A walk in the spring sunshine from Mitcham Common to Beddington Park in Sutton was a great success. Being a bit of a day-facto walking enthusiast, I attended this spring walk from Mitcham to Beddington on March 26. This event was arranged to help promote what should hopefully become the Wandle Valley Country Park. This was part of an ongoing series of activities that reflect the diversity of the community while leveraging environmental awareness to demonstrate the potential for this restoration scheme with funding from the Sustainable and Accessible Urban Landscape programme. The current planning proposal, if approved, would see completion of the new sub-regional public park by 2023 which would cover approximately 500 hectares of open land from Mitcham Common, through Beddington Farmlands and Beddington Park. The area would be linked to the Wandle Trail and to the London Cycle Network. Currently the common in the north, and the park in the south, are marooned either side of the industrial farmlands area, with a single designated footpath linking the two. Fortunately since 1980 permits are required for gravel extraction (due to concerns that gravel mining may be adversely affecting the park and its wildlife) and this has meant that conditions could be imposed on the current gravel extraction in Beddington Farmlands that will require the contractor to return the site to an ecologically sound one by the time the license terminates in 2023 This will enable the new park is to incorporate natural landscaping improvements similar to those associated with the landfill and gravel extraction operations and the additional hills created from the old tip sites found in the Common. These and the other past commercial operations would be repaired ecological importance would be conserved recreational facilities added and archaeological features would be enhanced in the area. We and others, including walkers from local heritage groups, met at the bridge overlooking Mitcham Junction Train Station. The guests were joined by several local dignitaries who helped welcome us, including the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Judy Saunders along with the Mitcham Common Conservators and the Deputy Mayor of Sutton, Cllr Richard Bailey, symbolising the co-operation of the two councils in this project. After a quick overture and photo opportunity, just off the bridge, we started off towards Carshalton passing through the woodland and scrub of the common, we came upon an area once occupied by anti-aircraft emplacements now unsurprisingly referred to as the gun site. The remnants and last trace of the batteries and billets of the troops are now largely restored to a natural state, with much interesting ecology. We then crossed the railway line leaving the golf course on our left, and took the new footpath along side Beddington Farmland which already incorporates a wildlife haven and a major wild fowl reserve alongside the gravel extraction works. At the end of this track, we emerged onto Beddington Park, a much more artificial area, but with an interesting diversity of planting. From the museums point of view, there is a greater interest, because the Wandle enters the park here, and the many channels which still exist show mans interference with its natural course, and evidence the industrial history of this part of the trail, although the mill buildings are long gone (McGow 6- Wallington paper Mill: http://www.curator.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/aboutus/mills/mcgow/mcgow6.htm). We finished at the pavilion at the end of Church Road, and were provided with complementary hot drinks and beverages. All in all a good and interesting walk, and we look forward to repeating it over the years as the concept develops and improves. |
