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The Hillingdon Cycle Circuit is a purpose-built road cycling track located in Minet Country Park in Hayes, west London. The circuit, measuring 0.93 miles in length and 6 metres in width, is used throughout the year for racing, training, and recreational cycling.
In the 1990s, Chas Messenger, the local British Cycling Facilities Officer, organised cycle racing on the unopened Hayes Bypass. It was on this temporary circuit that triple Olympic champion and Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins began his racing career as a schoolboy.
When the bypass was eventually opened to traffic, Messenger and Bill Bannister sought an alternative closed road circuit in the area. After several unsuccessful options were considered, Minet Park was identified as a potential site. The park had previously been used to dump waste earth from the construction of the bypass but was designated for sports activities and community use.
Paul Barker, a member of the Westerley Cycling Club and a councillor for the London Borough of Hillingdon, played a crucial role in bringing the project to fruition. The circuit was designed by Don Wiseman to be fast and easy to ride, allowing cyclists to pedal through all the corners. It officially opened to riders in 1997. [1]
Initially, the circuit’s headquarters consisted of temporary huts. Over time, permanent storage facilities were established, partly funded by the Kenton Road Club. In 2010, a clubhouse was opened next to the track, offering meeting rooms, catering facilities, and a classroom. [2] [3]
Northolt is a town in West London, England, spread across both sides of the A40 trunk road. It is 11 mi (17.7 km) west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the seven major towns that make up the London Borough of Ealing. It had a population of 30,304 at the 2011 UK census.
The London Borough of Hillingdon is a London borough in Greater London, England. It forms part of outer London and West London, being the westernmost London borough. It was formed in 1965 from the districts of Hayes and Harlington, Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, and Yiewsley and West Drayton. The borough includes most of Heathrow Airport and Brunel University, and is the second largest of the 32 London boroughs by area.
Hayes is a town in west London. Historically situated within the county of Middlesex, it is now part of the London Borough of Hillingdon. The town's population, including its localities Hayes End, Harlington and Yeading, was recorded in the 2021 census as 93,928. It is situated 13 miles (21 km) west of Charing Cross, or 6.5 miles (10.5 km) east of Slough. Hayes is served by the Great Western Main Line, and Hayes & Harlington railway station is on the Elizabeth line. The Grand Union Canal flows through the town centre.
A race track is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals. A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also used in the study of animal locomotion.
The River Crane, a tributary of the River Thames, runs 8.5 miles (13.6 km) in West London, England. It forms the lower course of Yeading Brook. It adjoins or passes through three London boroughs: Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames, in the historic county of Middlesex. The drainage basin is heavily urbanised but many of the Hayes to Whitton flood-meadows have been conserved, forming a narrow, green vale, opening out to what remains of Hounslow Heath in the centre – a near-continuous belt of semi-natural habitat.
Buckmore Park Kart Circuit is an MSA approved outdoor kart racing circuit located just off junction 3 of the M2 in Chatham, Kent, England. Until his death on 10 March 2017, it was owned by John Surtees, the only person to have won world Grand Prix championships in both Formula One car racing and Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
Crystal Palace circuit is a former motor racing circuit in Crystal Palace Park in the Crystal Palace area of south London, England. The route of the track is still largely extant but the roads are now mainly used for access to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre located in the park, and to events within the upper parts of Crystal Palace Park. Some parts of the track are closed off but part is used for an annual Sprint Meeting held on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, until 2017, when it was held on the August holiday weekend.
The A312 is an A road in England, running across west London from Hampton to Harrow. Its status varies from a local urban street to a major dual carriageway in Hayes. Part the road has been diverted to make way for Heathrow Airport, while another stretch was originally planned to be Ringway 3, one of four major ring motorways around London.
Rye House Stadium was a speedway and greyhound racing venue in Rye Road, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. It is situated adjacent to the River Lea Navigation.
Poole Stadium is a speedway and former greyhound racing venue located in the town centre of Poole, Dorset in England. The stadium is owned by the Borough of Poole. It was built in the early 1930s in an attempt to provide a source of entertainment to the residents of Poole during the Great Depression. It is also often referred to as Wimborne Road, which is a road that runs adjacent to the stadium. During weekdays, the stadium's large car park is used to provide parking for Poole Hospital's park and ride scheme. On 22 September 2020 the permanent closure of greyhound racing at the site was announced.
Oliver's Mount is an area of high ground overlooking Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It offers views over the town, a tribute monument to the war dead, camping and caravanning at selected times of the year, 10 football pitches, 1 rugby league pitch, in the past a small school, and a cafe, but may be primarily known for its motorcycle races. Oliver's Mount first held a motorcycle race in 1946, and continues to hold motorcycle circuit racing today, and also holds car rally and car hill-climb events. Cars have raced here twice, in 1955 and 1956.
Brooklands Museum is a motoring and aviation museum occupying part of the former Brooklands Motor Course in Weybridge, Surrey, England.
Redbridge Cycling Centre is a road cycle circuit and mountain bike course at Hog Hill – near Hainault Forest Country Park and directly opposite the Forest Cemetery and Crematorium. The £5m cost of the facility was funded by the London Development Agency (LDA) as a replacement the former Eastway cycle facilities that were redeveloped for the London Olympic Park. The LDA funded the facility up to the completion of the legacy London Velopark. It was opened by Boris Johnson in August 2008.
Ruislip Woods is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and national nature reserve covering 726 acres (294 ha) in Ruislip in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The woods became London's first national nature reserve in May 1997. Ruislip Local Nature Reserve at TQ 090 899 is part of the national nature reserve.
The Harlington Locomotive Society, also informally known as the Harlington Miniature Railway, is a trestle railway about half a mile in length through an old orchard in the village of Harlington, London Borough of Hillingdon, Greater London.
Cyclopark is a purpose-built facility for cycling and other outdoor activities, located on the south side of Gravesend, north Kent in south-east England, adjacent to the A2 dual carriageway.
Lake Farm Country Park is an expanse of green belt land approximately 60 acres in size fringed by trees and the Grand Union Canal, situated in the south of Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its formal status as a country park dates back to September 2002.
The Norman Leddy Memorial Gardens in Hayes, in London, United Kingdom, is one of Hillingdon Borough's designated gardens of excellence. In September 2010, the Gardens earned a gold award for Best London Small Park in the London in Bloom competition.
Minet Country Park is a 36-hectare park on Springfield Road, Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon; it is situated between the A312 and the Uxbridge Road.
Cranford Countryside Park is a 144-acre public park in Cranford, in the London Borough of Hillingdon, England. Situated in close proximity to Heathrow Airport, it is bordered by the M4 Motorway to the north, the A312 trunk road to the east, and by the towns of Harlington and Cranford to the southwest and southeast respectively. Although Cranford is mostly within the London Borough of Hounslow, the park itself is in the London Borough of Hillingdon, as it straddles the southernmost point of this borough. Although the park is in an urban location, it is vehicle-accessible only by a small road before a motorway entrance slip, and as such it has been described as a 'hidden gem'.