Try something new

Rugby, skiing, running or polo. You’re never to old to take up a new sport – four Surrey residents share their mid-life sporting tales. . . 

Get fit for free

Money and waistline too tight to mention? Take a peek outside – there’s a world of free exercise opportunities to take advantage of in Surrey. . . 

Get your running shoes on

At face value, running seems to be one of the simplest ways to get fit and stay fit – you just lace up your running shoes and go. While to a certain extent this is true, many people who start running without proper advice and guidance give up after their first few attempts when they find it too difficult.

So, if you want to make sure that your running ambitions don’t end at the end of the street, read on. . . 

Get on your bike

Since Bradley Wiggins’ triumph in the Olympic men’s Time Trial event, Surrey Police have warned of a “Wiggins effect” inspiring residents to take up road cycling. The Guildford Magazine has compiled some of the best routes in Surrey as well as top tips from local experts. . .

Great gear to keep you moving

Whether you are just starting out or have been running for years – there are plenty of products available that claim to make life on the run that little bit easier. So which ones are worth you parting with your cash? Let’s find out. . .

As part of the London 2012 Olympic Legacy, Boris Johnson has announced the route for the event, which will take in some of the routes of the Olympic road races.

70,000 cycllists, ranging from families to some of the world’s top pros, will take part in the events, which will pass through places such as Richmond Park and Box Hill.

“Following the superhuman efforts of our Team GB cyclists last year, thousands of cycling enthusiasts, both experienced and amateur, riding a fantastic route through the streets of our fine city is surely a fitting legacy,” said Mr Johnson.

“I am delighted that six months on from Laura Trott’s breathtaking gold in the Omnium we are in a position to announce the routes and title sponsor.

“Prudential RideLondon is sure to become one of the world’s top cycling events, the countdown to the start of the event begins now!”

Prudential Ride London will take place on August 3 and 4.

For more details and to register visit prudentialridelondon.co.uk

With the Six Nations now in full swing, why not find out more about  the local teams you can support

Twickenham is the home of English rugby and this is evident in the number of teams that play in and around the area. Each club has its own set of loyal fans and compete not only on the field but also to increase their base of followers. There are many reasons to watch the game but, if you are looking to watch the sport for the first time, perhaps some of these facts can lure you to a particular favourite > 

Featured competition!

We have two fantastic prizes to offer in conjunction with the inaugural British & Irish v French Legends game at the Twickenham Stoop on Feb 22.

Enter our prize draw for the chance to win match tickets for a family of four or a rugby ball signed by both captains, Serge Betsen and Martin Corry!

Simply answer the following question:

Which was Serge Betsen’s last Premiership club?

Enter now! >

Competition closes Feb 15

See the official 6 Nations website for news and previews! >

If you were unlucky not to catch the cycle race in Surrey, the end of the Olympics doesn’t mean the end of Surrey’s involvement in cycling. The 2012 Tour of Britain reaches its climax on Sunday Sept 16, with the final stage snaking through Surrey.

This is the first time the Tour has ever come to Surrey, and we’ll be lucky enough to see almost 100 of the world’s top cyclists doing battle for the IG Markets Gold Jersey. Stage eight starts in Reigate at around 12 noon, and takes in Shere, West Horsley, Cranleigh, Witley and Bramley.

After 150 gruelling kilometres across the country, the riders will battle it out on Guildford’s uphill, cobbled High Street to see who will cross the finish line first. With some of the world’s top riders competing on your doorstep, including Olympic medal winners Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome from Team Sky , and completely free to attend, there is no excuse not to come out and lend your support – again! Visit our website for updates at sheengate.co.uk.  

Elmbridge Cycle Group is a not-for-profit collective  running free cycle rides across some of the nicest part of Surrey. It is run by volunteers and has a ride taking place each month. George James lets us into a few of the secrets from one of their rides

There are plenty of good routes around this area whatever kind of cycling you want to do.  Some are a little hard to find without good local knowledge but that’s one of the benefits of our free monthly rides.  We know all the shortcuts and back ways that can make cycling a real pleasure and our monthly rides introduce new riders to all the best places to cycle.

Visit mapymyride.com for a route we did recently that includes several nice features. It’s a round trip from Weybridge to Polesden Lacey which is a superb destination for a Sunday lunch or afternoon tea.   Along the route there are several sections which rely on good local knowledge. 

Redhill Road through to Pointers Road is a valuable shortcut that is not marked on any maps, but cuts out the A3 and the busy parts of Byfleet Road.  

The route passes through the picturesque village of Downside, with a traditional green where cricket is often played.  You can spot a traditional hand operated water pump and the smallest of chapels on the edge of the green.  With little traffic to disturb the tranquility, time stands still here.

Bookham Road from Downside, across Bookham Common, is not only a shortcut between Cobham and Bookham saving many miles and a few hills, it’s also a delightfully quiet route that transports you from urban Cobham to rural Surrey in record quick time.

From Bookham there’s a long but gentle climb up to the National Trust property at Polesden Lacey.  This is the edge of the Surrey Hills which is a mecca for cyclists at weekends.  From Polesden Lacey the views back across London are breathtaking.  And lunch or tea at the cafe makes this a worthwhile place to stop for half an hour.

On the return leg, the cut through from Martyr’s Green to Wisley across the now disused Wisley Airfield is well worth knowing.  Scenes from the movie War Horse were filmed here on this hidden plateau nestled so close to the busy A3. 

The last secret on this route is the traffic free section from Byfleet village, through Brooklands Community Park, past Brooklands Museum, under the seven arches railway bridge and back into Weybridge.  Missing out the hills and congested traffic along Brooklands Road this is a great shortcut to know about with lots of interesting points, such as the historic banked racetrack, thrown in for good measure.

Visit: elmbridgecycle.org 

Guildford Cycle Festival

If George’s route gets you excited about cycling in Surrey, make sure to check out the Guildford Cycle Festival on August 19. 

 It’s been organised by  Surrey Travel SMART to encourage more people to take up cycling.

Happening at Stoke Park, the festival will include displays from some of Surrey’s bike stunt crews as well as exhibitions from local cycling clubs and talks on how stay safe while on the road. There will also be some guided Sky Rides – free group cycling sessions – through the local area.

 The festival runs between 10am and 3pm. Entry is free, but registration is necessary. Visit: surreycc.gov.uk 

Guildford Cycle Festival

If George’s route gets you excited about cycling in Surrey, make sure to check out the Guildford Cycle Festival on August 19. 

 It’s been organised by  Surrey Travel SMART to encourage more people to take up cycling.

Happening at Stoke Park, the festival will include displays from some of Surrey’s bike stunt crews as well as exhibitions from local cycling clubs and talks on how stay safe while on the road. There will also be some guided Sky Rides – free group cycling sessions – through the local area.

 The festival runs between 10am and 3pm. Entry is free, but registration is necessary. Visit: surreycc.gov.uk 

Since Bradley Wiggins’ triumph in the Olympic men’s Time Trial event, Surrey Police have warned of a “Wiggins effect” inspiring residents to take up road cycling. We’ve compiled some of the best routes in Surrey an some top tips from local experts…

Getting started with cycling needs know how, but never fear there are plenty of ways to get it. Surrey County Council has compiled some very helpful information in its Interactive Cycling Guide. It tells you all the cycling facilities, recommended routes of travel and legal rights of way across the county. If you want to take it on the road, it’s available in hard copy for only £2 in many of Surrey’s libraries. 

The National Cycling Network includes a number of routes travelling through Surrey. For example, the Thames Valley Cycle Route – National Route 4 – which stretches from London to Fishguard (South Wales) via Elmbridge:

Crossing the Thames at Hampton Court, the route follows the river down to Weybridge. It splits into two routes just beyond D’Oyly Carte Island. One crosses the river, heads north and eventually rejoins the Thames at Chertsey Bridge whereas the other goes through Weybridge, up Woburn Hill and alongside the A320 to Staines Bridge where the routes reunite. Before long, Egham and then historic Runnymede are reached.

You can also try National Route 222 or the Downs Link, which avoids the traffic while linking the North and South Downs. It follows a disused railway track in perhaps one of the most scenic places to cycle in the county. It’s a good place for families to start out away from the pressure of the road. For more information on these and more of the National Cycling Network in Surrey, visit sustrans.org.uk.

Another track worth opting for is  the Rural Ways Cycle Route. This is made up of two separate routes to the south east of Dorking following quieter roads in the area. They go past some great scenery and plenty of pubs and tea rooms, making for a wonderful day’s ride. Visit: surreycc.gov.uk.

However, to get the true low down on cycling in the area you will have to ask the experts regularly riding through the county.

For Guildford denizens, we most heartily recommend visiting Nigel Burke’s excellent resource on “Cycling from Guildford”, in which he recommends destinations that can be cycled to from Guildford in a day (visit: cyclingfromguildford.co.uk). You could also check out the Surrey Cycle Festival (details at the bottom of the page) which will inform you how to cycle and – importantly – stay safe in the county. Sky Rides, a fantastic new initiative, offering free bike rides across the country (visit: goskyride.com to find out more). 

Nothing beats joining a local cycling club for true insider knowledge, they’ve been pounding the streets for years and know all the scenic routes. Some of them are included in our “Experts guide to cycling in Surrey” so get in touch and get your legs limber:

Farnborough and Camberley Cycling Club is for all levels of cyclist. Its members include both beginners and those entering cycling sportives. They let us know about three of their favourite routes:

FCCC suggest three great rides in Surrey. Hardest is the 115km Tour of the Hills Audax. (2300m of climbs) through wonderful scenery in the Surrey hills – including part of the Olympic road race route. See http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/12-356/#more. Second, a 60km route starting and finishing at Seale, and taking in loops around Elstead, Tilford, Rushmoor, Shackleford and Puttenham. The easiest is along the Downs Link disused railway line starting south of Guildford taking you past Cranleigh.

Visit: fccc.org.uk

Dorking Cycling Club just started out last year and they are very welcoming to all new members, whether beginners or experts. Based in Dorking, they are right near the heart of the Olympic route at Box Hill and run monthly introductory rides for new cyclists. They very helpfully let us know four things motorists don’t (but should) know about cyclists:

1. Cyclists ride away from the kerb to avoid dangerous drain covers and pot holes, which can puncture tyres, damage wheels and cause personal injury.
2. An average cyclist will ride between 10mph and 15mph.
3. Wednesday mornings in June are the deadliest time of year for cyclists, according to statistics (source: Surrey County Council).
4. On a bicycle you can travel up to 645 miles on the energy equivalent of a single litre of petrol.

Visit: dorkingcycling.co.uk

Charlotteville Cycling Club was founded in 1903 and, as they explain below, were one of the groups that brought prominence to cycling road races (see their tip). They organise rides for beginners and expert riders, which depart from the Guildford Spectrum Centre at 9am every Sunday. They also meet at the Remnants Cricket Club in Woking on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month.

One of Surrey’s biggest cycling facts is actually related to our club. The Charlotteville Cycling Club organised the UK’s first ‘mass start’ cycle races In 1933. Today these would be known as road races, but the 1930s was a  time when the UK cycling world was all about time trials and club runs. The races were run at Brooklands Motor Racing circuit near Weybridge. 

Guildford Cycle Festival

If this gets you excited about cycling in Surrey, make sure to check out the Guildford Cycle Festival on August 19. 

 It’s been organised by  Surrey Travel SMART to encourage more people to take up cycling.

Happening at Stoke Park, the festival will include displays from some of Surrey’s bike stunt crews as well as exhibitions from local cycling clubs and talks on how stay safe while on the road. There will also be some guided Sky Rides – free group cycling sessions – through the local area.

 The festival runs between 10am and 3pm. Entry is free, but registration is necessary. Visit: surreycc.gov.uk 

Classic cars take to the track this weekend at the Brooklands Double Twelve Motorsport Festival 

The main event will be the Double Twelve Driving Concours, which features 144 cars – 12 in each of the 12 classes – competing over the two days at the historic racing site.

June 17 marks 105 years since the opening of the Brooklands race-track and there are some historic classes to mark it, such as one celebrating 50 years of the MGB. The Coupe des Dames, which is restricted to lady drivers using sports and rally cars, also celebrates an anniversary as it reaches its 80^th year. 

Saturday features The Brooklands Speed Trials, which sees 100 pre-war cars take to an 800m-sprint course at the neighbouring Mercedez-Benz World circuit. The organisers – The Vintage Sports-Car Club – are expecting some record-breaking times by these classic motors. 

Not only will Sunday see the judging panel selecting the winners of the Driving Concours, it will include the 2012 Test Hill Challenge. This spectacular event sees motors as varied as the Sinclair C5 and huge pre-war racing cars trying to reach the summit of Brooklands’ steep 107m concrete slope, the Test Hill. Selected children will also get the chance to race each other up the hill.

Some downhill action is also included, as a range of pre-war vehicles test their brakes on the challenging slope.                

For a weekend of beautiful and fascinating vehicles, make sure you head to Brooklands racecourse.

The Brooklands Double Twelve Motorsport Festival, June 16 and 17. Tickets: £15 adults, £6 children (ages 5 – 16), family £37, Brooklands Trust Members £5. Visit: brooklandsmuseum.com

Whether you are after the social aspect of golf membership or dream of playing on some of Surrey’s top courses, we have compiled many of the best members clubs in the Surrey area.

Our pick of the best members golf clubs in Surrey: 

Here is our pick: