Yeah, it's not really known for its inclines. Have a look at London and its surroundings on Google Maps with the terrain switched on - it's super-flat to the north-east, and things only really start getting bumpy west of St Albans when the Chilterns start to rise. Sticking with the east your only real option is going south of the river, unless you fancy doing 23 reps of Swains Lane (which isn't really bucolic).
Yeah, it's not really known for its inclines. Have a look at London and its surroundings on Google Maps with the terrain switched on - it's super-flat to the north-east, and things only really start getting bumpy west of St Albans when the Chilterns start to rise. Sticking with the east your only real option is going south of the river, unless you fancy doing 23 reps of Swains Lane (which isn't really bucolic).