efog-blog
River Wandle Walk - 23rd April 2017
Saturday 23rd April's walk along the River Wandle, was very much a wander along the Wandle, with numerous diversions down streets.
The Wandle is a south London river that derives from springs originating from the North Downs and arises properly in the Croydon area. However, much of the early part of the river's course has been covered over by the development of Croydon – the 'Canary Wharf'' of its time back in the 60's. However, in earlier days the Wandle was described as the most industrial river in Britain, with – at its peak – 90 water-mills operating along its banks. It is a relatively short river, joining the Thames at Wandsworth, but also has a quick descent, so that the waters had the power to turn all of those wheels.
Some of us met up at Liverpool Street, by the statue to the Kinder-transport children, as I'd suggested. What I hadn't known was that at the main entrance to the station, there is another, larger, statue which Fritz and Fozi referred me to whilst we were waiting. Fritz had brought along a Polish-language newspaper cutting showing him photographed in front of that statue, and he was able to tell us about what led up to this whole issue.
We began our walk proper after meeting up with others at East Croydon Station, then walking down the busy main road accompanied by the trams of South London's tramway system. Not much to catch our eye in these early steps, just busy-ness, until we reached Croydon's Minster. This is a rather fine flint-walled church, although it had been substantially re-built after a fire in the 1860's. We went inside for a quick look, and certainly I was impressed with the interior.
It's just a few steps from the church fore-court to the busy Roman Way, which we were able to cross by means of an underpass into quieter residential, streets. A short alleyway took us to another fairly busy road, and then by means of a footbridge over a railway line into the quiet of Wandle Park.
Here we had our first view of the river, emerging from a culvert at a bridge and immediately, in the settings of the park, a quite attractive little stream. There was even a Grey Wagtail at the water's edge for the ten members of our group to spot. And there was even the first drops of rain – which the forecasters had said might 'just' be a possibility – but which encouraged us to don hats, coats or umbrellas. Can you don an umbrella? It is not a large park, and we crossed another bridge back to the bank we'd started from, and out and across the tram-lines into more residential roads. What with the drizzle, and the rather poor 'Wandle Trail' leaflet I was trying to follow, I was not getting a good feel for this initial part of our walk. Crossing Purley Way did not improve my feelings, and the industrial works that lay along Mill Lane didn't help either. But Mill Lane at least had an air of history about it, and soon we reached a lovely spot at Waddon Ponds. Although – surprisingly – our guide leaflet did not take us into the park, we stood and watched a variety of water-birds: Swans on nest, Mallard, Tufted Ducks, Moorhens and something going on between Little Grebes.
Waddon Ponds is now only one pond, and is often taken to be the source of the Wandle, but the Wandle has more than one source. The route onwards was along a vegetation-lined bridleway, with the river to our right. Crossing this, we continued on its north bank, and although accompanied also by some office buildings, was pleasant enough. The rain had all but stopped, and things were looking better.
At some rather nice quiet streets of terraced houses, we reached Beddington Mill, a very large brick building built in 1891, but of nice proportions. This is locally known as the 'Snuff Mill', as at one time it was used to grind tobacco into snuff, but later was used for flour. Almost adjacent to the mill are a short row of lovely single-storey cottages, with a small bridge as means of access across a stream. We were all entranced by Mount Pleasant – though why it's called a mount...
We walked alongside an old, heavily buttressed wall on our left, and the river on our right, at which we stopped for a while watching a duck mallard trying to round up the remains of her brood. There seemed to be only two ducklings left; they often have ten. The water in the river hereabouts is clear, with a gravel bottom – unusual in the London area where it is often muddy-bedded. It is probably the good flow of this river that keeps it nice and clean, and has resulted in watercress beds in the past, with some of the species still remaining in places.
We passed Carew Manor on our left before we entered Beddington Park; this fine Tudor manor was the home of the Carews of Beddington for 500 years. By Beddington Park we had also entered sunshine, and were beginning to getting quite warm. Tea and the like in the pavilion was suggested, and the suggestion went down well with all. After we'd feasted – or at least tea-ed up – we continued across the park, which is extensive and which the Wandle runs through. There are some nice ornamental features, including an ornate river-bridge. Before leaving the park, we were asked by a young lady – Emma – if she might join us. She'd seen us in the cafe, wanted someone to walk with, and she did so for the rest of our walk. We walked alongside a quite busy road, but with a stream running alongside the pavement separating it from the houses. Although we had left our branch of the Wandle behind the houses, we soon joined another branch, which originates at Carshalton Ponds, and the two meet up at a wooded spot – now a nature reserve – called Wilderness Island. Emma had not been there before, although she lived relatively locally – and was keen to revisit it later as she was also interested in the wildlife.
Although we were now entering areas where the river would once have been heavily industrialised, this wasn't really evident, and the river was still clear and with lots of plant-life beside and in the water. By Hackbridge we were feeling warm in the sunshine, and I noted that the May was out on the hawthorns. As in the well-known saying “ Cast ne'er a clout 'till May be out” I advised that it was and we were all entitled to take some of our clothes off. Some already had.
We reached what is known as Watercress Park – in honour of the watercress beds that used to be in abundance in these clean, clear waters, and – after 5.5 miles or so – decided that we would finish the walk as I'd intended, there. We trekked up Middleton Road, saying a last farewell to the Wandle until in a few metres we had to do so again as there was another branch, looked at some Hoary Cress by the roadside, and found our 5.5 mile walk was extended by another long mile or so to Mitcham Junction Station. Some got a tram there back to Croydon, the rest of us got a simple train back to Farringdon.
With Emma, there had been eleven of us on the walk – which was a bit disconcerting for me as on Thursday only two had said they were coming. What with the initial streets and the rain and the small print and poor instructions of the route sheet, I didn't find this one of the most rewarding walks, but then that's my fault as I'd not pre-walked it. The company, nevertheless and as always, was good, though, and I didn't hear many complaints.
Paul Ferris 24th April 2017
p.s. We received this nice email from Emma after the walk:
To everyone in the Epping Forest Outdoor Group,
I really enjoyed meeting you all, and walking with your group on Saturday. Thank you for making me feel so welcome. I had never done that section of the Wandle Trail before but will follow it in the future, and I look forward to visiting Wilderness Island too. It will make a change from spending all my time in Beddington Park! Thank you to the group leader - (I am terrible with names) for pointing out all the interesting nature features along the way.
I hope that I am able to find a nice local group to join. I will let you know how I get on.
Please let me know in you are walking in my locality - (within a 10 mile radius) in the future. Thank you.
I wish you all the best.
Emma - (from Beddington Park river bank)
Bodelwyddan Castle - 20th-23rd January, 2017
Beverley Brook Walk - 5th November 2016
Obviously the allure of a minor river spirit compared to Old Father Thames is somewhat less, although gender may have something to do with it. Nevertheless, seven of us - Bernie, Fozi, Fred, Jinan, Ken and Lynne - met at Waterloo Station on Saturday morning to explore the delights of Beverley Brook.
The start of our walk, at New Malden StationAnd delightful she was, on the 7 miles that we accompanied her from where she becomes visible to humanity near New Malden to where she meets her father (or mother) at Barn Elms, near Putney.
A tree-lined crossing of a golf-courseFrom New Malden Station it is a half-mile or so walk through pleasant-enough suburban streets and including crossing a golf course by way of a tree-lined track. There is the A3 to cross, too, by means of subway. Beverley Brook appears from beneath the road confined within a narrow, wall-lined gully, together with some nice mossy vegetation which included the rather-rare-in-London, warmth-and-moisture-loving and rather descriptively-named, Navelwort (a possible connection to the Goddess, here?). We paused just for a moment at the beginning of the water-side route to just mention that the brook had its source about three miles away at Cuddington Recreation Ground near Worcester Park, and flows for about 10 miles to the Thames. The name is derived from the beaver – which although believed extinct in Britain for some 400 years is now breeding again – and the word ley, or meadow. In other words, the beaver’s meadow brook.
The brook has been much abused in times past – as have so many of London’s rivers – and has been considerably channelised, so runs between boarded banks for much of its route. However for a few miles – apart from a few detours where it is not accessible due to housing or the like – we were walking along a nice-enough waterway, often with trees either side, and passing through a nature reserve or two - or past playing fields - on the way. The brook flows along the west edge of Wimbledon Common, where it once marked the boundary between London and Surrey, and the scenery becomes more open. We crossed the A3 again at the busy junction by the Robin Hood Gate and entered Richmond Park just as a stream of horses were leaving. In the park we walked for some way with the brook on our right and the open spaces of the park on our left, with distant views of the deer and closer views of the cyclists.
A typical woodland brook-side stretchIt was actually quite cold – we’d noticed that when we got off the train. Funny that here in the SW (of London, anyway) it seemed colder than in the traditionally cold east of the country (or London, anyway) where we come from. So we were pleased to reach the cafe facilities hereabouts. There were lots of cyclists here, too, plus lots of Jackdaws and people – all tending to eat and drink. Whilst there we had a call from John Hatto – an ex club-member – who we’d pre-arranged would join us. Which he did.
Priests Bridge. with a culvert to the left of the brook to allow surplus water to flow to the ThamesLeaving the park by way of the Roehampton Gate, we walked down an alleyway alongside the park walls, for a short while away from the brook, but which we soon rejoined. Whilst we’d been in Richmond Park we had read notices which told of work being done to improve the ecology of the brook and also help with flood prevention. All the channelisation and abuse over past generations as had adverse effect here as elsewhere, as people are now beginning to realise. Now the intention is wherever possible to remove constricting artificial edging, allowing gravel-banks and eddies to form, and perhaps even a little meandering.
Around East Sheen we were forced away from the water and along roads for a bit, but between some decent allotments with - in places - some rather exotic overhanging vegetation. When we reached the only pub on route – the Halfway House near Barnes Common – we didn’t go in but stood on the adjacent Priests Bridge over the once-troubled water and John told us something about local efforts for the stream's regeneration.
The finish of the walk, and we've gained a walkerWe crossed two railway level-crossings and then part of Barnes Common, with Chestnut and Sycamore trees in glorious autumn colour, then through a playing field to cross the brook again and walk alongside Barn Elms Playing Fields, once the site of the old Manor House of Barnes. The final stretch is again along a tree-lined track alongside the brook, and then suddenly there is a barrage across the stream – forming probably what is a balancing lagoon and muck-stopping arrangement, but filled with reeds – then another barrage to control water flow, and then out onto the Thames-side track where we had first sighted Beverley Brook on our Putney to Richmond walk (here) a few weeks ago.
Then there was just the walk along the Thames past all of the boating-facilities and across Putney Bridge to the station of the same name, and then home. Beverley Brook, I found, had a very pleasant character about her. Thanks to the other pleasant characters who accompanied me on this exploratory walk – and we didn’t get lost at all.
Paul Ferris, 6th November 2016
7.7 miles, 8 walkers
The Last Leg of The Thames Path in London
All good things come to an end, and so our journey both down and up the London section of the Thames Path reached its climax on a bright day, nursing potential rain clouds that held on to their cargo and kept us dry. It could also be labelled a 'Great Trees of London' walk as we had the good fortune to come across - amongst many others - not one but two really wonderful specimens, one at each end of the path.
By the Richmond Thames-side London PlaneWe travelled to Richmond Station by train from Waterloo, on 22nd October, 2016. After the train, and walking through the bustle of Richmond shoppers, the riverfront runs past a throng of restaurants in the midst of which is an enormously tall London Plane, gracefully occupying its spot for hundreds of years judging by the girth of the trunk. You can only but admire something so lovely and ancient if only for having managed to stay there as London sprawls further and further. The path breaks almost straight out into 'country' passing Ham House, a 17th century house now a National Trust property open to visitors. In the middle of the river at this point is Eel Pie Island, best remembered as a music venue in the 1960 where The Rolling Stones and The Who performed.
Shortly after we approach Teddington Lock, the largest lock complex on the Thames and the point at which the Thames turns from tidal to non-tidal. It also has a very convenient toilet facility, so we were able to stop for a short while whilest some of the walkers took advantage. The Thames here turns from being home to rowing crews to sailing ones, with lots of small boats out and about on the calmer waters.
The Maids of Honour Pine. near Hampton Court PalaceAs we approached Kingston, there is also another little surprise. Just before you reach the latest incarnation of a bridge that has crossed the Thames continuously since the 12th century, in the basement of John Lewis are a pier from the the original bridge and a barrel vaulted cellar from a 14th century merchants house, preserved very nicely behind glass. By way of a thank you to John Lewis for this keeping of history, we stopped there for a lunch break before crossing the bridge for the final stretch to Hampton Court. It doesn't take very long before we come across the grounds of the palace, even though we are still a couple of miles downriver from the building itself. The Roman Catholic Church of St Raphael glows on the south bank, Italian Renaissance in style but only built in the mid 1800s after Catholic emancipation in England, and a number of small aits or eyots as you prefer, both Middle English for 'little island'.
The path-side is joined by a brick wall, part of the grounds proper of Hampton Court, and it is here that you can find the other wonderful tree. There is a gate in the wall, up a few steps, to an enclosure for the casual visitors to admire the grounds and the views, fronted by a large and lovely Stone Pine, known as the Maids of Honour Stone Pine, that makes a beautiful frame for views of the palace. It is to here that we head and to the cafe to celebrate the end of our trek to and from Crayford Ness, some fifty miles away.
One adventure ends, others begin - the path along the Thames westwards into the country beckons...
North Downs Way – Chilham to Canterbury, the final leg
Saturday 15th October 2016 saw the final leg of Ken's epic North Downs Way walk. In fact 22 legs walked the final leg of the journey which had begun, I believe, at Box Hill on 20th July 2013.
In the village of ChilhamThis stretch began with a group of eleven meeting at Victoria Station for the train to Chilham, where the previous walk had finished on 23rd July (see here). It was an easy, if rather long, journey – with lots of small station-stops the closer we got to Chilham. We were visited a few times on the journey by the train conductor, at first just checking the tickets, then up for a chat. As we approached our stop his on-board announcement of the next station included a greeting and a warning to all of us walkers that whereas we would face rain ahead on our walk, he'd be in Canterbury in a few minutes and totally dry!
It had, indeed, begun to cloud over as we'd got closer to our start, but for most of the way the rain held off, or at least only came down relatively lightly. Thus it was that we were able to enjoy a quick look at the attractive village of Chilham, with its quaint houses, castle and 15th C. church, to which we paid a quick visit. Then it was up and then down, and then up and down again in numerous successions – with here and there a levelish patch - as we made our way along the downs.
Has anyone scrumped?For a considerable part of the route we were passing through apple-growing areas, at a perfectly good time to do some scrumping if one were that way inclined. Of course, some of the windfalls had already been got-at by wasps and the like, so would have been no good for the supermarket shelves. I am sure that had we tried the good parts, they would have been totally edible and delicious – apart perhaps from the cooking apples. On the large orchard associated with Nickel Farm there was a township of mobile-home type accommodation, specifically for the apple-pickers of whom we saw numbers as we passed through. Shortly after the orchards we stopped for a while at the public house on the edge of Chartham Hatch, then continued through Petty France and a variety of pleasant countryside – including a field with a unicorn posing rear-end-on to us and pretending to be a sheep (or maybe asleep), and another with no white sheep of the family amongst all the black ones. On this stretch too was the Iron Age hill fort of Bigbury Camp – which looked like a hillside rather than a hill fort (as most Iron Age forts do) – and an open-to-the-public orchard which looked more like an orchard than the commercial ones do. No Mans Orchard, as it is called, is a rare survival of a traditional Kent apple orchard. We got some apples there, and there was a large snake, but it was a bit wooden.
Yet another apple orchardCrossing the A2 (originally a Roman road, I suppose: “A2, Brutus”) we were soon making our way into Canterbury itself. The guide book route into town takes you down London Road, then right into St. Dunstans Street, where we had to wait at a level crossing for two trains to pass. We were in view of the Westgate Towers, said to be England's finest medieval gateway, and where we soon posed for a photograph. Then along the pedestrianised High Street before turning left to the Cathedral Gate. It's funny, but within Canterbury it is difficult to see the Cathedral, and even when we got to the gate an entrance fee tended to make viewing even more difficult. Some of the group elected to pay up and go in, whilst four others walked right around the cathedral by means of the closest roads. Even then, you could only occasionally see the top-most spires. They've got it well hidden.
Waiting for trains in CanterburySo, by then the original eleven had split up a bit, and four of us went into a M. & S. tea shop for a cuppa. When we left it was pelting down, but we'd a train in mind and headed fastly and wetly to Canterbury East Station by way of the bus station and the city walls. Gaining those was where we also gained some of the rest of the group, and gaining the station we gained the remainder. So - mostly - we all travelled back together. We had a carriage to ourselves, presumably because the original train conductor had warned all the rest to be on the look-out for us. My O.S. map with its draw-the-route facility made the distance 7.8 miles rather than Ken's guide-book 6, but a grand time was had by all. I think.
I'd not joined in all of the walks that comprised the route from Box Hill to Canterbury, but congratulations to all that did, and to those that did some but not all, and congratulations and thanks to Ken for organising and taking the lead in this most enjoyable venture.
Paul Ferris, 17th October 2016