Richmond Park sunrise

Sewinman

I know a few of you ride through RP everyday. I have a sportive in 5 weeks and was wondering at what time RP was feasable in the morning to do a lap. Sunrise is currently around 7.45am, but it gets lightish before that. Very dark would depress me, so would prefer it to be getting light.

Any opinion?

Gussio

Richmond Park at night, or early in the morning, when it is closed to cars is a joy. I love riding down the middle line. Good lights needed to avoid the deer, but don't let the dark put you off. If you really need daylight, any time after 0730 at the moment.

iPete

I've ridden there 'after hours', no reason you can't go earlier with lights.

jonginge

Riding round RP on a clear day at sunrise/sunset is a fantastic experience.

What's the sportive, Sewinman? Good luck.

asprilla

I'll ask the guy I see sitting cross legged next to his bike every morning watching the sun rise over Pen Ponds. If anyone is likely to know then he will.

Sewinman

JonGinge wrote:

Riding round RP on a clear day at sunrise/sunset is a fantastic experience.

What's the sportive, Sewinman? Good luck.

Thanks for all the comments. I will give it a try after 7 and see how it goes.

JG- It is the Spring Onion around Leatherhead. I did it last year and it was a really nice route.

King Donut

I avoid RP in the pitch black. But I often ride through around 6:30am at the mo and find it fine with normal lights.

Haven't seen a decent sunrise for a few weeks mind.

King Donut

Asprilla wrote:

I'll ask the guy I see sitting cross legged next to his bike every morning watching the sun rise over Pen Ponds. If anyone is likely to know then he will.

There were two of them in the winter. Are they stoners?

soundninjauk

Is RP always open to cyclists, no matter the time of day/night?

asprilla

King Donut wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

I'll ask the guy I see sitting cross legged next to his bike every morning watching the sun rise over Pen Ponds. If anyone is likely to know then he will.

There were two of them in the winter. Are they stoners?

No idea. There was only one there this morning, just staring. I'm thinking about stopping every morning to ask if he's ok, just to be annoying.

jonginge

soundninjauk wrote:

Is RP always open to cyclists, no matter the time of day/night?

The ped gates are always open except during the culls.

Stuey01

soundninjauk wrote:

Is RP always open to cyclists, no matter the time of day/night?

Except during the cull, yes. Just use the pedestrian gates.
I confirmed this in person with a warden who was locking up the other night. Cyclists welcome at all times.

londonlivvy

I think you have to get there pretty damn early to avoid the cars completely - I was there at 7am the other day and they were just opening the gates. The traffic was pretty quiet until 8, though, so it was an absolutely lovely ride - deer / views / etc.

First lap was in the half light and then on full light.

Definitely worth going - perked me up for the day!

jzed

Sewinman wrote:

Very dark would depress me,

Around 7pm at night its dark but not pitch black and there is the benefit of no cars (think they are locked out from around 4.30pm).

I prefer cycling round it at this time, other than the descent down Broomfield Hill which I find hard to judge and the occassional blinding lights from other cyclists.

tgotb

Cull is about to start again though: First Monday in February, for up to 6 weeks (typically it ends up being more like 4). During the cull the ped gates open at the same time as the vehicle gates (currently 7.30) though they stay open in the evening until (from memory) 8-ish.

Ham vehicle gate has been open by 7-ish every morning this week, just starting to get light at that time...

cjcp

On a clearer day, you can usually see a lovely sunrise heading through the middle of the Park from Ham Gate to the Ballet School.

georgee

Just buy decent lights and remember to dim them when heading towards other cyclists, if others blind you, make sure you shout at them.

Last night I decided to cycle straight at one to prove a point, he wasn't too pleased.

iPete

georgee wrote:

Just buy decent lights and remember to dim them when heading towards other cyclists, if others blind you, make sure you shout at them.

Last night I decided to cycle straight at one to prove a point, he wasn't too pleased.

asprilla

iPete wrote:

georgee wrote:

Just buy decent lights and remember to dim them when heading towards other cyclists, if others blind you, make sure you shout at them.

Last night I decided to cycle straight at one to prove a point, he wasn't too pleased.

TBH it's one of my bug-bears as well. RP is full of arseholes intent of lighting up the airpace around them for 200m in every direction them rather than the 3m of road immediately in front of them that they actually need.

Inconsiderate twunts, the lot of them.

sketchley

londonlivvy wrote:

I think you have to get there pretty damn early to avoid the cars completely - I was there at 7am the other day and they were just opening the gates. The traffic was pretty quiet until 8, though, so it was an absolutely lovely ride - deer / views / etc.

First lap was in the half light and then on full light.

Definitely worth going - perked me up for the day!

http://www.royalparks.org.uk/docs/richm ... _times.pdf

notsoblue

Asprilla wrote:

iPete wrote:

georgee wrote:

Just buy decent lights and remember to dim them when heading towards other cyclists, if others blind you, make sure you shout at them.

Last night I decided to cycle straight at one to prove a point, he wasn't too pleased.

TBH it's one of my bug-bears as well. RP is full of arseholes intent of lighting up the airpace around them for 200m in every direction them rather than the 3m of road immediately in front of them that they actually need.

Inconsiderate twunts, the lot of them.

+1, its actually quite dangerous. Some of them seem to be brighter than car lights. Its ridiculous.

iPete

It'd bug me & I turn mine down on the rare occasion I'm in the park late at night but I wouldn't cycle at anyone!

asprilla

notsoblue wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

iPete wrote:

georgee wrote:

Just buy decent lights and remember to dim them when heading towards other cyclists, if others blind you, make sure you shout at them.

Last night I decided to cycle straight at one to prove a point, he wasn't too pleased.

TBH it's one of my bug-bears as well. RP is full of arseholes intent of lighting up the airpace around them for 200m in every direction them rather than the 3m of road immediately in front of them that they actually need.

Inconsiderate twunts, the lot of them.

+1, its actually quite dangerous. Some of them seem to be brighter than car lights. Its ridiculous.

I was cycling towards a car with a cyclist behind at Ham Cross the other night and all was well with the world, but when the car turned off I was exposed to the cyclist behind's lights and I couldn't see a chuffing thing.

Problem is that it completely destroys any semblance of night vision that you might have.