The path from Twickenham Station to Crane Park should have been open in September but wasn’t. This Ride will either use it or send a photo of us at the locked gates to the press. (there is a by-pass) Meet Twickenham Station 10.15.
I am looking at this route that looks at a few newish paths in Hounslow as well. (Coffee in Feltham ?
8 miles flat and 6 of them traffic-free.
Contact .- rides@richmondlcc.co.uk
37 miles mostly away from the traffic.
Just 3 of us met up. The conditions were great and fairly dry across the commons so that ,even with a half hour visit to the gardens at Polsden Lacy , we were back in Twickenham by 14.30.
Meet Twickenham Station before 10.05 to catch the 10.15 to Staines.(arr 10.30) We cycle through Staines Moor then via Colnbrook , through Langley Park and past Black Park to the woodlands of Burnham Beeches in their autumnal splendour. After lunch in a woodland cafe we head down to the Jubilee River path which takes us to Datchet and so back to Staines. About 30 miles mostly tarmac with some smooth gravel paths. Quite scenic / hilly.
As can be seen the path from Twickenham Station to Crane Park should now be open in September so we can have a celebratory ride. Meet Twickenham Station 10.15.
I am looking at this route that looks at a few newish paths in Hounslow as well. (Coffee in Feltham ?
8 miles flat and 6 of them traffic-free.
Contact .- rides@richmondlcc.co.uk
Saturday 29th July.
Enjoy a day in Central London free of motor vehicles.
We meet on Richmond Little Green 10.00 and head off via Putney Riverside, Wandsworth Park and Battersea Gardens and then up through Belgravia to join the Freecycle where Central London roads are traffic free. Leave London for the ride home at 15.00.
About 80 of us met up and enjoyed a good ride up to London and saw some parts of town that were new to many. The Freecycle route itself was busy, but not impossibly so, and, as usual, it was great to see so many cyclists, some very young, making full use of London streets. With rain starting only about 30 chose to join us for the trip home and we got back to Richmond by 16.30 in a damp but unbowed condition.
As one participant said “there should be a straightforward way of cycling into London” but there isn’t , at least not without battling one’s way through heavy traffic. Our circuitous route meant that we were little affected by traffic until we hit Barnes and Mortlake.
Thanks to Jim, Jean, Ian , Cameron and Tim for looking after everybody.
Meet Teddington Station East Side 10:10.
We follow the route of the proposed Quietway across Teddington Lock and through Richmond Park to Roehampton from which we cut under the A3 to Wimbledon Common and a coffee stop at the windmill cafe. We return by a slightly rougher path down to Robin Hood Gate and back through Richmond Park.
A bit longer than our usual Rides for Everyone at 14 miles. Anyone having had enough after the break just has to freewheel down to Wimbledon Station to catch the train.
Just 3 of us met up at Teddington. In terms of testing the route for 8-80 we certainly exceeded the upper end. Teddington High Street was unthreatening and our only issues in Ham was about signs hidden behind foliage. Marking on the road surface is most reliable.
We tried the shared use path on Ham Avenue and found the surface bumpy and the rejoining of the road inside the park difficult. (The off-road path up the hill is only suitable for mountain bikers). The rumble strips on the path through Richmond Park are no problem and Danebury Avenue shows what can be achieved by simply closing a road at one end.
This bit of the Quietway should be a useful and attractive route for all ages (e-bike may be helpful for some as it is hilly)
We diverged on a rougher path through Putney Heath / Wimbledon Common including an underpass of the A3. This was closed to all cycling until ?20 years ago. Progress does happen if slowly.
Meet Twickenham riverside 10.15
We head South via Kingston and Tolworth before heading away from the traffic along the Hogsmill and then through Horton Country Park and Ashstead Common. Emerging in Leatherhead we pass through the Mole gap before climbing to Norbury Park – Southern England’s best approximation to an alpine meadow. A Track takes us to Brockets Farm for lunch and our return journey features a foot/cycle bridge across the Mole , Oxstead Common and Claygate woods. 37 miles with a serious hill. This has been done on a fixer but not-over-narrow tyres would be comfortable.
5 of us met up on the riverside despite nearly coinciding with a charity run. Apart from a headwind on the way south we enjoyed ideal weather and the paths were dry underwheel. Perhaps a bit early for maximum flowers in Norbury Park. Back in Kingston Market place where we split up at about 3.
Run by a local member and starting from Hampton Hill – I am tempted !
On 29th July central London will be traffic-free to allow everybody to enjoy the delights of cycling past the famous landmarks. The problem is getting there. RCC will , as usual , be escorting about 100 cyclists of all ages from Richmond up to town but we do need more volunteer marshals to keep people on course. Experience would be wonderful but helpfulness and a willingness to learn the route (or copy to your phone) would be more than welcome. People always say that they enjoyed getting up to London as well as the Freecycle and that they wouldn’t have done it without support.
Your help is needed to allow us to continue to offer this service to the people of the borough. Please contact
