If you’re a fan of getting about on two wheels then a visit to Lee Valley VeloPark should be up there on your destination wishlist. Originally part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, this huge urban playground has opened its doors to the general public and is a great day out for friends and families alike.

There are four kinds of bikes you can try: track your heroes in the velodrome, master five miles of mountain bike trail, roll around the one mile road circuit, or bounce up and down on a BMX. I gave the BMX taster a go and it was, quite simply, the most fun I’ve ever had on a bike.

Brilliantly designed, all outdoor tracks loop in and out of each other and are contained within and around the wider Olympic Park so you can see all the action as you are bombing (or bumbling) along. It’s a super safe spot for kids to test out their skills and even if you’re not the sporty type, there’s still something magical about riding under those five rings and taking in the views of the magnificent velodrome.

There are loads of options for entry including taster sessions, skills sessions, one on one coaching or bike hire, so it’s easy to create your own day out.

Image courtesy of Barry Caruth on Flickr