RIDES
Sutton parks and villages Head south of the capital for a classic Surrey ride. Colin Wing guides the way...
ad Ro
Rose H ill
Su tto nC om mo n
ve eA at ig e R
d oa
ROSEHILL
Saint Helier Open Space
W ry th e
La n
Ro ad
e
Sutton Common Rail
e v
R
High S treet
NORTH CHEAM
oa d
Ol dfi el ds A
on m m Co
Lo nd on
m ea Ch
THE WRYTHE
Royston Park
BENHILTON CA
5 Saint Dunstan’s Hi ll
Lo nd on
Ro ad
d oa nR ld e Ma
Bridg ewood Road eigh
West Sutton Rail
THE FRIENDS OF WHITEHALL
Cheam Park
CARSHALTON 4 S HOUSE WATER TOWER C
3 ST NICHOLAS’ CHURCH
Che a
m
ad Ro
CARSHALTON
SUTTON Sutton Rail
Nonsuch Park
Carsh Beech
BELMONT
The B
Bu rd o
Be
e Ris nt ne mo La Bel n
1 NONSUCH MANSION
ns te ad Ro ad
Cheam Rail
START
each es A ve
2 NONSUCH PALACE
Bri gh ton Road
B
efore the suburban expansion of the inter-war years, Sutton was still largely a rural area, dotted with country houses. Many of these became public parks, which still retain some of their original landscaping and buildings, which you can visit on this ride. Sutton has implemented an extensive network of cycle routes that allow you to cycle between the places included in this ride. As well as avoiding busy roads and junctions, the routes take you through some interesting backwaters. You can also cycle along traffic-free paths around a couple of ancient deer parks — these are popular cycling destinations for families with younger children. You can start the ride at Cheam or Carshalton station and finish it at either Carshalton or Hackbridge station.
Belmont Rail
TIME 3 hours Ewell East TYPE RailOF RIDE Easy. Mostly quiet streets and paths through open spaces. Fairly flat but a few short, sharp rises.
1
NONSUCH MANSION
This 18th century house was rebuilt in the picturesque gothic style in 1802-6 by architect Jeffry Wyatville, who also worked on Windsor Castle. The main rooms are now used as a venue for meetings and events. There is a café as well as toilets and cycle stands.
Wa lk
FACTFILE LOCAL CYCLING GUIDE 12 START: Cheam station FINISH: Carshalton (or Hackbridge) station LENGTH 14.7km (9 miles)
e Pin
2
THE SITE OF NONSUCH PALACE is marked by three
small concrete obelisks at the west end of Nonsuch Park. Henry VIII began work on the palace in 1538, re-using material from the dissolved Merton Abbey. It was on a scale that exceeded that of Hampton Court and was adorned with panels of moulded stucco and with gilded carved slate. After several changes of ownership, Charles II’s mistress Barbara Villiers ordered its demolition in 1682, in order to pay her gambling debts. In 1959 the site was
excavated by the Museum of London. You reach it at the far end of the traffic-free Avenue before returning to the Cheam gate.
30 London Cyclist Oct/Nov 2011
0300031_ride.FINAL.indd 30
18/09/2011 20:50