Recent Walks

I haven't done any walking blog posts for a while. I have had a couple of longish walks with the Mem recently but we haven't been anywhere different for a while. I do have another river walk up my sleeve though so watch this space if you haven't had enough of suburban, southwest London fluvial perambulations.

This from a recent midweek walk in Richmond Park.

These reeds are easily over 2 metres high. By Peg's Pond in the Isabella Plantation, a delight of mixed habitats and plants from around the world.

Peg's Pond again, with some of the residents. Often you can see Mandarin ducks among the more common Mallards, Coots and Moorhens and whatever those black and white ducks are called.

Signs of Spring. Still in the Isabella Plantation. My wife did tell me what these white flowers are called. Naturally I forgot.

I was struck by how the sunlight had made the bark on this tree look golden-red.

The next few are from an earlier walk, also blessed by clear skies.

Formerly All Saints Church, Petersham, this tower is now part of a private home. It is huge! Talk about prime real estate. It comes complete with its own indoor pool and tower overlooking Richmond Park. Apparently Pavarotti recorded here in 1976. Other users of the church include the Greek Orthodox community. Possibly before they had their own church in north Kingston a few miles away.

The daffs are out. This is in the grounds of Pembroke Lodge, again in Richmond Park.  The grounds of Pembroke Lodge have some of the best views of the Thames valley.

View from Pembroke Lodge. Apologies for it being out of focus. Ham House is the stately pile in the middle distance. Windsor Castle is on the ridge in the background. You'd need very keen eyesight or a telescope to spot it though. The Thames runs behind Ham House at a slight angle. Upstream is towards the top left.

A walk last Saturday took us through the streets to Wimbledon Common, along the bank of the Beverley Brook, into Richmond Park, and then back home.

Heron spotted on the Beverley Brook during a walk at the weekend. That's  to say we were having a walk. The heron wasn't, for all I know. There is a project underway to breakdown the false banks of the stream, and to inhibit its flow to encourage the build up of gravel and hence plants and fauna. It's beginning to pay dividends.

Dorich House Museum, part of the University of Kingston. Located on Kingston Hill by the edge of Richmond Park

Last of all, a few shots from a couple of weeks ago. Through the Park to Richmond Hill and back.

The Secret Garden in reverse. From Terrace Gardens on  Richmond Hill.

The building formerly known as the Star and Garter Home. Another piece of prime real estate, the Star and Garter was the home for old soldiers built after WWI by the Haig Fund. It stands close to a gate into Richmond Park and on a steep ridge overlooking the Thames valley (off to the right). Now sold off and converted to appartments, the cheapest of which costs £2m.

The Petersham Hotel, close to the Star and Garter. It surprisingly doesn't warrant a mention on the Wiki page for Petersham.

View down to Petersham Meadows

Ham House again.

Something of interest to Virginians. The map on this is plaque has been inverted  120 degrees clockwise - note arrow in the top right.

Looking like a Vauban era wall (complete with gun ports in the casemate), this is the lower face of the Star and Garter. Above this wall is a garden terrace and the main building off to the left.