Cycling with family in Richmond Park

On the other hand you could ride around the off-road tracks. i did that with my kids when they were younger. It's really nice and unstressful and there's a playground tucked away in one corner where you could stop for a while for a rest or having a sandwich. This is a good way to teach your child how cycling can be good for getting from A to B as well.

I would also recomend the ballet school loop (Roehampton gate - Robin Hood gate - Pen ponds - Sheen cross) but do them anti-clockwise to make the roundabouts easier (left turn each time).

The tamsin trail (the walking/cycling hardpacked surface path) is nice most of the way (Dark Hill and Broomfield hill are very steep on the path). The bit between Roehampton gate and Robin Hood gate is very flat and away from the road.

The tarmac path alongside the road between Richmond gate and Roehampton gate is also allowed for cycling. The path between Pen ponds and Ham cross is traffic free, but narrow (and closed in sections for the next month while they do some work).

On weekends is worth getting there as early as possible as is gets crowded with cyclists and cars. Or go in the evening as everyone goes home. By Penbrooke Lodge (between Richmond Gate and Kingston Gate) you can get cars queuing to get into the car park (in both directions).

Between sheen and Richmond gates you'll find dirt tracks suitable for road bikes,  but obv no cars or  shouty 'Lycra louts' to quote the DM. 

Like everyone else says avoid the main loop. I was there on Sunday and it was horrible - bumper to bumper cars with hundreds of other cyclists. 

If you're not following them already, there's a new group called Richmond Park Cyclists on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RichmondPkCycle

There has also been this, from Richmond Cycling:

https://twitter.com/RichmondCycling/status/840114459750285312

'Richmond Park – the new South Circular' 

'In some parts of #RichmondPark virtually every motor car speeds virtually every time'

http://www.richmondlcc.co.uk/2017/03/14/richmond-park-the-new-south-circ...

I taught my son to ride in Richmond Park 3 years ago, and go there reasonably often with him. I find it's better to avoid the main road route, which I cycle most days on the way to work, and use the track to the outside of this. There are plenty of other options including the ballet school and pen ponds area in the middle which are closed to traffic. I tend to take my old hybrid rather than my road bike to go across some of the slightly rougher surfaces, but there are plenty of cycle accessible tracks to use other than the road. Have fun!

Too late once the gates close?

www.royalparks.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/41653/Richmond-Park-Cl...

I find the most aggressive and speeding drivers are usually on the stretch between RG and KG. You could avoid that by doing Ballet School laps - through the centre and past Pen Ponds. At least until he's used to it.
I would like to think a driver would see a child, being obviously smaller, but some are just oblivious.

When I ride with my children, various ages.  I ride on the outside 2 abreast or behind but slightly further out to afford a little protection in case of close passes.  

There are idiots/inconsiderate/dangerous drivers everywhere.  My last instance was a few days ago where I and my daughter had moved to the centre line to turn right in our quiet village, when a car drove around us just before a blind bend!  If they had waited and held back for 5-10 seconds we would of made the turn.