Hogsmill River and beyond
The Pasks, Norma, M. Petrie, Jo W., Angela and I enjoyed lovely sunny weather today and a varied walk, but with the London Loop signage being somewhat lacking or pointing the wrong way (!) at times. Negotiating the golf course at the end was very tricky, but Jo, in best golf speak, managed to charm players into giving us directions.
Poor Angela was having knee trouble and therefore caught a bus home before lunch. We had a lovely one at the Spring Tavern in Ewell West. Delicious food and friendly and quick service.
Poor Margaret P. had fallen very hard on uneven paving right at the start of the walk in Kingston. She landed on a knee and her left hand (good thing she’s right-handed). She didn’t make a fuss and, at the earliest opportunity, bought a packet of frozen sweetcorn to put on her wrist to stop it swelling. She did the whole walk until lunchtime holding her wrist at waist height with the corn balanced coldly on top. At the pub she was given ice, since the corn had thawed by then. At first she didn’t think the wrist was bad, but it gradually got more painful. From the pub she took a taxi to Kingston hospital where they discovered that it was fractured, and put it in plaster. Unfortunately she’s got her family coming to stay tomorrow. Well, they’ll have to do the cooking!
We all wish you well, Margaret P
Out: Train Clapham Junction 9.36 Kingston 9.55,
or Stamford Brook 9.03 or 9.12 to Richmond, 65 bus to Kingston station arrives 9.45
Back: West Ewell Station (7 miles) or Banstead (11 miles) to Clapham Junction,
The route follows the London LOOP and the North Downs Link through Old Malden to the lake in Bourne Hall Park, source of the Hogsmill. If you continue in the afternoon you follow the LOOP past Nonsuch Mansion to Banstead Dow
Pubs and hostelries of Ewell High Street, if you don’t find anything sooner, eg at Tolworth .
The source, and official end of the Hogsmill River Walk is a pond in Bourne Hall Park, which is just over 7 miles from the Thames. If you want the longer walk you continue in the afternoon on the London LOOP to Banstead Downs Station.