Richmond Park

skaboy607

Hi,

Have just moved to London and have been using Richmond Park for training, and was planning on using it throughout the Winter too; however I left work a little later than usual one day last week and found that it looked like they were closing the park, I managed to fit a lap in in the dark before going home. Sounds silly but I had never considered it closing.

Does it close for cyclists to or just motorists, and if so where do people train in the winter?

Thanks

Will

ugo.santalucia

maybe they had to prep it for the London Duathlon...?

twowheeledwriter

I used to commute all year round and would cycle through the park in the dark.

Generally, pedestrian gates are always* open and you can use the roads once inside the park. The car/road gates shut at dusk (more or less). I''m sure the Royal Parks website will have more details on opening/closing times.

*The only exception is during the deer cull when the park is completely shut overnight (I think the cull is some time in the autumn).

If you cycle there in dark beware of a) unlit runners/walkers, and b) deer - typically they have neither lights nor reflective gear, but you can smell them from some distance away.

houndlegs

twowheeledwriter wrote:

I used to commute all year round and would cycle through the park in the dark.

Generally, pedestrian gates are always* open and you can use the roads once inside the park. The car/road gates shut at dusk (more or less). I''m sure the Royal Parks website will have more details on opening/closing times.

*The only exception is during the deer cull when the park is completely shut overnight (I think the cull is some time in the autumn).

If you cycle there in dark beware of a) unlit runners/walkers, and b) deer - typically they have neither lights nor reflective gear, but you can smell them from some distance away.

Which ones can you smell from some distance,the runners or the deers

kleinstroker

good to know as I thought it closed early for everyone. Didn't know you could sneak in with your bike earlier or later than opening!

skaboy607

Brilliant, thank you!

hstiles

Cycling through RP late at night is a wonderful experience, especially if you ride past White Lodge and the penn ponds car park.

iPete

As above use the walk in gates and use the park whenever you want... except when the cull is on!

Oh and don't go mental with gazzilion candle lights in the park!!

racingcondor

Richmond is actually really nice to ride in winter but you do have to be careful about lighting.

Too little and you can't see deer or runners in the road ahead (sensible runners wear a blinky but unfortunately plenty wear black and don't carry a light), too much and you blind everyone coming towards you. As a result it's a really good idea to stick to the speed limit when it's pitch black (trust me, even at 20 I've found myself stopped in the middle of the herd once).

I haven't seen a bike light yet with a decent hood to make sure light is properly directional which limits you to lighting about 20-30ft ahead of you. Any higher and you blind everyone.

mtivnen

I've been locked in the park during the cull. Signs on the outside had the wrong closing time so a group of us ran in at Ham Gate only to discover that Richmond Gate was shut by the time we got there. And climbing out is nigh in impossible unless you're young and highly athletic! In the end we managed to slip out when a park vehicle entered via the vehicle gates.

izzy Eviel

We should organise a forum ride - Richmond Park all nighter. Anyone up for this?

kleinstroker

Cracking idea! Should be a good laugh...