Day 10 West Wickham Common to Hamsey Green

Today (Wednesday - someone told me) was a relatively short walk of about 8 miles but I put off getting out as I'd looked at the weather forecast. Lots of black clouds with drips except for two hours in the afternoon - I decided to aim for that. Having got home by walking to Hayes station as per the book, train to London Bridge bla bla, I decided to look for an alternative route. Strangely, TFL wasn't that helpful and I usually think it's really good. Anyways, I sussed that getting the tram from Wimbledon to a stop I'd never heard of, then a bus to a stop I guessed was the right one and then walk round the corner would get me there and I was right :-)

On the way over it absolutely chucked it down and I was not looking forward to my walk. However, the plan worked and I didn't actually get rained on!

The walk didn't have too much of *interest* to it. There was plenty of up and down, mud and more mud, woodland and bird noises, dog walkers to chat to and so on. The first point of interest for me, which will never make the book, was going past the end of the road where my sister lived in Coney Hall until a couple of years ago!

In Coney Hall Park was a small concrete pillar standing astride the Greenwich meridian. All I could think was at least I was back in south west London.

Look no graffiti

Wickham Court manor house and its church St John the Baptist are nearby. Both are ancient buildings. The manor house has historic links to the family of Anne Boleyn and is now a school. Yet again the church was locked. I was struck yet again by the number of WW1 graves. I suppose there should be a lot but in this region of London I've noticed them.

Wickham Court

St John the Baptist West Wickham

I plodded on, getting into my stride. Who knew what excitement was to come - "a fine view north over central Croydon". I knew there was something missing in my life. It was up a hill, of course, and once there found that the locals take their litter by another route to abandon it. All the little plaques to tell you of the faraway places you might see on a clear day are no longer there. Honestly. How much were they worth melted down? I took some pictures anyway but didn't stay long as I wasn't too sure how work-related the conversation was between the two other people.

Croydon I'll have to be nicer about it soon

Heathfield Gardens were pretty. Plenty of rhododendrons starting to bloom, the smell of honeysuckle here and there, a pond with a duck house, terraced gardens. It was in private ownership and then Croydon Corporation bought the estate by agreement; the building is used as a training centre, the orchard is a conservation centre and the gardens are still open to the public.

The old stable lock, Heathfield House

You know that moment when you can't remember where you left something?

Where's the saw? The trainee had it.

The walk finished at Hamsey Green, opposite the pub that isn't there anymore. The journey home was hideous. Why does the TFL website say one thing but its bus drivers do something different?

More thoughts. I spoke to a nice lady who was walking her Westie called Sparky, she'd done most of the LOOP and wished me well. I forgot to mention that the other day in Ingrebourne I heard a cuckoo!