Walk Report

From Wombles to Wolsey, Saturday 13th November 2021
19 walkers, 18.4 miles - leader Gavin Fuller
This walk from Wimbledon to Hampton Court was blessed by the autumnal colours which were still out on the meandering route, which took in Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, Richmond Park, Ham Common, Ham Lands Nature Reserve and Bushy Park to the finish at Hampton Court, which made for an attractive backdrop. To give a modicum of added interest it also took in three of London's Borough Tops in the morning section, namely those of Merton, Wandsworth and Richmond, although excitement was somewhat contained by the group on at least some of these upon reaching them!
For those interested in fauna there was plenty of birdlife on the Queen's Mere in Wimbledon Common, whilst both Richmond and Bushy Parks enabled the group to encounter a goodly number of deer, although the bellowing of the rut in the latter persuaded it to give them something of a wide berth.
For the second time this year only half of those who started the walk other than the leader completed the full walk - one decided the bus at Ham Common was too tempting to ignore, another decided they couldn't miss the tea rooms at Ham House, and at Teddington Lock seven decided that the Thames Path to Kingston was preferable to the fleshpots of Teddington and no doubt got home earlier - despite a dash at Hampton Court only one person actually caught the 16.24 train meaning the rest had to wait for the one half an hour later, giving the coffee shop on the station an unexpected final rush before it closed for the day!
Photographs by Gavin Fuller

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