Extra Walk 46 (variation) – Wimbledon to Kew Bridge
Length: About 16 km (10 miles). Toughness: 2/10
10:24 Dorking train from Waterloo, arriving Wimbledon at 10:40. Alternatively, there are frequent District Line tubes, taking about 20 minutes from Earl's Court. As there are trains arriving in Wimbledon every few minutes on different routes I suggest meeting upstairs in the booking hall.
There are trains back from Kew Bridge to Waterloo every 15 minutes, at 11, 26, 41 & 56 past. If you finish at Richmond there are frequent trains to Waterloo plus Overground and Underground services.
Wimbledon and Kew Bridge are in TfL Zone 3; Richmond (if you finish there) is in Zone 4.
This London walk has had half a dozen Sunday postings since it first appeared on the website in 2008, but so far no-one has deemed it suitable for the Saturday crowd. Still, there are plenty of wide open green spaces in this part of SW London and it might suit anyone looking for an early finish and a spot of Christmas shopping in Richmond (but do try to make it past the shops in Wimbledon Village).
There are no leaders on these walks and this one doesn't have a well-defined route across Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park, so be prepared to find your own way. A London A-Z would be fine, although I see that someone has uploaded a plausible GPS route if you don't fancy old-fashioned map-reading. The GPS route turns left at Richmond to head upriver to Kingston, but on these short days I suggest doing the alternative finish to Kew Bridge: an equally nice riverside stretch with views of Old Deer Park, Kew Gardens and Syon House.
For lunch choose between the self-service Tea Rooms at Pembroke Lodge (inside Richmond Park) or one of Richmond's pubs: the midweek evening walkers usually go for the Roebuck (020-8948 2329) on Richmond Hill. You'll find various places around Kew Green if you want some refreshment at the end of the walk. The Extra Walk 46 page lists more places and summarises the main attractions along the route. T=swc.46.b
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n=2 w=dry-but-bitterly- cold-and-windy
Starting at 10.46 but looked out for other walkers; there was one large group we encountered near Robin Hood gate but they were not SWC. Masses of deer inc magnificent stags in Richmond Park oblivious to the hordes of cyclists and cars. Lunch at the Roebuck, vege Wellington was not only delicious but HOT; much needed on a wintry day but several draught beers were off. We ended at Kingston after following the Thames in time for tea and a Christmassy mince pie at John Lewis. Kingston seems to be the place to do your Xmas shopping with markets, fairs and events at the church etc and lots of bright lights and sales. We caught the 18.03 back to Waterloo.
7 of us seem to have set out just a minute or so before DGA & companion. Lunch at Pembury Lodge, 1 inside, the others at the kiosk, after which we variously lost each other. However, 2 known to have ended in Richmond and 2 in Kew (1 in Kew Bridge, the other Kew Gardens after delicious cake in The Glasshouse). On the weather front it was indeed cold & sometimes windy but often bright and a good walking day.
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