Hackney cycling group helps bikers discover ‘miracle’ of the natural world on wheels

Nature Riders was founded by cyclist and photographer James Perrin. Photograph: www.jamesperrin.com

A Hackney cycling group is hoping to secure funding to help members discover the borough’s natural world. 

Nature Riders is open to cyclists of all ages and abilities looking to explore Hackney’s green spaces from the comfort of their saddle.

Founder James Perrin has been a keen cyclist for years. But until the pandemic, he would whizz past the city’s parks, woodlands and waterways without stopping to appreciate them.

A cycling instructor and photographer by trade, Mr Perrin didn’t discover his passion for photographing nature until lockdown began. He set out on his bike and found natural wonders far closer to home than he had expected.

Mr Perrin told the Citizen: “I’ve lived around here for the past 15 years and I had only seen a few kingfishers. Now I’ve been out there on these rides, I’ve seen kingfishers pretty much every single time we’ve been out.

“It kind of feels like a miracle. They’re just there, but you’ve got to stop and look for them.”

From these initial outings, Mr Perrin’s cycling initiative – Nature Riders – was born. Every few weeks, he leads a group around London’s green spaces, educating them about what they can see.

Starting in Millfields Park, the group follows different routes to areas of interest, including the Middlesex filter beds where more than 200 plant species have been recorded. 

The group meets in Millfields Park every few weeks. Photograph: Hackney Council

“It’s a nice, quiet, gentle ride looking at nature, talking about nature and then having a cup of tea and a chat at the end of it,” said Mr Perrin, who added the group is a great way for novice cyclists to gain confidence away from Hackney’s busy roads.

The riders are a diverse group, from teachers to architects to retirees, all with a shared desire to pause and appreciate the natural world around them.

Amanda, a regular rider, said: “He [Mr Perrin] has led us on some wonderful nature bike rides. He is very observant and always full of nuggets of information about our surroundings as we cycle.” 

A UK study published in Nature found people who spent at least two hours a week in natural environments were significantly more likely to report having good health and mental well-being than those who spent no time in nature.

Mr Perrin added that spending time outside ‘puts life into perspective.’ He added: “I kind of don’t like that idea of like, oh, it’s fluffy and nice nature.

“It’s not. It’s cruel, it’s evil, it’s mean, but it’s good for your soul to see that, to see a little fish getting killed and eaten. It puts life into perspective, I think, in some small way.”

Mr Perrin says he hopes the rides will also encourage Hackney residents to learn more about conservation of the natural world. “I think they might protect nature if they know it’s there,” he added.

The rides have been funded by Share The Joy, a community cycling fund created by London Cycling Campaign and Lime Bikes. The fund has supported other groups, including Black Women On Wheels – whose mission is to get more Black women “having a blast” riding bikes.

Nature Riders is currently up for its second round of funding. 

If you want to participate in a Nature Riders cycle, you can check out upcoming events here.