Cycling in the autumn park

I live in the historic part of the city, and it's not the most convenient place for cycling. On the outskirts of the city, in new neighbourhoods, cycling infrastructure has been developing quite actively in recent years. There are many convenient bicycle lanes, which are a pleasure to ride on. But in the city centre, a cyclist has to compete for a piece of asphalt with motorists, scooters and pedestrians at the same time; you can't just pedal and look on the sides - you have to be ready to react every second to a changed traffic situation.

So I try to go cycling in suburban parks whenever I get the chance. Such rides require more time than a regular bike ride in my neighbourhood, but they are much more enjoyable. Today I want to tell you about a bike ride in Sergievka Park.

Sergievka Park is one of the parks along Peterhof Road. I believe that this is the most convenient park for cycling, because it is easy to come here by suburban train, the station is located on the border of the park. But the journey takes about 40 minutes one way, so unless I have an extra hour and a half to spare, I have to settle for a route closer to home.

The park's paths are wide and comfortable, and you'll almost certainly encounter quite a few cyclists during your walk - I'm not the only one who appreciates and loves the convenience and beauty of this park. There are several lakes in the centre of the park, and you can take a short break on the shore.

The Palace of Maximilian, Duke of Leuchtenberg is located on a high bank that opens towards the Gulf of Finland. A little further away, just outside the park boundary, is a small marvellous mansion called "The Private Dacha", which is a travelling palace built for Empress Elizabeth by the architect Andrei Stakenschneider.

Apart from these two architectural masterpieces, there are several small but very pretty park pavilions in the park and its borders. I particularly like the stone low houses that once housed a farm and now house a biological station. The courtyard inside the stone walls is well protected from the wind and the autumn flowers continue to bloom there.

If I have any energy and time left, I might make the cycling route a little more difficult. Peterhof Road was very popular as a country estate in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the old manor houses are located at short distances from each other. There is only a short distance between Sergievka Park and the next park. I have to drive along a comfortable asphalt path for about a kilometre, cross a bridge and I am already in the next park.

By the way, the Cycling Community has been selected for the Community Incubation Programme of OCD and right now @ocd is running a contest. Would you like to join?