London Naked Bike Ride 2026 – Sunday Service

This was to be my sixteenth London Naked Bike Ride. I wasn’t among the pioneers of the first ride in 2004, nor any of the next four annual rides, but I took part in 2009, I returned in 2011 and haven’t missed one since (there was no ride in 2020). Bizarrely, I’d prioritised the World Cup in 2010; now I prioritise the World Naked Bike Ride.

No two rides are identical, but there was a significant change for 2026. Excepting the pandemic years, all rides have been on the second Saturday in June. Now with more traffic, road closures, diversions, crane operations, events, protests, counter-protests and lockdowns, mostly affecting Saturdays, the organisers have shifted to Sunday.

The final consideration for me was which of the ride’s eight start points to choose. My preference is to experience going from each start point at least once (so far I’ve done four of the eight, plus the original from Hyde Park). This year, however, I simply didn’t have the energy for extra effort so I defaulted to my nearest start: Tower Hill.

Trinity Square to Southwark Bridge

The weather was perfect for a naked bike ride: broken sunshine, slight breeze, warm rather than hot, and no prospects of rain. Upon arriving at the Tower Hill start (Trinity Square Gardens) I immediately spotted my old friend Natansky on marshal duty; as ever, the epitome of effective pragmatism. No surprise we were away bang on time.

2:09pm at Trinity Square Gardens: heading to our start line…

2:16pm on Trinity Square: …and we’re off…

2:17pm on Byward Street: …with Natansky marshalling (pt.1)

2:18pm on Byward Street: rolling free

2:20pm on Lower Thames Street: proper banging sound system

2:24pm on Upper Thames Street: onto Southwark Bridge…

2:25pm on Upper Thames Street: …with Natansky marshalling (pt.2)

Southwark Bridge to Embankment

Was I imagining it or were there more roadworks this year? No sooner had we begun than we were being funnelled by traffic cones on Byward Street. At Blackfriars Bridge the exit onto Victoria Embankment was blocked so we had to go via Tudor Street and Temple Avenue. A side effect was we kept being routed along roads, not cycle lanes.

2:28pm on Southwark Bridge Road: loitering south of the river

2:36pm onto Blackfriars Road: turning back north

2:38pm on Blackfriars Bridge: yonder St Paul’s Cathedral

2:41pm onto Tudor Street: a new turn

2:42pm on Tudor Street: my traditional window selfie

2:43pm onto Temple Avenue: take me to the river

Embankment to Forum Magnum Square

Even more inconvenience was to come. With just two days’ notice the private owners of Forum Magnum Square – where riders from all start points traditionally converge – forbade us from entering, even going so far as to tape-off the whole area. At least the public were more tolerant. They cheered, photo’d and filmed us everywhere we went.

2:51pm on Victoria Embankment: banging sound system no.2

2:55pm on Victoria Embankment: yonder London Eye

2:58pm on Victoria Embankment: baring down on Parliament

2:59pm on Victoria Embankment: me, whistling…

3:00pm onto Westminster Bridge: …with Natansky marshalling (pt.3)

3:01pm on Westminster Bridge: crowds and cameras

3:05pm on Addington Street: the road to Forum Magnum Square…

3:07pm on York Road: …but we ain’t gettin’ in there

Forum Magnum Square to Lincoln’s Inn Fields

With no access to the square and no time to change the police-agreed route, our ride marshals had little option but to hold us in an orderly line on York Road (south side of the square) until riders from all start points either had joined at our rear or were ready to converge at Waterloo Bridge. Thereafter it was easy-going to Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

3:10pm on York Road: forever blowing bubbles

3:15pm on Waterloo Bridge: “cycling sets u free”

3:19pm on Strand: looping round to Aldwych

3:25pm on Aldwych: looping back to Strand

3:28pm on Strand: “I ride naked for future generations”

3:29pm on Strand: left into Chancery Lane

3:32pm on Serle Street: entering Lincoln’s Inn Fields

Lincoln’s Inn Fields

After our enforced truncated break at Forum Magnum Square there was more time to luxuriate around Lincoln’s Inn Fields. I reckon I was there just shy of three-quarters of an hour. Riders mingled, danced, visited the pop-up drink-and-melon stand, all utterly naked. And me? I just quietly ate my snacks and smiled at the crazy spectacle.

3:50pm at Lincoln’s Inn Fields: a long, well-earned rest

4:01pm at Lincoln’s Inn Fields: loos on the right

4:13pm at Lincoln’s Inn Fields: preparing to leave

4:14pm at Lincoln’s Inn Fields: exiting via Sardinia Street

Lincoln’s Inn Fields to Trafalgar Square

We’d left Trinity Square Gardens at 2:15pm. By my reckoning, we exited Lincoln’s Inn Fields via Sardinia Street onto Kingsway almost exactly two hours later. From here, it was plain sailing; nothing remarkable, no incidents to report. That is, other than about one thousand naked people cycling en masse through the heart of the capital.

4:17pm on Kingsway: back towards Aldwych…

4:19pm on Aldwych: …with Natansky marshalling (pt.4)

4:21pm onto Strand: a penny-farthing!

4:23pm on Strand: beginning the long ride west

4:28pm on Strand: yonder Nelson’s Column

Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace

Kingsway took us back to Aldwych and Strand. All along Strand and around Trafalgar Square the crowds of tourists and onlookers were a dream. So much support and joy from everybody, sometimes two or three deep in rows lining the pavements, cheering and applauding. It got quieter on Cockspur Street and Pall Mall, but then… The Mall.

4:29pm on Trafalgar Square: round the square

4:29pm on Trafalgar Square: left into Cockspur Street

4:34pm on Pall Mall: bum photos forbidden

4:38pm on Pall Mall: all this lot behind me

4:41pm on Pall Mall: left into Marlborough Road

4:43pm on The Mall: send him victorious…

4:44pm on The Mall: …happy and glorious

Buckingham Palace to Wellington Arch

We tend not to be cheered along The Mall. Rather I find the experience is more like a kind of quiet awe ahead of the irresistible urge for capers at Buckingham Palace, and the relief of entering our home straight on Constitution Hill. This year, Constitution Hill was ‘congestion hill’. Slowly, slowly, inch by inch, came the end: Wellington Arch.

4:44pm on Constitution Hill: round the fountains

4:45pm on Constitution Hill: entering the home straight

4:47pm on Constitution Hill: happy to have made it

4:53pm on Constitution Hill: it’s a bit crowded

4:54pm on Constitution Hill: inching closer…

4:55pm at Wellington Arch: …to the finish line!

Epilogue

I’d prioritised the London Naked Bike Ride over World Cup football, but as we arrived at Wellington Arch before 5pm it dawned on me I could race back to the start, catch a train and be home in time for Germany v Curaçao on ITV1+1. It was a win-win for me (even more for Germany) and a pleasant Sunday of protest and body freedom for all.

Our route from Tower Hill to Wellington Arch

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