SW london commons and woods

Length: about 10.5 miles

Grade: mostly easy, some small hills

South west London has a wide range of open spaces and familiar routes such as the Capital Ring and the Thames Path, but this walk finds some less trodden paths through woods, heaths and commons.

From New Malden station's^‡ north exit, continue north to the parish church, and turn into Cambridge Avenue, named after a royal duke who owned this land in the 19^th century. There is a sign confidently marking out the Beverly Brook Walk, a trail that follows this clear stream rising in Worcester Park and continuing to the Thames at Putney. At the end of the avenue you continue through what was once woodland but is now hollowed out as a golf course. Now you will catch a glimpse of the brook as you cross it, but this is the last you will see of it until Wimbledon Common, as the first section of the Walk that follows it is completely overgrown. Ahead you will hear the busy A3, where you will find an underpass. On the far side, turn north a few metres and go through the footpath that takes you to Westcoombe Avenue.

Continue through increasingly leafy suburbs, taking the slight left fork along Barham Road, a private road, until you arrive at Wimbledon Common. A narrow earth path continues on the same line until you reach a junction. A left turn takes you down at last to Beverly Brook. Here, turn right, following the river bank as it bends through mature woodland for about 1.5km. Ahead you may glimpse more open ground as you meet the signs for the Capital Ring. Follow this to your right for a few hundred metres, then on your left you will find an expansive oak grove containing a war memorial, perhaps one of the best, and a great place for a short contemplative break.

From here proceed across the playing fields, heading towards the tree lined avenue and a cricket pavilion.^‡ Just before this cross the bridge and our last sight of Beverly Brook. Follow the path ahead to a major junction of the Kingston Bypass where there is a horse and pedestrian traffic signal.

Cross to Robin Hood Gate, which marks the entrance to Richmond Park. Ahead past the car park is a mini roundabout. Continue straight on along a road for a few metres to the start of a path. Take this path, which soon splits – take the left fork, which is a narrow sandy path through bracken. This rises up towards Prince Charles's Spinney, a fenced enclosure of dense woodland. Follow the path keeping the fence on your right around two sides of the spinney until you emerge on open heathland with views to the north and central London. Ahead of you is another fenced enclosure, Isabella Plantation. Go around this clockwise, keeping its fence on your right. After a few hundred metres, past a gate marked no entry, dip down to a second gate, which you can enter. The plantation is famous for its rhododendrons and azaleas in flower in late spring, but is a pleasant well tended garden all year. Carry on ahead, following the little brook that runs right through, to the opposite gate^‡ beyond Peg's Pond.

Leaving the gate, take the path straight ahead of you across wide open heathland, where you can often see deer. After a few hundred metres, cross the road and take the footpath down a steep drop, arriving at the Ham Gate entrance to Richmond Park, where there is a coffee kiosk. Continue along the road then cross diagonally over into Ham Common Woods, and follow the woodland path until you emerge at a road junction. This is the main Kingston-Richmond road and you can take a 62 bus here to either of those if you feel like dropping out.

You may prefer the look of the New Inn^‡ at Ham (020 8940 9444) to our right, a welcoming pub with a large garden that makes an ideal lunch stop. Ahead is the wide mature parkland of Ham Common itself. 

From the pub, continue to the right along the road at the edge of the common until you see a long tree lined path to your right. Take this path: it is Ham House Long Walk, on the axis of the house itself, which gradually emerges as you continue on your way. When you reach Sandy Lane, cross over. From here you have a choice. Option one: continue to Ham House, which is a grand 17th century National Trust property and garden well worth a visit. Beyond this is the Thames and you can follow the Thames Path to your right towards Richmond: see below for the final route. Option two, the back lanes of Petersham: across Sandy Lane, there are two footpaths through an open meadow off to the right. Take the rightmost of these towards a small wood. Continue through the wood then take a left and a right as you approach a school and you are on another Long Walk. Continue almost to the gatehouse ahead, then along the parallel road, then take a small lane to your left discreetly signed as a public footpath to KISH nursery. After a few houses take the very narrow footpath, crossing a road and continuing to the entrance to Petersham garden centre^‡. Continue again with fields to your left, usually popular with horses. Ahead is a wonky signpost pointing left to the Thames. Follow this down a very brambly (bring a container in blackberry season!) narrow path until you emerge in meadows, with the Thames visible on your left. Continue ahead to a kissing gate, where there is a small cafe^‡. You are now on the Thames Path. Continue with the river on your left towards the elegant Richmond Bridge, where there are more cafes and pubs.^‡

From here there are several options that will take you to Richmond station. Best is probably to continue under the bridge past the White Cross pub^‡ to Friars Lane. Carrying on up the lane, past a remnant of the old Tudor Richmond Palace, you come out onto Richmond Green. Take the diagonal path to the far right corner opposite the Richmond Theatre. Continue ahead until you reach Park Lane on your left. Opposite to your right is a narrow passage that leads out to the High Street and Richmond Station^‡ (live departures) with mainline trains as well as District and Overground services.

^‡ indicates public toilets