Yesterday, the girls and I made it to Wimbledon Commons in daylight. We stumbled upon it a few nights ago, but didn't move too far into it. We did, however, see a fox. I moved to the
city and the wildlife followed. The Common butts right up against Wimbledon Village. In the village, there are lanes for the cars to drive, sidewalks for the people, and narrow lanes for the horses to pass through town on their way for a ride on the Commons! I saw the lanes the first couple of walks that we took to the Village, but I thought they were bike lanes. Nope!Anyway, the 
Commons are just a few blocks away. They have been legally protected since 1871 from being enclosed or built upon. They are for the benefit of local people for informal recreation and the preservation of natural flora and fauna. There is an area of bog, the western slopes, and woodland. The woods are mostly Aspen trees, so it was a lot like walking through a field in Minnesota, only warmer!
Commons are just a few blocks away. They have been legally protected since 1871 from being enclosed or built upon. They are for the benefit of local people for informal recreation and the preservation of natural flora and fauna. There is an area of bog, the western slopes, and woodland. The woods are mostly Aspen trees, so it was a lot like walking through a field in Minnesota, only warmer!
A windmill stands near the centre of Wimbledon Common (I didn't find that yet), distinguished by being the place where Robert Baden-Powell wrote 
parts of Scouting for Boys, which was published in 1908.
parts of Scouting for Boys, which was published in 1908. We walked for a couple of hours and did not find the end of the Commons. We did find a pond, and the pond had railroad tie sides. I think Misty decided that a wade in the pond would be good, but she soon found out that she couldn't get out. I had to pull her out. Now before she went in, she ha
d rolled in something dead, so I was relieved that she was rinsed off, but as soon as she got out of the water, she rolled in the grass and in something else dead and came home smelling worse!
d rolled in something dead, so I was relieved that she was rinsed off, but as soon as she got out of the water, she rolled in the grass and in something else dead and came home smelling worse!
We found the golf course. This is another example of the UK combining uses for land. Walkers and dogs and players [all wearing red] criss-crossed the golf course. I think this is the first time that the dogs have been on a golf course, at least as much as I can remember. They are not very good at staying on one single trail [so as not to distract the golfers] and they certainly didn't like waiting for the golfers to play through when we were crossing the fairways.Anyway, it is a really nice green space. We'll be out some more to explore.
