provide the backdrop for one of London’s top shopping destinations. It’ll be easy to find that perfect gift for even the most unusual tastes. Pick up another bike after drifting through the stalls.

Cycling west, the Royal Parks provide the ideal place for a picnic stop, where you can savour your morning purchases. With St James’s, Green and Hyde Parks surrounding Buckingham Palace, there is plenty of space to spread out. Dock your bike by the Serpentine Bridge to munch on Greek olives, artisan bread or other tasty buys.

To finish the ride, cycle north of Hyde Park to Portobello Market, the largest antiques market in the UK with more than 1,000 dealers. It began as a fresh- food market in the 19th century, and antiques dealers arrived in the 1940s: visitors travel from across the world to buy their artefacts.

Did you know?

From this Sunday until the end of August, there are free guided rides around London’s parks with Santander Cycles and British Cycling. For details of the rides and to sign up, visit goskyride.com/London

Santander Cycles is easy