Olympic Time Trial then a Wandle

50 mile ride in the pre-Spring sun. Firstly cycle through Wimbledon Park then up and over Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park and past where I used to work in Kingston. Stop off at an unproductive car boot before joining the Olympics Cycle Road Time Trial route at Portsmouth Road by Kingston riverside. Going round the wrong way I follow the old coastward route through plush Esher. Over the A3 and on to Cobham then follow the road back towards London stopping off at Whiteley model village built in the 1800s for the aged by a Yorkshire man made good in London (Whiteley's of Bayswater). Back to Esher then up to Hampton Court before a detour towards Walton then back again. Up through Bushey Park then decide to leave the route as only a bit left in favour of a jaunt down the river from Teddington. Bit muddy for my city slicker road tyres so come off at Ham and back into Richmond Park stopping off to see the deer up close. Youngsters trying out their new antlers on each other - may as well have some fun guys as the deer cull is on at the moment. Oh deer! Back up to Wimbledon Common deciding to go off road like the old days. Through Wimbledon Village and down to the main shopping area before connecting with the River Wandle Way gently flowing through electricity plant, disused light industry and beside decidedly urban allotments. At Earlsfield still feeling perky so go up to Tooting Broadway to cycle up the high road and pick up Tooting Common and back home.

Click this for the route at Garmin Connect

Wimbledon Park towards Crystal Palace (mast just visible)

Hibernating Wombles...

...unlike Sunday jogging clubs getting in yer way

You can get some speed up in Richmond Park...

... but you gotta get up the hills first!

Thames looking towards Kingston

Trusty steed in Bushey Park

Deer trying to blend in to avoid February cull

Picturesque riverside view

The Overhanging Allotments of Wandle...
...the contemporary version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Swans on the Wandle