Evolution at Beddington; 16 August ride to Merton Abbey Mills

Excitingly, we might be seeing an evolution at Beddington Park, and we are not just talking about the dinosaurs (which, by the by, have escaped again and roamed off elsewhere).  This Saturday most of the old guard turned up, represented by Paul and Maggie, Anna and Roger, and Sharon, but there was new blood.  

We are getting used to enjoying Dominika's company; indeed she is fast becoming a regular, but today her friend Justyna joined us for the first time and not only that but Jan, too.  We don't think that Jan has ridden with us since 2023.

As ever with Beginners, we had to tailor our ride to suit Justyna, who has comandeered her son's bike from its sad relegation to the shed, had new brakes fitted and this was only her second ride on it, or any other bike, for a long time.  

Thus we opted for a well-tested route, safe and flat to a place where the coffee and cake is reliable, and tossed a coin between Elmers End and Merton Abbey Mills.

We need not have been so cautious; Justyna turned out to be a competent and safe cyclist.

Well-tested and safe?  Yours truly was daydreaming and missed a turning, there was a traffic jam of frustrated white van drivers at the temporary lights on Mitcham Road and when we turned after Mitcham Eastfields onto Rialto Road, a nice, narrow, quiet one-way street, our leader was met head on by a driver chancing his luck in the wrong direction at some speed.  Luckily collision was avoided and we were a little strung out so those further back were not directly affected and may not have caught the note of panic in the "Car down" cry.

All-in-all, though, we had a lovely ride in a very English heatwave (double layers of clothing and a waste of sun cream) and spent an enjoyable and sociable day together.

Not only were the MED cakes their usual standard, but Dominika brought us some home made, featuring Justyna's garden plums.

We very much hope that J and J can join D in riding regularly with us, decimating the average age and giving us all something younger and brighter to chat about.

All Day Ride to West Horsley Saturday 9th August 2025

The weather was perfect on Saturday 9th August for the "beginners" all day Saturday ride to West Horsley.  

The turn out was good with 19 riders in total out on the scenic lanes of the North Downs.

Alan's group left first with Alice, Karl and a trio of James'. Paul and Maggie having their 17 yr old grandson out for the day.

Rob's elite team of faster riders soon overtook Alan and were on their way up the first ascent of Epsom Downs, with Paul and Justine, Peter and John and Kasumi to keep him on his toes.  I am grateful to Rob for grasping the challenge of sub leading and reccying the ride before Saturday.  It meant we could have three groups more evenly balanced.

Rob's Elite! 

My group of lovely ladies, Kirsten, Carolyn,  Lilian, Helen and Karen were soon joined at Walton on the Hill by expectant Granma Dawn (baby safely delivered later in the day). We lingered over our coffees before setting off towards the small remaining inclines that would bring us to the top of Box Hill and some fabulous views.

Steph's group 

We were soon down the zigzags and heading slowly up the beautiful path across the Vineyard at Denbies. Making way for the popular train meant we had plenty of time to stop and admire the views across Dorking and in the distance the faint outline of Leith Hill tower.

All too soon we were across the top of Ranmore and a warm welcome and tasty Thai food awaited us at the Barleymow. Alan's group were still there so some intermingled and catch up accompanied the delicious food.

Alan's group at lunch

Afternoon tea was taken at NT Claremont where the ice cream is very good. Dawn, Lilian and Kirsten had turned off earlier for Effingham and Leatherhead. Well done Kirsten for riding all day with a very limited range of gears.

Another good day out on a bike.

By Steph W

Report for the 2-o-clock ride on 9 August

 

From Stuart Allen

Report for 14:00 ride on 09/08/25

I was unable to go on the All Day ride today due to family commitments but I was able to go on the 14:00 ride. I suspected that it could be a leisurely ride so I opted to take the heaviest of my four bikes. When I got to the Mansion House in Nonsuch Park, there were a few cyclists there already including Sue, who I had bumped into earlier in the week in Worcester Park. She told us that since she and I met, she’d lost the sight in her right eye! Her vision had returned a little but it was blurry and she was due to have an operation on Monday to improve things. There was also a lady there called Jenny. She was from a CTC group in the South West and was visiting relatives in Mitcham. She sussed out our group and came along for a ride.  Alas, her chain had broken and we were unable to fix it. She may ride with us in the future. 

Youngsters ready to depart Nonsuch on the shorter ride

I offered to lead the ride and asked if there were any preferences for the destination. The consensus seemed to be Eight on the River at East Molesey, as we know a fairly flat course. Five of us set off out of Nonsuch Park but by the time we got to the Sparrow Farm Road exit, there was already consternation about the state of the path, which is lethal for cyclists in a few places. They've recently "improved" the path and it’s mostly OK but there are about three stretches where the shale has not been compacted and your wheels slip about all over the place. On behalf of CTC, I am going to report it to Hannah, who is a local councillor at Epsom and Ewell Council and lives in my road, to see if we can get it fixed. (I’ve got form having recently got double yellow lines extended by Sutton Council at a junction near where I live where there have been two accidents.)

Anyway, we continued our ride and I was right about the pace being leisurely. As we know, the speed we go at is dictated by the slowest rider in the group. Before we got to Worcester Park we’d lost our backmarker who'd decided to go his own way. Then there were four. I decided to forgo a backmarker and just kept an eye on the back of the group. I made my way to a cycle path that runs alongside the Kingston to Raynes Park railway, a lovely path free of traffic. We turned off just before the A3 and rode along the A3 slip road to the Robin Hood Gate of Richmond Park. Straight on and out through Ham Gate, then over Teddington Bridge. I’d decided to ask the group whether we still wanted to go to Eight or alternatively, The Pheasantry in Bushey Park or the Flying Cloud, just next door to where we stopped. We were worried that Eight would close at 16:00 and, as it was then about 15:30, we decided to go to the Flying Cloud. Grant, who will be 89 shortly but was by no means the slowest in the group on his “classic” bike, kept us amused by showing us pictures his father had taken of the previous Teddington Bridge in the 1920s! He has numerous bikes, the oldest being built in 1951, the year I was born!

We continued back on the “usual” route through Bushey Park, Hampton Court, Thames Ditton, Long Ditton, up Ditton Hill, Tolworth, Old Malden, Worcester Park and back to Nonsuch Park. I told the group in Bushey that I was going to give it some welly and that I’d see them at the exit of the park. I rode hard and got round the big roundabout near the exit and only one got to the exit before me. By the end, it was about 17:30. An enjoyable ride in lovely weather.

Tales from the Riverbank; Nonsuch short ride 2 August

 

By Steve H.

 

With the long ride going to Stoke D’Abernon on Saturday afternoon, the Famous Five of Phillip, John, Sue, Karen and myself leading set off for a riparian adventure along the Wandle Trail. We left Nonsuch under rather gloomy skies and made our way through Cheam past the Red Lion pub (no stopping!) to cross the A217 dual carriageway, mercifully clear in both directions for once. Thence along the bottom of Sutton to view the scenic bus garage, across Angel Hill at the traffic lights and up past All Saints Church, Benhilton. A campanologist friend tells me that this church contains one of the few rings of bells in the neighbourhood, a peal of eight at which he has done the honours on occasions.

From there along All Saints Road with me trying to remember which of the four left hand turnings was the right one, Wood something or other. Ah yes, with Woodend duly selected we carried on up to Grenell Road and onto the path across Rosehill Park East. I understand that this was one of the first bike paths created in the borough and the open space gives a good view to the south-west. This leads to St Helier Hospital where we crossed over to Robertsbridge Road which represents ‘top of climb’. The odd thing is that the route then leads you slightly downhill to Poulter Park and the River Wandle, it always feels to me as though the river is too high up at this point and that we haven’t descended enough.

The River Wandle used to be an industrial sewer with all the factories and dye works along its banks but with the demise of such activities and a general clean-up it now resembles a clear chalk stream in places. People fish along it these days, we passed one chap trying his luck although we didn’t enquire whether he had caught anything.

The ride took us along the river heading towards Hackbridge where the path runs through the beautiful Community Garden; a kind lady took a group photograph of us there among the flowers and ornaments.

In Claudio Funari's Community Garden

Following the river upstream brought us to Carshalton Grove and the outdoor Sassis café where we ran into Paul and Maggie, metaphorically speaking. They were with their grandchildren, the lure of ice cream and mini golf had obviously proved irresistible, to the kids of course.

Another ride leader photobombs

Suitably refreshed, we left Paul and his grandson competing for the Augusta Green Jacket while we crossed Carshalton High Street to make our way back towards Cheam, taking on the climb up Wales Avenue with myself leading gallantly from the back (way back…).

Sue and I were the last survivors when we reached the Mansion, ironically in warm sunshine, but a good time was had by all with lashings of tea and cake into the bargain.

All-Day Ride 9th August

From Steph Sat 9th Aug - all day ride leaving Nonesuch at 9.30. Coffee at Walton on the Hill Lunch/picnic at Rykas PM through the vineyards and across the top of Ranmore to descend to Cafe Barbara for tea. Return to Nonesuch via Esher and Thames Ditton/Berrylands. All welcome please PM me if you wish to come. Thanks Sue B and Dawn, got you 🚴🏼‍♀️🚴🏼‍♀️ Steph 07909 774234

Easy Ride to The Horton; from Nonsuch Park 26 July

by Roger P

On a warm Saturday afternoon that had a threat of rain about it, there was the usual melee around the Mansion as friends met and chatted, querying – “where do we go today”. While those who had read the list suggested the long ride go to Wimbledon Park or Nork and Banstead. Neither of these held any charm for me so I was relieved when “The Horton” was suggested as a short ride.

I had driven to a concert at The Horton last year and realised it was very easy to get to from  Horton Lane, but I considered there must be a more interesting route avoiding fast main roads, so a few weeks earlier,  I had  dredged my memory to piece together a route from scraps of remembered rides and set out to explore an offroad  route and quiet streets that would take us somewhere near “The Horton”. 

We did in the end find it after much exploring of dead end streets and crescents and closes and rewarded ourselves with a coffee and cake. More importantly we had recorded our confused wanderings on” Bee Line”, in the hope we could at least use it next time to plot a route through the housing estates.

Now, eleven intrepid explorers, including one or two brave souls who had survived the previous attempt to find The Horton, decided to risk coming with me. We exited Nonsuch onto the A24 and turning right at Bourne Hall carried on up over the railway line and on to Chessington Rd.  I remembered that the key to finding the entry to the bike track through Chessington Road Recreation Ground was to look for the pedestrian crossing immediately before it, and sure enough just past it on the left was  a  close marked Bakers Field and alongside it the path that eventually, after crossing Hook Road, the track develops into a shared bike and pedestrian pavement alongside Chantilly way.

Cycling alongside Chantilly way, the left turn to Longrove Road can easily be missed, but this short road leads directly to the roundabout at the entrance of Longrove Park.  The path divides soon after entry.  We took the left fork onto the designated bike route around the edge of the park which had the advantage of being well away from the skate park and playground and associated pedestrians and dogs.

The route exits the park via the gate at the far end and continues alongside the site of what was once the mental hospital complex now replaced and repurposed by new housing developments.  What is visible today is only a small part of what had been a place where tens of thousands of patients lived out, all too often, their whole lives.

 As the long stay mental hospitals were phased out in the 1980’s many of the  buildings  were demolished and their extensive grounds were sold off for development and became a golf course,  parks and open spaces interspersed with a mix of  substantial hospital accommodation redeveloped into high quality apartments and housing  with low rise housing packed into in a mix of crescents and closes all looking remarkably similar and linked by service roads and roundabouts.

The cycle track from the park passes the Abbots Avenue playground, ending at one of the many roundabouts. We paused here to consider our next move. Instinct and previous attempts to work out the location of The Horton indicated that it was to our right and slightly behind us.

We decided to defer to technology and” Bee Line” was consulted which confirmed the general direction of the target, so we turned into Cavell Way looking for a road through the estate that would take us to Horton Lane.  After only one dead end we did find a way through to Abbots Avenue once more and soon after had sight of the roundabout by Horton Crescent. As we drew nearer signage pointed us to Haven Way and the fenced compound containing the repurposed chapel that is “The Horton”.      We entered the compound and secured the bikes at the newly installed cycle racks there.

Those who had never visited “The Horton” were captivated by its transformation from what had been the main place of worship for the massive hospital complex into a café, display space and performance area.  

The café does good coffee cakes and even hot meals and customers can make use of the superb facilities or sit at a café table and admire the sensitivity the buildings preservation and the simplicity of its sympathetic transformation complete with original organ pipes, pulpit and tiled floor.

We sat outside where it was cooler and enjoyed coffee and cakes while one or two of us popped back indoors to read the information panels about the history of the one time mental hospital complex and learn about the patients and why so many mental health colonies were created around Epsom and Chessington.

Taken by Paul

The return ride was both quick and easy. Turning right out of The Horton’s car park we retraced our steps to Abbot’s Road and entered the cycle track at Horton Lane. There followed an easy downhill ride down to the Hook Road roundabout. We took advantage of the pedestrian controlled crossing to get to the cycle track alongside Hook Road until it intercepted the track from Chessington Recreation field. We turned into the track and retraced our route to the exit marked” Bakers Field” at Chessington Road and retraced our route back to Nonsuch via Spring Street and the A24.

 A comfortable and easy short ride of not quite ten miles.

The Great Escape; Cretaceous Park Beginners to Elmers End 19 July.

Over fifty years ago, when we were first married, Maggie and I used to live on Crystal Palace Park Road and I wrote to the council then that the security arrangements at Crystal Palace Park were completely inadequate for the beasts kept there.  They seemed to think I was some kind of fruitcake when I told them their so-called-extinct Dinosaurs were playing possum and you could see by the fact that they were millimetres out of the previous day's position that they became active at night and those puny fences would never keep them out should they get adventurous.  Even the Raving Loony Party candidate of the time would not give me the time of day.  

Well, the councillors have moved on, the Raving Loony Party would no longer be PC, and Maggie and I moved away a while ago.  But when you have been living nocturnally one hundred and fifty thousand times longer than Dracula, fifty years is not even an instant, and this week my apocalyptic prediction has materialised.  The dinosaurs have escaped.  The horror can be seen on Anna's face as she fails to differentiate between a herbivorous monster and a carnivorous one.  Anyway, she might be right.  It's a little-known fact that Stegosaurus killed as many humans as did Tyrannosaurus.

We could not get out of Cretaceous Park fast enough, Dominika, Maggie, Anna, Roger and me.

It's behind you, it's behind you

It had been throwing it down most of the morning but we had a dry run in reasonably pleasant though increasingly muggy weather, using the Greenwich route of last week to get to Elmers End, and the Addiscombe Park and Lloyd Park route to get back.  No monsters in those places.

A modest, enjoyable ride.

But steer clear of Beddington; the fences there are no better than those at Crystal Palace.