A Hunting We Will Go

By Steve H.

Saturday was cold and cloudy so I had put on every layer of insulation I could find before Paul and I headed for Richmond Park.  A route through Cheam and Worcester Park took us on to New Malden for the long climb up Traps Lane, where I had to stop for a breather half way up.  We then entered the prestigious Coombe Estate and at the far end of Warren Road past Telegraph Cottage, the house occupied by Dwight D Eisenhower during World War II.  This was named after a nearby semaphore tower that was part of the London to Portsmouth optical telegraph line at the beginning of the nineteenth century.  On a good day a message could be sent from the Admiralty to the fleet at Portsmouth in under eight minutes.  You'd struggle to do that today!  Crossing the main road we entered Richmond Park at Ladderstile Gate.  Richmond Park is a wonderful oasis of rural in urban surroundings, a Royal Park originally established for the purpose of deer hunting although this is now limited to the annual deer cull.

We made our way round to the main cafe at Roehampton Gate but this was very busy with lots of cyclists and walkers out for their permitted exercise and social distancing so we decided to press on, dancing on the pedals up past White Lodge,  to the Pen Ponds cafe for a much needed hot drink, as much to warm the fingers as anything else.

Steve wearing cycling, rather than ballet, shoes

Descending to Robin Hood Gate we decided that Wimbledon Common might be a bit muddy so we took the scenic route back via the cycle path alongside the A3.  This is sadly strewn with much fly-tipped rubbish, dumping a mattress next to a busy dual carriageway must be no mean feat.  The return to Sutton through Raynes Park and Lower Morden took us to the path next to St Helier Hospital, which passes a good viewpoint as the trees open out.

I was definitely low on fuel for the final ascent from Sutton and had switched to the reserve tank by the time we reached the top of Banstead Road South.  Fortunately there were no more close encounters on the final approach to the house and my thanks again to Paul for a good ride.  I must remember to eat plenty of cake at the cafe stop next time!