Wombles & Wandle

This is a ride through South London and into the edge of Surrey, using some familiar routes in new combinations and including the southern section of the Wandle Trail, which we have rarely ridden. There are approx. 4km of off-road unsealed tracks over Putney Heath & Wimbledon Common, where the terrain is uneven and can be muddy after wet weather. The traffic-free Wandle Trail is mostly a tarmac shared path. This is a one-way ride, finishing at Carshalton (Zone 5) where we will take train services home.

From Ealing, we take our familiar route to enter Richmond Park at the Sheen Gate. We loop around the Park, leaving at the Roehampton Gate, and riding up through Roehampton to Putney Heath and then onto Wimbledon Common. We will make a brief pause at the Wimbledon Windmill, and then drop down through Wimbledon to meet the Wandle Trail.

We follow the Trail south to Merton Abbey Mills https://www.mertonabbeymills.org.uk/ where we will stop for refreshments at the Watermill Café https://www.watermillrestaurant.co.uk/ or you can bring your own food to sit outside and have a picnic. This is after 28km of the ride, so make sure you have enough water & snacks to keep you going until then. We will also have time for a mooch around the various shops, although there is less happening there on a weekday than at the weekend.

After lunch, we have only approx. 8km further to ride. This is the more rural and quite lovely southern section of the Wandle Trail, through Morden Hall Park and on to the source of the river in Carshalton Ponds. Then we turn up to Carshalton Station for train services home.

Southern Trains go from Carshalton to Victoria via Clapham Junction at 15 & 45 mins past the hours; journey time 23 mins to Clapham Junction, 30 mins to Victoria. ThamesLink services leave at 19 & 49 mins past the hour to Blackfriars, Farringdon & St Pancras; journey time approx. 45 mins to St Pancras. Carshalton is in Zone 5, so Oyster is valid.

One-way ride from Ealing to Carshalton, via Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common, & the Wandle Trail.

Off road tracks over the Common, shared path on the Wandle Trail, quieter roads where possible; short section of busier roads through Wimbledon.

Lunch stop at Merton Abbey Mills.

Lock for your bike. Money/card for travel fare & refreshments. Snacks & water; picnic lunch if preferred.

First-timers welcome!