(* I accept no responsibility for this title. But see that River there, it’s called The Wandle. The Wandle flows through Wimbledon (well, Earlsfield) and Orinoco is a Womble…¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
On our way to our next starting point, we asked each other ‘Have you read what Diamond Geezer has to say about this section?’ Turns out neither of us had and if we had have done, it might have put us off. We whole-heartedly agree – all filler (no killer). Glad to have ticked it off because it’s one of the longish ones and equally glad we didn’t waste a really sunny day doing it. 2 sections down, 13 to go……
We started this section with a 1/2 pint (a bit off-piste though I wasn’t informed this ’til we’d begun the route proper – we’re making the most of more ‘spoons being south and east. Apparently)
This walk was a bit of a boring one, starting at the edge of railway at Streatham Common and pretty soon we’re darting underneath it through a tunnel. It was very residential, with houses in every state of repair – there was a pretty impressive waterworks which warranted a few photos but other than that, it was a bit of a trudge to Balham. Across Tooting Common, neatly avoiding the lido, encountering more Sunday league footie, this one was quite energetic, a whole host of supporters and some chants of olé, olé, olé.
Again, we made a bit of a detour in Balham to visit the ‘spoons and catch up with a friend. Balham’s alright, definitely posher than anywhere we’ve visited on this walk so far, as evidenced, sartorially, in the sea of red chinos that surrounded us. We walked past this Art Deco beauty, it’s a bit famous apparently. But I’m a fan of anywhere that looks as though it should appear in an episode of Poirot. The tube station is a beaut, inside at least – lots of lovely green tiles.
After a pint (or two), we set off again – wandering across Wandsworth Common, some nice pubs and nice houses but not so interesting. Once you’ve seen half a dozen Farrow and Ball’d doors they all merge into one. Wandsworth Prison does break this up a bit and then there’s the Wandsworth Cemetery, which is not an official part of the walk but you can dip in there and walk parallel to Magdalen Road for a few hundred metres.
We then hit Earlsfield, there’s a couple of pubs and some shops. That’s all really. We’d hoped to grab a congratulatory spot of dinner at the end of this section but no dice. Had we been searching for a wedding dress, Wimbledon Park may have been our saviour but alas, no. So onto the District line for a couple of stops and we hit Parsons Green for some pizza.
All in all, bit of a disappointing one. But at least it’s another section down. The days are getting longer now so can start looking at the longer walks. Or not. Let’s see how energetic we’re feeling next time….
Vital Statistics
- Steps Taken: 15922
- Picnic: cheese and onion pasty plus celebratory pizza at Megan’s
- Wetherspoons: The Holland Tringham AND The Moon Under The Water
- Drink of choice: Punk IPA £3.49; Portobello Brewing Co. Westway Pale Ale £2.55