London Road from above
We leave Morden station and turn left. The main road of Morden is London Road, which is part of the A24 route into London from the south. It dates from medieval times but urbanised rapidly during the 1920s after Morden station was built.
We walk up to the traffic lights and turn left into Morden Road. We won’t linger on this road. Simply walk up to the pelican crossing, cross the busy road and into Morden Hall Park.
Morden Hall Park is a 21-hectare National Trust park situated around the banks of the River Wandle.
Hinting at its former mill ‘leats’, the Wandle splits into various channels spanned here by numerous footbridges. The estate contains Morden Hall itself and various outbuildings. The western part of the park hosts the National Trust’s only Garden Centre.
The owner Gilliat Edward Hatfield left the core of the house and its estate to the National Trust when he died in 1941.
In the video, there’s a wander through the park taking in its wetlands, exiting at the northwest corner back onto Morden Road, heading towards South Wimbledon station.
This busy road hosts a tram stop of the same name and skirts Morden Hall Park on the way. It is part of the main A24 route into London.
On the walk, it can be best to avoid the busy traffic by ducking into various parks. On the right as we walk north, Nelson Gardens was opened in 1906 and created to honour the centenary of Admiral Lord Nelson’s death. Nelson had lived at Merton Place from 1801-1805, which had extensive estate lands.
Continuing via busy Morden Road, we reach South Wimbledon station.