Walk Report

8 walkers, 8.25 miles - leader Gavin Fuller
The group assembling at the start at Wimbledon station had the distinctly unpromising sight of torrential rain to greet them, which fortunately had cleared by the time the station was left, although it left conditions underfoot considerably damper than most had been used to of late. After a tarmacked wander through Wimbledon past the birthplace of writer Robert Graves to the highest point of the borough of Merton, it was across Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath taking in Wandsworth's top and the Tangier Regiment of Foot Memorial en route before entering Richmond Park by the clearly lesser-used entrance of Chohole Gate given we didn't see anybody on the long straight path from the golf club entrance into the park. In the park the deer very kindly had stationed themselves along the route across, giving the group plenty of views of them, whilst the Isabella Plantation proved a highlight in all its springtime finery. As we reached our third borough top of the evening at King Henry's Mound the skies cleared, and St Paul's was clearly visible in the evening sunlight at the far end of the famous keyhole view. Then it was down to a Thames sparkling in the sunshine making a glorious end to an enjoyable walk to Richmond.

Photographs by Paul Lawrence and Gavin Fuller

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