Islington Connects Parks With Safe Cycling Routes for Young Riders

Islington Council opened three signed family cycling loops on 1 July 2026 that run through Clissold Park and Highbury Fields using quiet residential streets and separated paths.

Summer school holidays and longer daylight hours have increased demand for outdoor activity close to home, with parents seeking routes that avoid busy Upper Street and Essex Road traffic.

Routes through named parks and streets

The longest loop starts at Clissold Park’s main gate on Stoke Newington Church Street, crosses the park on a widened shared path, then follows quiet sections of Green Lanes and Petherton Road before entering Highbury Fields via Highbury Park. A shorter option stays inside Clissold Park and uses the newly tarmacked perimeter track around the bowling green. Both routes connect to the Regent’s Canal towpath at New North Road for an optional flat extension toward Caledonian Park.

Islington Council’s Parks Service worked with the London Cycling Campaign’s local group to install directional signs and dropped kerbs at junctions on these paths earlier this year.

Numbers and practical steps

Transport for London counted 2,850 weekday cyclists on the nearby New North Road cycle track in May 2026, up 18 percent from the same month in 2024. Rental bikes at the Clissold Park kiosk cost £8 for two hours or £18 for a full day, with child seats and helmets included.

Families should begin rides before 10am on weekdays to avoid peak foot traffic near the park cafés. Helmets are required for riders under 14, and lights are advisable even in daylight because some path sections remain shaded by mature plane trees.

Beginners can download the council’s free route map from the Islington website or pick up a paper copy at the Highbury Fields sports pavilion on Highbury Crescent. Regular guided rides for new cyclists start from the same pavilion every Saturday at 9:30am through August.