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Does anyone know of any good riding spots (trails, steep bits etc.) in Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common. I met a guy who said there was some in Richmond Park just couldn't remember where it was and I know there some in WC. Could someone help me out pls? Lockdown has ruled out Surrey Hills so trying to find something more local. Thank You!
Riding is pretty restricted in both parks, you will be stopped by park police if you ride out of bounds, permitted trails are good for a fitness spin, I can PM you a route on Strava or komoot if you like.
Don’t recommend either for anything other than a gravel ride tbh.
There are a couple of trails in Richmond that you could legitimately say “I got lost” if you were caught on them, but neither are worth the hassle...
Richmond legitimate trail map here...
WC is a bit of a horsey playground, there’s a couple of 5 second steep bits that are OOB, again not really worth the hassle.
Definitely gravel rather than mtb. Also need to be up bright and early or ride during the week to avoid hordes of dog walkers/families/joggers etc.
Haven’t checked out Wimbledon Common yet (I’m kinda assuming it’s just mud at the moment but could be wrong), but here’s a reasonably non-paved ride I did recently.
I wouldn't recommend either too. Just muddy and busy and featureless for an MTB.
Whereabouts are you based OP?
As others have said the RP perimeter gravel loop is good on a gravel bike but currently heaving with lockdown walkers, pretty much the rest of it is OOB. RP is a nightmare on the road too as despite restrictions there’s a lot of car traffic and walkers now think the non car traffic roads are footpaths despite perfectly good ones next to the roads.
Can you get as far as Esher Common? Still very tame but found a couple of very short runs and is more natural, also v busy at the moment though.
If the mud dries up a bit you could try the 'Thames Down Link' which will take you from Kingston-upon-Thames to Westhumble (at the bottom of Box Hill) but again this is gentle gravel bike territory, nothing lumpy until the end.
Whereabouts are you based OP?
I'm in North Kingston really near Kingston gate of RP
Can you get as far as Esher Common?
Yes I can and I probably should, just looking for some maybe slightly lazier rides.
On a side note does anyone ride in East Sheen Common just off the North of RP? I've heard there is some decent stuff there.
@soundninjauk there are one or two runs worth checking out on wc but obviously both are frowned apon. One is up the hill oposite the cemetary with a few berms and some steeps and there is another on the hill on the north side of the large pond in the south of wc. I can probably find some coordinates if you are interested.
We're more or less just over the river from you. We avoid RP except for transiting through, as there's just too many people in there at the moment.
If you want a flat but slightly different ride try the River Crane up to Hayes then pick up the canal back to Brentford.
Our regular short ride heads out along the Hogsmill through Ashtead and back in through Princes Coverts and Esher.
@belgianwaffle1 Thanks for the offer but I’m probably ok for now.
I’d definitely second Esher Common as somewhere to investigate. Again, tame enough for gravel bikes for sure but I don’t think it’d be that much effort for you to get there and definitely more off road than Richmond Park. How about something like this to start?
@aP any chance of a GPX or Strava link of the Hogsmill route? I’d be interested checking that out for the sake of variation.
Pearson Cycles put up some Gravel routes on Strava - I've ridden a couple on a HT and a short travel FS and have had lots of fun (though definitely more suited to a Gravel Bike).
Inside Out is tame, but a good flat blast out. Life on Mars has some bits that were good fun. What have the Romans Done for Us has some sections that were properly chunky for a Gravel Bike (but ace) - you'd just go quicker in a MTB (not at the moment, though - parts of that route, and Life on Mars) are an absolute mud-bath). Also it's a bit of a long day out on a MTB.
https://www.pearson1860.com/pages/strava
All the best,
Rich
G!ro cafe also has a couple of gravel gps routes on its website. I intend to have a closer look at those soon.
We avoid RP except for transiting through, as there’s just too many people in there at the moment.
I last rode around RP (on my cross bike) about 3 years ago, one mid-week evening. It was busy then. Busier than a local cross race, probably. ( 😁 ). It must be horrendous at the moment. I’d be avoiding it completely - the ‘trails’ aren’t worth making a journey for, anyway.
Have to agree that RP for MTB isn’t really worth it. Worse given the volumes of people/cars at the moment. Not great on a road bike either.
Esher / Oxshott have some fun bits but are a mud bath right now. My gravel bike tyres (Byways) aren’t much good in mud. I’ve been using my old retro Kona.
Most of the routes mentioned from Giro / Pearson have been mentioned. Also Richmond cycles posted some gravel / off-road routes too:
https://www.richmondcycles.co.uk/news/gravelrides/
Yes I went to the park today and it was packed. Riding was still decent tho.
Giro route La Belgie was great fun in summer, might be a bit claggy now though.
Alternatively....would be perfect for a CX come home caked in mud ride!