Cycling around Barnes, London

ciclista di Galles

Hi there

I'm staying in Barnes over Christmas, and taking the bike with me. A quick bit of searching suggests that the two main options for riding near there (I'll get time for about 2 x 2hr rides) are Richmond Park and the Thames Path. I've read a bit about Richmond Park, but I know much less about the Thames Path, and whether that would make a good ride into/out of London. The map suggests that it is a cycleway from Putney Bridge to the City, in which case this might be a good 'sightseeing' option. What is this path like for riding? I'm not concerned about the quality of the surface as I'll be on a Croix de Fer with guards, but I'm more interested in the 'flow' of this route, and whether there are lots of obstructions (barriers, gates, walkers, dogs etc) and road crossings. Any info appreciated.

Cheers

surrey_commuter

Thames Path is mixed use so only useful for cycling with kids. You could do a lot of laps of RP in 2 hours - just remember to go anti-clockwise. Other two hour options from Barnes would be out to Windsor and back or you could do Box Hill... they are both around 40 mile round trips.

rower63

Thames Path from Chiswick to Putney is towpath, with all the things you listed, including some barriers. It's also very muddy at this time of year with often deep puddles and occasional hidden ridges of path/concrete under the water (I once took a trip over my handlebars as a result of one near Mortlake Brewery). At certain high tides the path can be feet below river level. After Putney I think it becomes more paved.
Richmond Park very good and popular for cycling, but go early. Any time after mid-morning and you'll be stuck behind queues of cars, getting progressively worse during the day. Take care descending Broomfield Hill, though, especially in the wet. It's a slightly adverse-camber right-handed descent with gentle tarmac-ruts, and takes a few goes to build up sufficient confidence to completely let go.

ciclista di Galles

Great, thank you both for the useful info - much appreciated.

cgfw201

Thames path north from Putney to Battersea Park is fine to ride on (once you’ve fiddled your way onto it at Wandsworth bridge) but you then have to cross the river after Battersea Park onto the CS8 up the embankment. It’s ok as a route into the city but nothing more than that.

Richmond Park, Bushy Park and along the Thames towards Sunbury & then Windsor are your best bets. Train from Clapham Junction to Woking is a good and cheap route into some nice riding in Surrey.

dyrlac

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19758204#p19758204]Surrey Commuter[/url] wrote:

You could do a lot of laps of RP in 2 hours - just remember to go anti-clockwise.

Lies. Clockwise is the only correct direction.

veronese68

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19759057#p19759057]Dyrlac[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19758204#p19758204]Surrey Commuter[/url] wrote:

You could do a lot of laps of RP in 2 hours - just remember to go anti-clockwise.

Lies. Clockwise is the only correct direction.

Sometimes I go one way, then turn around and go the other way. That's how radical I can be.

marcusjb

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19759100#p19759100]Veronese68[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19759057#p19759057]Dyrlac[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19758204#p19758204]Surrey Commuter[/url] wrote:

You could do a lot of laps of RP in 2 hours - just remember to go anti-clockwise.

Lies. Clockwise is the only correct direction.

Sometimes I go one way, then turn around and go the other way. That's how radical I can be.

I never had you down as a bidirectional.

ugo.santalucia

The Thames path is fine... the furthest I went was down to Windsor. There are some interesting sections... rough and muddy between Richmond and Teddington, wide and scenic south of Kingston towards Hampton court.
It is mostly paved until Richmond and mostly unpaved after

ciclista di Galles

Thanks everyone

Still quite keen to try and cycle into central London, just for the hell of it. What about NCN Route 4 from Barnes/Putney Bridge? Basically this route: http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/RoutesLinksCycle/putney-to-greenwich-cycle-route

dyrlac

Eh, just take the official SCR route: Lower Richmond Road - Putney Bridge - New Kings Road - Edith Grove - (Cheyne Walk - Chelsea Embankment - Grosvenor Rd - Millbank Sprint) [these all flow nicely, some of which is on blue paint and all along the river] - Abingdon Street - Houses of Parliament - Victoria Embankment. NCN routes in London are just about worthless in my view, too many stops, starts and turns: and not at all well signposted, so you'll spend too much time staring at your phone trying to work out where you've missed the last turn.

jlloyd

Beware of washed up celebrities

[Crap anecdote] Keith Chegwin nealy took out me and bike by not spotting me as he came out of a side road in Barnes. Think it was during his (does 'drinkie' hand motion) phase [Crap anecdote]