World Wildlife Fund London Wetland Centre

The  decision to walk to WWF London Wetland Centre in Barnes SW13, was taken by youngest brother and I when our respective wives were to join younger sister at the Hurlingham Club SW6 for tea yesterday.

We all took the District Line train from Wimbledon to Putney Bridge with the ladies walking the short distance to the Hurlingham Club and ourselves making the interesting walk along the Thames towards the Wetland Centre.

Years ago when working at Barclays Bank their rowing club nearby was always good for parties as well as of course for taking boats out on the Thames. On one evening during a party I recall a young, presumably inebriated, couple in an open top car which abruptly turned right into the river as many off us were watching from the balcony of the clubhouse.  They were rescued and brought in to the party to dry out. What then happened to their car is unknown. 

Barclays have long since departed and the old boathouse is now used by  Kings College School Wimbledon.

After walking past the boathouses and spying the hugely rebuilt Fulham Football Club on the far bank we turned left onto Queen Elizabeth Walk and thence onto the Wetland Centre.

The Centre is excellently laid out with various hides to view the birds and animals and well signposted  walks around the loop of the four former Victorian reservoirs. There are also some good cafes with much open air seating which we made good use of. 

On the negative side though is that there are admission fees though reduced for children and  people of retirement age. However the Centre is ideal for children and I expect that during term time would often be packed.

Some  pictures:

The birds and animals were not always quiet or placid. On one occasion we came across a large number of birds of two species furiously fighting each other without regard to humanity nearby. So much so that two ladies carrying babies asked if we could escort them to the nearby gate out of harm's way which of course we did.

A very enjoyable day ended with our taking the 93 bus back from Putney bridge rather than the Underground, the bus being less of a faff  to access, than the District Line from the Thames footpath.