Wimbledon and Putney Commons Reviews Summary

Surroundings & Atmosphere

Pros:

• "A great place to walk your dog or even yourself in wonderful surroundings."
• "It has beautiful nature, somewhat clear signage and a nice road."
• "Very nice on this hot bank holiday day. Lots of families walking dogs and together and cyclist enjoying the path."
• "Its a beautiful and calm place."
• "An amazing place to go for walks, jogs or just to clear your mind from every day life in London."
• "Combines dense forest with expansive open areas along with several ponds scattered around the various paths."
• "The forrest area supplies you with majestic, tranquil, natural scenery that takes your breath away."

Cons:

• "The land is parched, dry, arid patches of land greets my eyes."
• "Too many trees and dirt tracks for me."
• "The golf course seems to cut right across the Common spoiling any chance of a clear walk and it certainly wasn't clear what routes to take at the entrance."
• "Can be intimidating to see a squalor, one, then another a few yards away, bellowing as if signalling there's a human to be seen."
• "Insanely muddy, very busy, with badly maintained ponds and walkways."
• "The pursuit of natural at all costs is to the detriment of visitors enjoyment."
• "Just be mindful of the increasingly aggressive and rude golf players."

Facilities & Amenities

Pros:

• "Cafe at the Windmill does a decent tea, coffee & cooked food."
• "Lovely efficient tea rooms. Plenty of room to sit outside."
• "Good to see fresh drinking water for dogs and a little pub hidden away just at the end of the car park."
• "Can highly recommend tea rooms near windmill museum, and the museum is worth paying a visit too."
• "The tea rooms and free toilets make this a local mecca for activity."
• "There's also a decent café with toilets attached. Well marked footpaths."
• "A tea room/ cafe serves food and drinks. Toilets are next door."

Cons:

• "Very limited parking space, toilets and only one cafe which I find very expensive."
• "Nice for walking but definitely do not recommend bringing your car to park. I had to circle the car park along with 20 other cars searching for a spot only to leave the park and drive all the way to Richmond since I couldn't get a spot."
• "The bins are where the rest room is and outside where you eat. They were overflowing."
• "A nice cafe although the good looking cakes were rather dry, which was disappointing."
• "Improve the 🥓 sandwich with a tad more bacon and far better bread than what I was given."
• "The windmill for me was an utter waste of time and a huge let down due to the comical cafe and other buildings at the front."
• "Badly sign posted, so had to resort to using Google maps."

Accessibility & Convenience

Pros:

• "If you want a slice of countryside only half an hour to an hour (by tube and on foot) from central LONDON give it a visit."
• "The Windmill really nice and Queensmere Pond is our toddler favourite place to go."
• "You can walk for miles enjoying all the different paths. And start or finish at the Windmill cafe. A treat."
• "We parked on The Causeway, which is free on weekends."
• "Easy access by bus and parking facilities."
• "You can approach it from many directions, but if you're in a car then the windmill car park is ideal."
• "There's a decent café at the back of the windmill, with toilets and a car park."

Cons:

• "Personally it is a dry weather venue for me, puddle I can deal with but the rain can dampen your appetite, wellies in the wetter season."
• "Most metalled paths suitable for wheelchair users though probably best for chairs with pneumatic rather than solid wheels unless happy with short distance on compacted gravel/cement."
• "Not wheelchair accessible or friendly, seems more suitable for horse riders and dog walkers."
• "As a cyclist I wish there were more routes - the horses get a better deal - but still some decent cycle paths."
• "Make sure you have your phone on full battery and a signal just in case because the vastness of space could easily be overwhelming."
• "Be aware some areas are bike free and in others dogs must be on a leash; especially on golf course areas."
• "The Common needs more signage to distinguish bridle paths for horses."

Environment & Wildlife

Pros:

• "Just stunning. What an extraordinarily amazing place. I cannot begin to recommend this place enough."
• "Great place to spend a family day out walking, exploring, running, biking."
• "A lovely place to walk and, considering it is in the middle of a huge city, it is very extensive and allows you to walk from Putney to Barnes, Wimbledon and Richmond through heath and woodland."
• "It's excellent for dog walking and the café is great."
• "A favourite with families, cyclists and joggers as well as a hunting ground for the occasional kestrel, hobby and peregrine falcon."
• "The golf course adds to the scenery."
• "Beautiful outdoor space to run, walk, enjoy the local pubs/cafe's, walk the dogs, see ducks, herons, horses out for exercise."

Cons:

• "Just a shame some people can't take their litter away with them or use the bins, or respect this space and the wildlife."
• "Lots of dogs running around so be aware if cycling through or with small children who might be frightened."
• "Played around here as a kid. The Windmill didn't work and there were no sails. All jazzed up for the bourgeoisie of Wimbledon with Mr Whippy ice cream at £3.50 each. Not as I remembered it."
• "Can be intimidating to see a squalor, one, then another a few yards away, bellowing as if signalling there's a human to be seen."
• "Nice place for a walk at any time just wish some dog walkers would pick up there dogs poo."
• "Love it when there is no cyclists around I can be in my own private world without having to watch and listen out for them."
• "Although we searched high and low, we didn't see one Womble. I guess they're most active at dawn and dusk because the common was relatively litter free."