Wandle River from Waddon, 8 Mar
Trains Victoria 9.30 (Destination Sutton) Stops at Clapham Junction ( 9.39), Balham ( 9.45) and West Croydon ( 10.04). Arrives Waddon 10.07. Or London Bridge 9.25 (Destination Epsom). Stops at Norwood Junction (9.28) and West Croydon (9.45). Arrives Waddon 09.48.
Return from Colliers Wood – Northern line. And many buses. All in Freedom Pass zones.
The Walk: Flat all the way. Very little mud – probably none by Saturday. Mainly hard paths with some soft verge options. No stiles.
Drop out point Carshalton – buses and trains every half hour to Victoria .
We will walk to both sources of the River Wandle – one of only about 210 unique chalk streams world wide. Thence to Carshalton via Beddington Park. After lunch we proceed, always following the river, through the National Trust Watermeads nature reserve, Ravensbury Park and Morden Hall Park to Merton Abbey Mills.
As well as having a rare ecology the Wandle is also rich in history, including some interesting preserved industrial archaeology.
Lunch and refreshments: We will have coffee at the marvellous 14th century St Mary’s church in Beddington.
For lunch we have booked a table for 12 the Sun Inn Carshalton at 12.30. There are also many picnic places possible nearby.
We hope to reach Morden Hall National Trust cafe in time for tea, The cafe closes at 4pm so we may have to pick up our pace at times.
It looks like being a sunny and even warm day!
Hope to see you on Saturday, Sue and Daphne.