2 part Bread pudding ride to Barnes and Nonsuch park

Near the 'Mark Bolan tribute', Barnes Common

Near the ‘Mark Bolan tribute’, Barnes Common

Sunday 27th September Part 1. A bright Sunny day saw 19 Cyclists leave via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, New Malden, Malden golf course, Copse hill, Wimbledon common, Putney heath, Roehampton to Barnes for lunch at the ‘Red Lion’, then Barnes green, Roehampton gate of Richmond park, Ham cross, Ham gate and North Kingston. Sub total 16 Miles, 3 new faces. Part 2 , farewell to 10, welcome to 6 fresh faces, left via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, Tolworth, the ‘Greenway’, Bonesgate path, Horton country park, Clarendon park, St. Ebba’s path, Hogsmill path, Ewell village, East Ewell to Nonsuch park for Tea & BP, then Stoneleigh, Worcester park, New Malden, Berrylands to Kingston. Sub total 16 Miles, 2 new faces, 1 Puncture. Overall 32 Miles.

Bread pudding ride to Knaphill

Goldsworth Park Lake

Goldsworth Park Lake

Sunday 13th September. A mostly cloudy morning, with a brighter afternoon, saw 18 Cyclists gather for an early start, leave via Portsmouth Rd, Giggs hill green, Weston green,  Esher, Walton on Thames, Oatlands, Weybridge, Brooklands park, Byfleet village, Wey navigation, Pyrford, Woking, Goldsworth park to Knaphill, for lunch at ‘the Royal oak’. Afterwards, leaving via the ‘secret gate’, to Waterers park, Castle green, Chobham, Stonehill, Homeland park, Addlestone, Victory park, Wey navigation towpath, Thames towpath to Walton bridge for Tea & BP at ‘Gino’s’, (with the ‘white elephant’ of a new Cafe/toilet block, still vacant), Walton on Thames, Molesey, Thames Ditton, & Portsmouth Rd to Kingston. Total 40 Miles, 1 new face.
Map :-www.plotaroute.com/route/9665

20’s Plenty in Queen’s Road, Kingston Hill

Queens Road Kingston Dec-12 (18) copy

Queen’s Road is familiar to anyone who has visited Richmond Park through Kingston Gate. It is a road heavily used by people on bikes going to and from Richmond Park and the footways are busy with people going to the park on foot too. Whereas the speed limit in Richmond Park is 20mph, the limit on Queen’s Road is still 30. There is also a substantial amount of traffic going to and through Richmond Park. During peak hours drivers avoid the Norbiton roundabout by cutting along Queen’s Road and King’s Road.

Queen’s Road is a residential road except for the Albert Pub at the Kingston Hill end and Park Hill School and Nursery and St Paul’s Church. The roads leading off Park Road to the west, downhill, sensibly have a 20 mph speed limit. One of these roads, Alexandra Road has St Paul’s Junior School and St Alexandra’s Infant School and of course lots of children going to school walk along and cross Queen’s Road. Recently the views of some councillors in Kingston has been that there should be 20 mph speed limits outside schools.
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Bread Pudding ride to Harmondsworth

Hounslow Heath and the 'Dragonfly', with some Kingston Cyclists

Hounslow Heath and the ‘Dragonfly’, with some Kingston Cyclists

Sunday 23rd August. A dry start, with a heavy shower of rain during lunch, saw 15 Cyclists leave via  Kingston bridge, Bushy park, Fulwell, River Crane path, Whitton, Hounslow heath, West Hounslow,  Cranford, Harlington, Sipson to Harmondsworth for lunch at ‘the five bells’, after lunch with some light drizzle still in the air, the option to visit the ‘Cathedral of Middlesex’, or the Harmondsworth great barn, as it is more properly known, before finding the rain had ceased, and even some bright Sun, then Harmondsworth moor, Poyle, Stanwell moor, Stanwell, Bedfont, Feltham, Hanworth, Hampton, Bushy park to ‘the Pheasantry for Tea & BP, then to Church grove & Kingston bridge. Total 29 Miles 2 new faces.
Map:-www.plotaroute.com/route/108975

Map :-

Petition to support the New Malden to Raynes Park Mini Holland cycling and walking route

 

A Mini Holland proposal

A Mini Holland proposal

Our petition with over 1600 signatures, both paper and electronic, in favour of the proposed New Malden to Raynes Park Mini Holland Cycling and walking route is to be debated at the Council meeting on Tuesday 13 October at 7.30pm, members of the public can attend;

http://moderngov.kingston.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=137&MId=7870

Please keep signing the petition, every signature helps make the route more likely to happen;

http://bit.ly/new-malden-greenway

The Co-ordinators of the Kingston and Merton Cycling Campaigns have jointly written to the local media in support of this route;

https://drive.google.com/a/dmzone.co.uk/file/d/0ByG6pIbWG27yTDZWWWlZZ0FKZzA/view

Background

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames has a once in a generation opportunity to improve its facilities for walking and cycling and for environment and community friendly travel for all its residents and visitors. Last year the Borough was awarded more than £30million from the Mayor’s Outer London Cycling Fund (the Mini Holland Programme) and has christened the project “GoCycle”. The idea is to promote active travel for all, particularly children, the old and women.

https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/cycle-mini-hollands

http://www.kingston.gov.uk/info/200355/go_cycle/1118/about_the_go_cycle_routes_and_projects/3
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Evening ride to Twickenham

Wednesday 12th August. A bright evening saw a Bakers dozen (13 ) Cyclists leave via Skerne Rd, Lower Ham rd, Thames Towpath, Aerospace estate, Ham, Ham House, more Towpath to  Richmond bridge, Ducks walk, St Margerets to Twickenham for refreshments at ‘the Sussex arms’, then Strawberry hill, Teddington, Hampton wick, Kingston bridge. Total 11 Miles, 4 new faces.

Challenge ride to Walliswood

Near Okewood Hill, with Leath Hill in the background

Near Okewood Hill, with Leath Hill in the background

Sunday 9th August. A hot Sunny day saw 19 Cyclists gather at Tolworth Station for the Summer special Challenge ride leave via, the ‘Bonesgate’ path, Horton country park (where a small twig almost terminated the leaders ride, thankfully just the front mudguard payed the price), Ashtead common, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Great Bookham, Effingham, White down, Abinger, Holmbury St. Mary, Forest green to Walliswood for a splendid lunch at ‘the Scarlett arms’. Then via Okewood hill, Tipham, Ockley, Capel, Newdigate, Shellwood cross to Brockham Church for Tea & BP, then Betchworth park, Pixham, Westhumble, Juniper hill, Headley, Langley vale, Woodcote, Epsom common, West Ewell to Tolworth.     Total 50 Miles, 5 new faces, 38 very tired legs.
Map:-www.plotaroute.com/route/103102

Feeder ride to London freewheel

Richmond park feeder ride to Freewheel

Saturday 1st August. A bright sunny day saw approx 80 Cyclists leave the Market place, via Skerne Rd, Kingston gate of Richmond park, to Roehampton gate, with the numbers now swelled to 100 plus, then Barnes, Thames towpath, Putney Bridge, Fulham, Parsons green, Brompton cemetery, South Kensington, Belgravia, to Buckingham gate to join the central route for Freewheel. After a well earned lunch, the return ride gathered on Birdcage walk with about 50 Cyclists leaving via Constitution hill, to Hyde park, to Queens gate, Kensington to rejoin the outward route, Brompton Cemetery, Parsons green, Fulham, Putney bridge, an ‘almost overflowing’ Thames towpath, Barnes, Roehampton gate of Richmond park to Kingston gate, with only 10 cyclists finishing at the Market place. A very big thank-you to all the Marshals who helped Roger lead the ride.

Train assisted ride from Woking

Sunbury lock

Sunbury lock

Sunday 26th July. A mostly dull wet day, saw 11 Cyclists, (with 4 other non straters) gather at Woking, with the heavy rain stopping before we got to the Basingstoke canal towpath, then St. Johns, Knaphill, Bisley, Donkey town, Lightwater, Windlesham, to Chobham common for lunch at the ‘Four Horseshoes’, then via Gracious pond, Homewood park, Addlestone, Weybridge, Oatlands park, Ashley park, Walton on Thames, Thames towpath, Sunbury lock to say hello to Tony, (assistant lock-keeper ), Molesey where a jammed derailier almost finished our leaders ride, thankfully a bit of judicious twisting allowed us to continue to Molesey Cricket club for Tea & BP, then Hampton court bridge, more towpath to Kingston bridge & the Market place. Total 31 Miles, 2 new faces.
Map:-www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/3034076