Croydon loop: Keston, Petts Wood

We ride east from Croydon to Petts Wood and back. Finding Park Hill Park and Lloyd Park, a long bridleway and a tree lined, straight cycle path, a pseudo rustic lane, a big wood with lakes, another big wood, another big wood after that, a suburban country park, another big wood, more tree lined cycle lanes, another suburban country park, another park and another tree lined cycle path to wrap it up. And some streets to join them.

These have names you may know. There’s Jackass Lane leading to Keston Common with its lakes, and Hayes Common, a ravishingly lovely downhill ride. Bromley Common’s woods where we take paths among the trees and Jubilee Country Park. Just after there we have lunch in a cafe or the cafe’s back terrace garden if it’s fair weather. After lunch we tour Petts Wood the wood itself. On the way back we have the tree lined cycle lanes and South Norwood Country Park. The coming back is faster than going out and much flatter.

This is a longer ride than usual, and hillier too. The distance is 31 miles and the total climb over that distance is 1050 feet. Very rewarding though.
The surfaces are rough in places and I don’t recommend riding on tyres less than 32mm wide. Hybid bikes are best for this route but you can do it on a road bike with wide enough tyres.

We start in Queens Gardens CR0 1GY at 10am. We will probably not be back before 5pm so bring lights. We may need to lock our bikes on the pavement depending on the weather so bring a lock.

Do bring lights. And a spare inner tube.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/2599076492?share_token=aCHZW7UjTA6s2ew35F5Odwn1vhn1ceiXPtjvPkK0rbwr8mBbfJ&ref=wtd