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Category Archives: Wandle Wanderer
Wintry Thames towpath walk that’s like entering another world
WANDLE WANDERER: Croydon’s own river, the Wandle, eventually reaches the Thames itself, which provides a multitude of possible walks. Here, KEN TOWL sets off for Richmond to see what the towpath has to offer With friends visiting from Hackney and … Continue reading
Posted in Ken Towl, Pubs, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Zac Goldsmith MP
Tagged Ken Towl, Kingston, Richmond, River Thames
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Fanfare for the Common man, and here’s a toast to two ‘saints’
WANDLE WANDERER: Our non-resident rambler KEN TOWL is off on his travels again, but he hasn’t had to venture very far afield to discover some overlooked treasures St Reatham is not, of course, a church named after a saint, but … Continue reading
A gentle amble across two hemispheres, and a giant mystery
WANDLE WANDERER: After the first Inside Croydon guided walk, editor STEVEN DOWNES rambles on more than usual (if that were possible) What is it? A simple enough question, but one that none of our number could answer. Perhaps 12-foot across, … Continue reading
Posted in Inside Croydon, Ken Towl, Walks, Wandle Wanderer
Tagged Croydon, Ken Towl, London LOOP
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How to climb a Surrey hill and see a view from a mountain top
WANDLE WANDERER: Our non-resident rambler KEN TOWL, pictured left, suffered a hair-raising experience in his quest to scale the highest point in south-east England A handful of us at work have been challenged by a colleague to “get high”, in … Continue reading
Posted in Ken Towl, Outside Croydon, Surrey, Walks, Wandle Wanderer
Tagged Ken Towl, Leith Hill, Leith Hill Tower
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Following the footsteps of DH Lawrence to the end of the LOOP
WANDLE WANDERER: There’s a slight end-of-term feel to our non-resident rambler, KEN TOWL, as he sets off on what for him is the final Croydon stage of the London Orbital walk, the LOOP. He’s even walked straight past a pub … Continue reading
Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Ken Towl, TfL, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged Coulsdon, Coulsdon Common, Farthing Down, Happy Valley, Ken Towl, London LOOP, LOOP
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Football-free walk takes in murder, rare orchids and the stars
WANDLE WANDERER: It’s a couple of months since our non-resident rambler, KEN TOWL, reached Hamsey Green on the fourth section of the London Orbital walk, the LOOP. On Sunday lunchtime, he picked up where he left off, and headed in … Continue reading
Posted in Coulsdon, Crime, Ken Towl, Kenley, Old Coulsdon, Pubs, Walks, Wandle Wanderer
Tagged Coulsdon, Coulsdon Common, Croydon Observatory, Hamsey Green, Ken Towl, Kenley, Kenley Airfield, London LOOP, LOOP, The Fox, Warlingham
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London Bridge isn’t falling down – it’s a place full of life
WANDLE WANDERER: Our intrepid rambler, KEN TOWL, doesn’t just take on walks around the countryside near Croydon. He’s happy to do a pub crawl in an area that ought to be within easy reach by train Last week was saw … Continue reading
Posted in Ken Towl, Walks, Wandle Wanderer
Tagged Borough Market, Ken Towl, London Bridge
4 Comments
The writing’s on the wall for Croydon’s artful dodger
WANDLE WANDERER: Art fan KEN TOWL set off on another walk this weekend, but this time in the town centre, where one of the lowlights was a limited edition, £20,000 balloon dog shitting balloon shit From the town that brought you … Continue reading
Posted in Activities, Art, Ken Towl, Rise Gallery, Uncategorized, Walks, Wandle Wanderer
Tagged Ken Towl, Kevin Zuchowski-Morrison, Rise Gallery
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LOOP around for buckets in trees and bluebells in the woods
WANDLE WANDERER: At a rare sighting of the sun, and with the promise of spring finally arriving some time soon, KEN TOWL sets off on the latest stage of his exploration of the London LOOP, from Coombe Lane to Hamsey … Continue reading
Posted in Addington, Heathfield House, Ken Towl, Walks, Wandle Wanderer
Tagged Addington, Hamsey Green, Heathfield House, Ken Towl, London LOOP, Warlingham
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LOOP takes the high ground to offer vistas across London
WANDLE WANDERINGS: As he continues his ventures on the capital’s orbital walking route, KEN TOWL follows Saxon era church paths, side steps some rugby players, and arrives back in the borough of Croydon Before London spread south into what are … Continue reading
Posted in Bromley Council, Environment, Ken Towl, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged Addington Hills, Ken Towl, London LOOP, Shirley
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Follow in the footsteps of abolitionists and gravel-pit diggers
WANDLE WANDERINGS: Having trekked from Petts Wood to Farnborough High Street on the first section of the LOOP walk, KEN TOWL has pulled his walking boots back on and set off to discover abandoned Eton Fives courts, the Wilberforce Oak … Continue reading
Take a tram to explore the LOOP back to the Domesday Book
WANDLE WANDERINGS: Dodging between the showers for a weekend walk, KEN TOWL has gone all loopy Outer London is peppered with country parks, downland, ancient trails and sites redolent with the history of an area occupied since pre-Roman times. The … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, History, Ken Towl, Outside Croydon, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged Ken Towl, LOOP
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Four-mile ramble lets you see the wood for Purley’s beech trees
WANDLE WANDERER: Going just off the beaten track once again, KEN TOWL embarks from East Croydon and to check out another multi-park walking route for the weekend I found myself on a grey March morning standing on Platform 6 at … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, Ken Towl, Kenley, Purley, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged Ken Towl, Kenley, London LOOP, Purley Beeches, Purley Oaks
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A three parks walk that takes you back through Croydon history
WANDLE WANDERINGS: Even within the densely populated parts of post-industrial Croydon, close to the source of matchday roars from Crystal Palace’s football ground, it is possible to take a stroll through meadows and parks, accompanied by moor hens and cyclists, … Continue reading
How Bedlam is being transformed through arts and walks
WANDLE WANDERINGS: Not for the first time, KEN TOWL’s gone off the beaten track. And with good reason Bedlam, said Colin Gale, has become a byword for chaos, a symbol of suffering and confusion. Gale, the multi-qualified archivist at the … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Health, History, Ken Towl, Walks, Wandle Wanderer
Tagged Bedlam, Ken Towl, Museum of the Mind, Royal Bethlem Hospital
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Shirley’s surprises hidden in the heath on Addington Hills
WANDLE WANDERINGS: Under gin-blue skies, KEN TOWL headed for the hills and encountered views that could rival a New England Fall Advertisements in the Sunday newspaper supplements for trips to Boston to see the glories of the New England “Fall”, … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, Ken Towl, Pubs, Restaurants, Shirley, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged Addington Hills, Ken Towl, Shirley, Shirley Windmill, Wandle Wanderings
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Bramley Bank is magical, especially off the beaten track
NATURE NOTES: MOIRA O’DONNELL this week takes you on a guided tour of one of her favourite parts of Croydon Bramley Bank Nature Reserve. Just its name is enough to conjure up the image of an enchanted place, full of … Continue reading
Riverside walk with swans, meadows and Nelson’s fishing pond
WANDLE WANDERINGS: It’s Wandle Fortnight, and we asked our non-resident rambler, KEN TOWL, to explore the Wandle Trail This is a three-borough walk from one park to another, tracing the course of the nascent river Wandle as it births in … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon parks, Waddon, Walks, Wandle Park, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged Ken Towl, River Wandle, Waddon Ponds, Wandle Park, Wandle Trail, Wandle Wanderings
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Follow Kenley’s yellow brick road for a high-flying ramble
WANDLE WANDERER: There’s a Bank Holiday coming up and our loyal reader KEN TOWL has found a rambling route of just over two miles which includes a star-gazing observatory, a yellow brick road, the ghostly swishing of gliders, and two … Continue reading
Posted in Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Kenley, Pubs, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged Coulsdon Common, Ken Towl, Kenley, Kenley aerodrome, Kenley Observatory
4 Comments
Do the New Addington Bear walk, and discover Fickleshole
WANDLE WANDERINGS: If you fancy venturing out for a shortish (two miles) amble and a pub lunch at an historic inn, loyal reader KEN TOWL has a suggested route that should charm and delight A few weeks ago, I was … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, New Addington, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged Ken Towl, New Addington, Wandle Wanderings
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A haven of wild peace and tranquility just off the A23
The WANDLE WANDERER detours from the riverside and finds a surprising oasis of calm and natural beauty within sight of the Purley Way I probably shouldn’t be telling you this. It may undermine the calm and peace of this particular, … Continue reading
Posted in Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Walks, Wandle Wanderer, Wildlife
Tagged City Commons, Coulsdon, Roundshaw Downs
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Wander the Wandle and make sure you don’t miss the mills
The WANDLE WANDERER steps out from the source of the eponymous river for a stroll through south London heritage and nature The Wandle Trail has been in existence for nearly 20 years now, since a group of rambling, conservation and … Continue reading
Posted in Activities, East Croydon, Pubs, Tramlink, Transport, Walks, Wandle Wanderer
Tagged Croydon Council, Merton Abbey Mills, River Wandle, Wandle Park, Wandle Trail
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