New Year - New Lockdown - New Local

The New Local is the New Normal.  Unfortunately, not that kind of "local".   I'm referring to my interpretation of Stay Local, which is explained by the Government as meaning "your village, your town or your part of the city".   My interpretation of this is to stay inside Richmond Borough, which is quite restrictive.  Previously, in the absence of clear guidance, I was staying within a 5-10 mile radius of home, depending on the weather, in case I had a mechanical and had to walk home. 

Old Local

New Local

Richmond is long and thin, going from Hampton in the south west to Barnes in the north east, and includes Bushy & Richmond Parks plus lots of towpath, but these are often too crowded on a nice day.  Richmond Park hasn't been so busy during the week so I have ventured out there.

How to find new routes in a smallish area, in a longish lockdown?  Well, I thought I might try riding every road.  Starting with Barnes.

Streets of Barnes

It is surprisingly time-consuming; reasonable exercise with a lot of stopping and starting, and a workout for the brain too, to visit everywhere without too much repetition.  As you can see, there are bits I missed.

Along the way, I found a couple of nice views, and in a pond just north of the Wetland Centre, a difficult-to-identify bird that just might be a Bittern.

Bittern?

Harrods village, Barnes

Meanwhile, back home, spring is coming...

Author: Simon L

9 Comments:

Tony 23 January 2021 at 12:00 GMT

What was your mileage for this ride?

Brian 23 January 2021 at 16:55 GMT

This comment has been removed by the author.

Brian 23 January 2021 at 17:01 GMT

This looks as if you cannot go more that a few hundred metres north from home. I would not be quite so restricted but couldn't go to Epsom, Banstead or Oxshott. yet I could go 15 or more miles south to Charlwood or Horley. So I am trying to use Boris's 7 mile string, irrespective of local authority but my string is slowly turning to elastic.

I dont really want to go north but it comes in useful on days like today when south into the country might be icy.

I think for London, Ged's neighbouring boroughs approach is more reasonable.

Janice 23 January 2021 at 17:30 GMT

Since Cressida said exercise that starts and ends at home is ok I’ve expanded my initial rides which stayed wholly within Epsom & Ewell. So now I take a cereal bar in case I need something to eat (on the hoof) and don’t stop for a takeaway coffee etc. Miles per ride are well down and I do still stay within a borough or 2 of Epsom.

It looks like we all have a slightly different interpretation of what’s ok.

Mark G 23 January 2021 at 18:16 GMT

A hybrid approach here. Combination of Cressida's door and Boris's string, with a sprinkling of 'seems OK to me'. I'll go to the crest of the Downs, but I won't go over them.

Fixie-Dave 23 January 2021 at 20:02 GMT

Kit Malthouse the Policing Minister has attacked people who are “flouting” lockdown rules and will “cost people their lives” - but has clarified a 70-mile bike ride is okay.
Re; Staying local, I believe that the Government is referring to people, who drive for a walk ???

Mark G 23 January 2021 at 20:39 GMT

Ah. The Malthouse Compromise.

Simon L 24 January 2021 at 15:53 GMT

I didn't mean to tell anyone else what to do: there are plenty of different bits of advice out there already. This is just my interpretation.
Tony: the ride was just under 30 miles, average speed 10.5mph with a lot of stopping and starting, which was plenty considering the limitations.

Ged Lawrenson 25 January 2021 at 08:27 GMT

Still in Barnes, the Vine Road cafe - in the recreational ground and run by the Friends of Barnes Common, is a good pit-stop, being generally very quiet, and having toilets alongside.