Who says cycling is a fair-weather activity? Not the eager participants who swapped January blues for blue skies and solid sunshine during Kingston Cycling Campaign’s first ‘park and ride’ event of the year.

On Sunday 14 January the Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Diane White, mingled with nearly 100 people of all ages as they gathered in Berrylands’ Alexandra Park for our third family-friendly ride. As well as the families, couples and councillors keen to kick-start their healthy new year, it was great to see so many local cubs secure their cycle badges by coming along for the ride.

Thank you so much for arranging today’s amazing family-friendly fun ride. Fantastic to see so many cyclists! (Mayor of Kingston)

We were also impressed by the participants who did their own duathlon by joining fresh from that morning’s Surbiton Junior park run. Kudos too to the lady who even joined in the 7-mile ride with a guitar strapped to the back of her bike! A definite KCC first.

The easy-paced ride took us along quiet roads and traffic-free routes in Tolworth and Old Malden, showcasing some of the rural delights on the Kingston / Epsom and Ewell boundary line, including Tolworth Court Farm Fields and Berrylands Nature Reserve – all bathed in glorious sunshine.

Well attended, well organised, took me to parts of the borough I didn’t know, and a perfect day for a winter cycle ride!

With an emphasis on fun, the event was supported by Kingston Cycling Campaign’s smiling ride assistant volunteers to keep everyone safe as Kingston residents discovered new cycle-friendly routes across the borough. Watch this one-minute montage to see what 100 happy riders of all ages look like as they have fun discovering new cycle-friendly routes across Kingston.

Thank you Kingston Cycling Campaign for a fun ride, and especially for bringing the sunshine! (Councillor Jackie Davies)

If you’d like to build your cycling confidence this year, sign up here to join us on 28 April for our next family-friendly fun Kingston bike ride, this time starting from Victoria Recreation Ground in Surbiton at 10.45am. And don’t forget Kingston Cycling Campaign offers a year-round calendar of longer rides for more experienced cyclists.