CAPITAL RING 4

Please note, there are no obvious places en route to provide lunch for a group of walkers.  You are advised to bring a packed lunch.

This is a different type of walk than the previous sections of the CAPITAL RING walks we have covered.  There is a certain amount of street walking but it is much reduced.

WIMBLEDON PARK

We start by crossing the road at Wimbledon Park station and turn right down Home Park Road.  After a short walk, we soon enter the Park.  There are tennis Courts, toilet facilities and a large lake that is used for various water sports.  Otherwise, the park is quite large with plenty of room to kick a ball.  We walk across the grass to exit the park,

We turn left along Wimbledon Park Road, keeping to the fence on the left.  There are residential houses on the other side of the road.  We cross the road at the CAPITAL RING sign and walk up Bathgate Road and right on Queensmere Road.  There are some interesting houses and blocks of flats here.

WIMBLEDON COMMON

At the end of Queesmere Road we turn right and cross the road at traffic lights, to immediately enter the common.  No more street walking until the end of the walk. The walk continues straight ahead on a wide footpath through an open wood into Wimbledon Common.  When the wood ends we keep ahead to Wimbledon Windmill, the last remaining hollow post windmill in the country.  There is a small cafe here and more toilet facilities.  There is a lake, Queensmere Lake, a golf course, (take care when crossing) and an amazing tree and continue downhill.  Near the bottom we turn left; it can be muddy here!  Our path follows the Beverley Brook on our left , which we cross at the second bridge and fork right to the park exit.

We use the pedestrian lights to cross the two lanes of the busy A3.  Please do not press the button to change the lights unless the group is there.  You only get to enter Richmond Park when everybody has crossed the road.

RICHMOND PARK

We enter the park through the Robin Hood gate.  The park is the largest in Europe, covering 2,500 acres.  The park consists of open woodland and meadows.  Look out for wild deer, which roam everywhere.  The path gradually takes us uphill, at the top of which is a refreshment kiosk but no toilets.  We will probably stop around here for lunch.  We continue in the same general direction passing the White Lodge (built in 1727 and now houses the lower school of the Royal Ballet).  We pass between two Pen Ponds, stocked with fish for anglers.   Our route passes an ancient hollow oak tree, estimated to be 750 years old.  We follow the path across a road and leads us to a fine view.  We take a detour to Henry's Mound.  There is a protected view at the top, of St Paul's Cathedral, 12 miles away.  We return to the main path and continue downhill to leave the park through Petersham Gate.

THE THAMES PATH

We follow the path opposite until a T junction where we turn right, passed a small church cemetery.  We continue over Petersham Meadows until we reach the Thames Path, with Richmond Bridge in the distance.  We pass under the bridge and continue to the White Cross Pub.  Just after passing the pub, we reach Friars Lane which is the end of the walk.

There is a sign indicating the route to Richmond Station.  If the weather is fine you may wish to stay where you are for a while.