Capital Ring 6 – Wimbledon to Richmond

Another walk and another walk trying to avoid grass it seems!

We started at Wimbledon Park Station and got coffee at Whisk, on Arthur Road, we remembered this from the previous week when everything was shut because it was after 4pm!

Then we began, walking down a a fairly straight side road till we got to Wimbledon Park and through some small tennis courts. We missed the view of the lake and the LTA Centre because there was a ton of building works happening, so were oblivious that we were so close to the Home of Tennis at all. The only indication at all was the Royal Lodge and the practice courts (which at the time we didn’t know) Capital Ring neglected to mention this on the ‘sights to see’ instead pointing us to a beautiful car park and tarmac road instead.

We walked along roads, past some nice houses, then we meant to turn along a busy road to get to the featured car park/road. Instead we decided we would be rebellious and instead walked through the woods, we admired the nature, saw some gigantic bat boxes and broke free of the woods to see a cute little windmill. This windmill is the last solid post still standing in England apparently – though it just seems to be a feature for the pub/coffee shop beneath.

We took a quick pitstop and then walked down a rather steep/straight path until we reached a lake. We found some nesting Swans and other ducks – it was a pretty nice walk to be honest – if it wasn’t in such a vague place we may even go back but alas how would we get there again.

Then we continued across a golf course and through some playing fields (CR tells you to avoid the grass and take the path to the side of a busy road) then across the main road into Richmond Park.

In Spring/Summer dogs are to be kept on the lead as it is breeding season for the wildlife throughout the park – there are patrolling police (nice ones shockingly) who request the leads be put on or risk a fine. So we did just that and walked along the path, with White Lodge in the tree line to Pen Ponds – where the ponds were heaving with all manner of Wild Fowl.

This is where we went completely off the route because CR decided that you cannot leave the gravel path at any point but instead we knew what we had to do. We needed to go on a wandering walk to go and find the Deer so we detoured into the Queens Wood instead of going round it. This proved successful we found them!

After taking hundreds of photos and traipsing through more woodland we walked across a small road to Pembroke Lodge and gardens, in search of Henry’s Mound. Here you should be able to see one of the main views of the Capital Ring – King Henry made a law that stopped anyone from being able to build/obstruct the view of St. Paul’s Cathedral in the City 11miles away – of course this doesn’t stop the clouds/fog/smog blocking the view.

After we looked through a telescope and a very cloudy vista we headed down the steep hill behind to carry on the last of the walk. In doing so we found Bunnies!!!! (Bob was exceptionally happy with this walk! and proceeded to take a hundred more photos) We kept going down the hill whilst looking at a strange disco roofed building – we have no idea what it was but it was cool.

From here on there was a meandering walk through a few fields, some narrow country lanes and then on to a small park leading to the Thames. We followed this along past the storage sheds for boats and rowing for the boat races and regattas then onto the bridge on to the station.