Earcla three

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

This route is a modification of EarCla 2. The middle third of both is through Wandsworth Common (photo 1). The first difference is using reviewers' suggestion to walk through Wandsworth Cemetery if open (no traffic). It also uses quieter streets to get between the cemetery and the common. The lack of proper crossing on the A3/A205 is fixed, and from there to the end point is again shifted to low traffic roads.

The catalyst for this route was simply that while (stress) testing EarCla 2 (during early evening rush hour) the traffic on Magdalen Road was a bit of a shock after the peaceful cemetery. The design methodology was a combination of blue sky ("it looks quieter down there, let's try it") and research based techniques (ask a local - thank you lovely Sabrina! A successful outcome and it turned out to be only 150m longer, a nice bonus.

Just 100m along Magdalen Road from the beginning at Earlsfield the route ducks into Wandsworth Cemetery for about half a mile. Although the path used is very close to the road it's sheltered by a hedge and trees. After leaving the cemetery at a gate house to cross Magdalen Road straight away it's then on quieter residential roads to get onto Wandsworth Common at Lyford Road.

The distance between the cemetery and the common is the same either way but going via Lyford Road includes a wooded pathway then goes slightly closer to the lake, whereas the EarCla 2 route has a glimpse of HMP Wandsworth (and museum) and then is slightly closer to the playground and the Skylark Cafe (which might have a drinking water fountain). The two routes join very near the lake, cafe and playground so the difference is marginal.

North of Wandsworth Common this crosses Battersea Rise safely (here carrying both A3 and A205 traffic, both directions) at the lights then a path across the eastern part of Bolingbroke Green. EarCla 2 doesn't cross safely but it's so busy that using the nearby lights seems obvious, the main effect is to either miss out the EarCla 2 path over Bolingbroke Green or force a doubling back to reach it. Waist high railings stop access from anywhere else. Either way makes that route less off-road and longer than advertised.

After Bolingbroke Green this route gets away from the traffic again on a short zigzag through residential low-traffic streets for the last 450m to the Clapham Slow Ways point.

Variants:
If Wandsworth Cemetery is closed then you'll have to walk along Magdalen Road after all. Opens at 8am (10 on Sun) and closing varies between 4 and 7pm (photo 3).

Peabody Housing are partway through redeveloping the estate between Comyn Rd and St John's Hill. When the final phase is complete (2025 or 2026?) there'll be a shorter, no-through-traffic option from Danvers Avenue to opposite the Clapham Junction entrance ramp (photo 3 from Peabody's website)

This route is a modification of EarCla 2. The middle third of both is through Wandsworth Common (photo 1). The first difference is using reviewers' suggestion to walk through Wandsworth Cemetery if open (no traffic). It also uses quieter streets to get between the cemetery and the common. The lack of proper crossing on the A3/A205 is fixed, and from there to the end point is again shifted to low traffic roads.

The catalyst for this route was simply that while (stress) testing EarCla 2 (during early evening rush hour) the traffic on Magdalen Road was a bit of a shock after the peaceful cemetery. The design methodology was a combination of blue sky ("it looks quieter down there, let's try it") and research based techniques (ask a local - thank you lovely Sabrina! A successful outcome and it turned out to be only 150m longer, a nice bonus.

Just 100m along Magdalen Road from the beginning at Earlsfield the route ducks into Wandsworth Cemetery for about half a mile. Although the path used is very close to the road it's sheltered by a hedge and trees. After leaving the cemetery at a gate house to cross Magdalen Road straight away it's then on quieter residential roads to get onto Wandsworth Common at Lyford Road.

The distance between the cemetery and the common is the same either way but going via Lyford Road includes a wooded pathway then goes slightly closer to the lake, whereas the EarCla 2 route has a glimpse of HMP Wandsworth (and museum) and then is slightly closer to the playground and the Skylark Cafe (which might have a drinking water fountain). The two routes join very near the lake, cafe and playground so the difference is marginal.

North of Wandsworth Common this crosses Battersea Rise safely (here carrying both A3 and A205 traffic, both directions) at the lights then a path across the eastern part of Bolingbroke Green. EarCla 2 doesn't cross safely but it's so busy that using the nearby lights seems obvious, the main effect is to either miss out the EarCla 2 path over Bolingbroke Green or force a doubling back to reach it. Waist high railings stop access from anywhere else. Either way makes that route less off-road and longer than advertised.

After Bolingbroke Green this route gets away from the traffic again on a short zigzag through residential low-traffic streets for the last 450m to the Clapham Slow Ways point.

Variants:
If Wandsworth Cemetery is closed then you'll have to walk along Magdalen Road after all. Opens at 8am (10 on Sun) and closing varies between 4 and 7pm (photo 3).

Peabody Housing are partway through redeveloping the estate between Comyn Rd and St John's Hill. When the final phase is complete (2025 or 2026?) there'll be a shorter, no-through-traffic option from Danvers Avenue to opposite the Clapham Junction entrance ramp (photo 3 from Peabody's website)