I shall be doing the next stage of the LOOP* this SUNDAY November 10th, 2024, continuing from where we left off at Kingston Bridge and hopefully getting as far as Donkey Wood, not far from Hatton Cross. The route goes via Bushy Park, and later follows the River Crane for much of the remaining walk, with its remnants of gunpowder production (appropriate for this time of the year). It will be up to ten miles of walking, but you can leave near to Fulwell Rail Stn (to come back via Clapham Junction) if you wish, as well as about two thirds through by a bus service back to Kingston.

Could well be muddy and wet in places, but things are draining away and drying out after a few weeks of hardly any rain. Bring some grub and drink, but there will be at least one cafe along the way.

How to get there:

Catch the 09.13am SL7 bus from East Croydon to Kingston (Wood Street stop, NOT the Kingston bus station).

This bus does not go from East Croydon bus station, but from around the corner from the rail station in Dingwall Road, stop E8 (literally 2 mins walk). Please be on the bus from there, and I shall jump on the bus at Sutton (failing that I’ll wait at the WOOD STREET, KINGSTON stop).

I hope this is not too early – you caught a bus at a similar time last time without being aware of it (allowing for the trick of BST!!).

If we get all the way to Donkey Wood, we shall walk to Hatton Cross, where one can get the tube back to a terminal for trains to East Croydon, BUT the SL7 stops at Hatton Cross, so you may be better catching this and returning to East Croydon by this express bus service (the same bus you used on the way out, of course).

Paul NEWBOLD – 07968 223589.

No emails on the day, as I won’t see ’em till I get back!

*the LOOP is the London Outer Orbital Path, a 150-mile-long foot trail around London following parks and green spaces, rivers and suburban areas in an Odyssey where you never quite know who you’ll encounter or what may happen (a bit of a microcosm for life in general!).