Sunday 14 May 2023

I didn't spot Dave's text until Saturday evening leaving only early Sunday for a revised route. A partial from 2018 would have to do; the rest would be from memory (not that reliable these days). Silently I hoped someone else would lead!

At New Malden we were six (Bernard, Diane, Geoff, GFH, Keith, Sabine). By 1115 no more could be expected. We started more or less as intended : BeeLine Way - Raynes Park - Wimbledon(Gap Road) -  Summerstown. 

Approaching Clapham Common it became clear that an alternative strategy might work. Geoff had a copy of Dave’s route so "Speak the directions to me Geoff" became my mantra. We found Albert Square (not that one) easily and Burgess Park, an open space created in the 50s/60s was new and well patronized. For me the Old Kent Road is a frontier to terra incognita so I switched to the off-route Quietway1(C10). At Waterloo Station Keith departed. After refreshments in Lower Marsh we crossed the Thames and followed it through Chelsea Wharf to Putney Bridge. Finally the climb to Putney Heath led to the Windmill on Wimbledon Common where we dispersed.

I managed to drop all of you at one time or another and got lost on too many occasions – apologies.

30+ miles on a fine summery day with huge crowds in the parks and commons, a Royal Marsden charity run/walk in Raynes Park, tourist hordes in Parliament Square, Whitehall, etc, etc