Wednesday 14th August, a mostly pleasant evening, with a heavy Shower at the finish, saw 9 Cyclists leave via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, New Malden, Malden Manor, Stoneleigh, Nonsuch Park, East Ewell to Ewell for refreshments at ‘the Wheatsheaf’, the Hogsmill Path, West Ewell, Tolworth, King Charles Bridge, Cranes park to Kingston. Total 13 Miles, thanks to Derek for Back marking.
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Challenge ride to Old Farleigh
Ashburton Field, with the Crystal palace Masts Credit: Ian G
Sunday 11th August, a mostly bright, Sunny day, with a gusty Breeze, saw 22, with 1 more joining us as we exited the Market place, so 23 Cyclists left via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, New Malden, Motspur park, Joseph Hood Park, Pyl Brook path, Benhilton, Wrythe Green, Hackbridge, Beddington Park, Wallington, Waddon, South Croydon, Sanderstead, Kings Wood, Warlingham, to Old Farleigh for a splendid lunch at ‘the Harrow’, then via Fickleshole, -with a minor Road rage incident, causing 1 of our party to take a tumble, 😦, – but spirits lifted with a Flypast by a fantastic Spitfire, Coney hall, Shirley, Ashburton Field (Photo), Woodside, Heavers Meadow, Thornton heath, Norbury, Lonesome, Mitcham, to Mordon Hall Park for Tea & Breadpudding, then Morden, Cannon Hill, Raynes park, the new link to New Malden,- with everyone loving the new route,- the Cut, Mount pleasant, Norbiton, Farefield to Kingston. Total 44 Miles, 2 new faces, thanks to Steve D for Back marking, and many others for marking corners, thanks to John D for the BP & thanks to Ian for the Photo, thanks also to Mike for some of this route.
Prudential ride London reminder
If you are planning to join us on Saturday 3rd August, to ride to Central London, for the ‘London freecycle’, please make sure your Bike is in good working order, Tyres pumped, Brakes working, a bit of Lubrication on the Chain, all help to make the ride a lot easier, Please remember to bring some Water for drinks, & Suncream, in case it’s Sunny & hot.
See you Saturday, 9.30am
Train assisted ride from Wokingham
Smith’s Lawn, Polo field, Windsor great Park, credit: Jon White
Sunday 21st July. A largely overcast day, with some brighter spells, & some threatening clouds at lunch. With Network Rail having scuppered the original plan for today’s ride, a valient 26 Cyclists, made there way to Wokingham, leaving via the Holt, Cantley Park, the Warren, Binfield, Priestwood, Wick Hill, Chestnut path, Harvest Ride, Chavey Down, (very un chavey ?), Mill ride, North Ascot, Ascot Racecourse, with a visit from the ‘P Fairy’, swiftly repaired, Cheapside, to Sunningdale for lunch at the very hospitable ‘Nags Head’, (finding 1 extra person, already enjoying a Beer, later joined by 1 more, but also 2 of the original group departing), with 1 meal delivered a bit late, Blacknest gate of Windsor great Park, Smith’s Lawn Polo field, (Photo), the Totem Pole, Virginia Water gate,- with a Park Ranger recognising our Leader as ‘a Legend’, 🙂 -, Virginia Water, Lyne, Bretlands, Addlestone, Victory Park, Portmore park, Weybridge, to Walton Bridge for Tea & BP at Gino’s, -with a change of back marker, due to other commitments,- Walton on Thames, Walton park, Esher, Weston green, Giggshill Green, Portsmouth Rd to Kingston. Total 34 Miles, 1 new face, thanks to Karen & John E for back marking, and many others for marking corners.
Evening ride to Wimbledon
Wednesday 17th July. A largely bright Evening, with just 1 or 2 spots of moisture, before the start, saw 15 Cyclists leave via, Lower Marsh, Berrylands, New Malden, Motspur park, Cannon Hill, Merton park, South Wimbledon, to Wimbledon, for refreshments at the’Wibbas Down Inn’, (with 1 dissenting voice using an alternate venue), then Wimbledon Chase, Raynes park, to join the brand new Raynes Park to New Malden link,- C31, the latest Cycle route No. from the London Mayor,- Mount pleasant, Norbiton, Bonner Hill to Kingston. Total 14 Miles, 2 new faces, thanks to Jon W for Back marking.
New Malden to Raynes Park cycle and walking paths – now open!
We are delighted that the New Malden to Raynes Park cycle and walking paths were opened on Saturday (13 July 2019) and are now available for use. Will Norman, the Mayor’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner joined local children to officially open the route.
The route features separate walking and bike paths following our campaign (and many others joining us) against the original plans for a shared path for the route.
The route has been given the designation Cycleway 31. ‘Cycleway’ is Transport for London’s new designation for cycle routes across London that meet TfL’s quality criteria. The branding replaces the previous Quietways and Cycle Superhighways names.
Cycleway 31 is open 24 hours a day (there is LED lighting at night) for people to travel on foot or by bike between New Malden and Raynes Park. Along the route, an area for a nature trail has been established with lots of new plants added along the rest of the route. We expect more planting to take place during tree-planting season.
The new route connects to the existing pedestrian and bike paths on the Cut, providing a c.2km off-road cycle route all the way from Elm Road in New Malden to Raynes Park recreation ground. The route from Raynes Park recreation ground then follows quiet residential roads (Taunton Avenue and Camberley Avenue) to join a new 2-way cycle path on West Barnes Lane to link to existing cycle paths on Coombe Lane which carry on to Raynes Park station.
Map of the new route connecting New Malden station and West Barnes Lane, Raynes Park
Access points
You can access the new route:
- next to New Malden station;
- via Camberley Avenue and Taunton Avenue in Raynes Park; and
- via a new ramp connecting the route to Alric and Duke’s Avenues in New Malden.
Next steps
This route is one of Kingston Council’s new Go Cycle or ‘MiniHolland’ routes which are being funded by TfL and delivered by the Council. Construction continues on other routes across the borough including Kingston Vale and the first part of the Kingston to Tolworth route on Penrhyn Road.
Prudential Ride London Freecycle
This Years Prudential RideLondon FreeCycle event is fast approaching. It doesn’t get the same amount of publicity as the RideLondon London-Surrey Classic (the one for all the sporty types doing up to 100 miles as fast as they can), but the FreeCycle event on Saturday 3rd August has the most number of participants. You don’t have to register to take part and as the name suggests, it’s free to take part. 🙂
FreeCycle, if you have never seen it, is a mass bike ride on closed roads around central London including many famous London sights including the Mall outside Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, The Strand, the City of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and Waterloo Bridge. Around 70,000 people take part each year, just pedalling round at their leisure, appreciating the views in a safe traffic-free environment and investigating the attractions and displays dotted around the route.
Each year volunteers from the Kingston Cycling Campaign take a group of around 100 people up to Buckingham Palace for the closed road circuit. Will you be coming with us this year? Meet us in the northern end of Kingston Market Place near Ultimate Outdoors ready to leave at 9:30. Remember it’s free and no booking is needed.
Additional practical information:
Departure from Kingston: Please be ready to leave the Market Place at 9:30
Return Journey: Our ride leader Roger will advise you where to met up and at what time. The time is likely to be about 3pm. Our group is likely to arrive back in Kingston around 5pm.
The route is about 14 miles up to London, the FreeCycle route itself is about 8 miles and of course the ride home is about 14 miles too. That makes a total of 36 miles. Our pace is very moderate so we think most people who are confident riding will be able to manage this. Children must be accompanied by an adult. You are responsible for your own safety and must adhere to the Highway Code.
What to bring: We’re expecting it to be hot so bring a full water bottle or two, sun protection and a well maintained bike. Bring a lock if you intend to park your bike in London. You are not required to wear a cycling helmet or a hi-visibility jacket; the choice is yours. We have a marshal who will assist you in the event of a problem with your bike, but please bring a spare tube to fit your Bike.
Train travel: We’d love you to join us for the ride up but if you don’t think you can’t manage it you could consider taking your bike up to London on the train and join the FreeCycle event at Waterloo Bridge. If you want to cycle up with us and take the train home, that’s fine too.
Hire bikes: You could travel up to London and do the FreeCycle ride on a TfL Santander Cycle Hire bike
Midweek ride to Row town
Near Chertsey Bridge
Wednesday 10th July. A largely Cloudy day saw 10 Cyclists leave via Portsmouth Rd, Giggshill green, Weston Green, Esher, Walton on Thames, Weybridge, Brooklands community Park, West Byfleet to Row town for lunch at ‘the Cricketers’, a short climb to Liberty Rise, only to find the Footbridge closed, so retrace our pedal strokes, then Addlestone, Chertsey Meads, Chertsey Bridge, (Photo), Littleton, Shepperton, Halliford, to Sunbury for Tea & refreshments at the Walled Garden, then Hampton, Bushy Park, Hampton Wick, Kingston Bridge. Total 29 Miles, thanks to Chris & John E for sharing the Back marking duties and marking Corners.
Belated Dieppe report
a small contigent of the ‘Bedwell Wheelers with the Trophy
Weekend 27th to 29th June. Day 1, for the real diehards, a small group of three, with 1 added lightweight, only going to lunch, gathered at Westcroft leisure centre, Carshalton, set off via Carshalton Park, Carshalton Beeches, Woodmansterne, to Coulsdon to find the planned Coffee stop closed, so back tracking to the Town centre Cafe, then Farthing down, Chaldon, Bletchingley, Outwood, Smallfield, -with a freshly ‘gravelled surface’, proving uncomfortable, so a short detour,- to Turners Hill for lunch, whilst I returned home, the main party continuing via Ardingly, Lindfield, Wivelsfield, Plumpton, Lewis to Newhaven, for an overnight stay.
Day 2, an uneventful ferry crossing, to Dieppe, France, followed by the usual wecome & greetings.
Day 3, the main event, saw a Warm Sunny day, it was good to see the organisers had found a better measuring stick compared to last Years shorter than expected route, followed by the presentations, with the Neville Chanin Trophy for the largest group going to ‘the Bedwell Wheelers’, (comprising of a large group of KCC Cyclists, together with an even bigger group from ‘the Stragglers’), it seems the ‘Souwesters’ (South west London, CTC), where a little shell shocked at being knocked from there perch, ;-).
Bread pudding ride to Northolt
Northala Fields, Northolt
Sunday 7th July, A mostly Cloudy morning, with very light Drizzle, followed by a Sunny afternoon, saw 15 Cyclists leave via Kings Rd, Kingston gate Richmond Park, Ham cross, White lodge, Sheen gate, Sheen, Mortlake, Chiswick Bridge, Strand on the green, Brentford, South Ealing, West Ealing, Hanwell, Greenford, Grand union Canal towpath, -with a Duck unwilling to give way, or take flight, slowing progress a little 🙂,- to Northolt for lunch at ‘the Crown’, then Northala fields, (Photo), Greenford, Southall, Norwood Green, Osterley Park, Isleworth, St Margerets, to Marble Hill Park for Tea & BP, Twickenham, Strawberry hill, Teddington, Hampton Wick & Kingston Bridge. Total 30 Miles, Thanks to Steve D for back marking, & many others for marking corners, thanks to John D for the Bread pudding.
Kingston Cycling Campaign 