Streatham to Wimbledon

Nadia Bernaz and Margaret Schabas at Streatham Common Rail Station.

Streatham Pumping Station.

The weather in London has been cold and snowy of late, but everything seemed to clear by mid-morning and we walked under blue skies from Streatham to Wimbledon in south London.

Shortly after leaving Streatham Common train station, we passed by the Streatham Pumping Station, a very exotic looking building that dates to 1888. The route continues to Tooting Bec, where it passes by the Tooting Bec Lido, said to be one of the largest swimming pools in Europe, holding a million gallons of water. We walked through Tooting Bec Common and then towards Balham.

At the Tooting Bec Lido.

From there, the route goes to Wandsworth and the Wandsworth Common. It also proceeds beside the Wandsworth Prison.

Wandsworth Prison was built in 1851. Oscar Wilde was imprisoned there in 1895 before being moved to Reading Gaol. It was also the site where Derek Bentley was hanged in 1953, one of the last executions in the United Kingdom. Bentley’s conviction was overturned by the courts in 1998.

Wandsworth Prison, where Oscar Wilde was incarcerated.

Magdalen Road runs alongside a cemetery. The guide invited us to walk through the cemetery, where we found a small section with war graves of Australians. One of them belonged to a ‘Private Ryan’. Most of the deaths were in late 1915, presumably associated with the battles at Galipoli.

Grave of Private Ryan.

The route crosses over the River Wandle and then to Wimbledon, where this section of the Capital Ring concludes.

Crystal Palace to Streatham Common

Departing from Crystal Palace rail station.

Our first walk of the year took place on a rather dreary day, and a slight drizzle began just as we were nearing the end of the route, at Streatham rail station. Penelope, Nadia and I were joined by Penelope's brother Sotos Soteriou, who is visiting from Toronto.
To be fair, this was not the most interesting of the segments of the Capital Ring. There were some pleasant parks and some rather dramatic views, but very little of cultural interest. Some parts of the route are more stimulating than others, I suppose.
The route begins at the Crystal Palace rail station. It winds through a residential neighbourhood, then traverses the Westow Park, followed by Upper Norwood Recreation Ground and Biggin Hill Wood.

Norwood Grove.

An 'alternate route for dog walkers'!

The highlight of the walk starts when the trail enters Norwood Grove, which is a remnant of the Great North Wood. There is an impressive building atop the hill, built in the 1840s by Arthur Anderson, joint founder of the P & O Steam Navigation Company. It is now an education centre owned by Croydon Council, and is much in need of a coat of paint and some repairs.

War memorial at Streatham.

This is really the beginning of Streatham Common, or so it seems. The path enters the Rookery Gardens, which are very beautiful, and then proceeds to the huge, open expanse of Streatham Common.