Wimbledon to Richmond

Saturday 17 January – fourteen of us started out from Wimbledon station to Wimbledon Common via the Old Village. We entered the Common just behind the War Memorial at Parkside. On our way to the Windmill the paths were quite muddy but manageable. From there we picked up a downhill path to a well-maintained pond, then across the golf course and through woods towards Beverly Brook. Keeping the brook to our left we soon exited Wimbledon Common to cross over the A3 to enter Richmond Park by the Robin Hood Gate.

From there a somewhat lengthy, but gentle uphill took us to the Pen Ponds before branching off to go on to Pembroke Lodge where we stopped for lunch.

Pembroke Lodge is a Grade II listed Georgian Mansion located on the highest point in Richmond Park and it affords lovely views from their terrace and garden in good weather. We were lucky enough with the weather so that picnickers could find a spot outside before enjoying beverages in the café. I for one sat on a bench within the beautiful garden and was soon joined by a Jackdaw. Within a minute several more had arrived, obviously hoping to snatch some spare crumbs. Worth a picture I thought, but by the time I got my camera ready only the original loyal one had stayed put.

Some of our group had discovered a ‘paper bush’ with lovely sweet-scented flowers, also known as ‘Edgeworthia Chrysantha’, a native shrub to the Himalayas.

After lunch, with one walker having taken a shorter route back to Richmond, thirteen continued down to Petersham where we had a quick look at the grave of Captain George Vancouver in the St. Peter’s churchyard. As there was a high tide indicated at around the time when we had to cross Ham Common, I was pleased that no diversion was needed and although the Thames was still very swollen, the towpath was no longer submerged. Before we had reached the Old Palace Yard and Richmond Common several more of my companions broke away from the group, so nine of us completed the walk along the more scenic route.

My thanks to all who joined me – ‘keep walking’! – Sigrid   

[The Wimbledon Windmill which is now a museum is the last remaining hollow post flour mill in the country. The Mill was built in 1817 and closed in 1864 https://www.wimbledonwindmill.org.uk/history.

If interested this link gives information about Trumpeter’s House in the Old Palace Yard https://www.richmond.gov.uk/media/6326/local_history_trumpeters_house.pdf]