On the Wandle Trail part 2

We seem to have another blast of winter over the last few days so I thought I would continue today with our walks on the Wandle Trail. If you have missed my first post  about the Wandle Trail do have a look here. This second installment covers the beginning of the walk towards Wandle Ponds and started out from nearby Butter Hill, at the top of which are one of several very pretty ponds.

When we first moved to the area this particular pond was empty but a fund started by a local conservation group not only cleared the sources to the pond but also reinstated the fountain. After walking past this pond you cross the main road to enter Beddington Park.The park was originally land owned by the weathy Carew family and is mentioned in the Doomsday Book. Nicholas Carew was a favourite of Henry V111 and Henry stayed at the manor in 1528.  Carew Manor still stands and is now owned by the London Borough of Sutton. It is used by a school for disabled children now and on occasions is open to the public as the original Great Hall remains in all its glory.

In the 1950s  this lovely lake was a boating lake with a cafe. In the 1990s I used to go to a mother and toddler group which was then housed in the building. We had this as a view...it was such a wonderful setting. Both my children had very happy times there. I think the building is now used for an after school club.

After skirting alongside the lake the trail takes a route across the bridge and into the main park

We crossed the bridge and made our way toward the next landmark which is the terracotta bridge.
Originally Beddington Park was a deer park attached to Carew Manor, a wealthy house in Tudor time. In 1859 the land was acquired, by the not so poor rector,Canon Alexander Bridges. He commissioned  a bridge built by the Weatcombe Pottery in Torquay. It still bears his initials in the centre of the key stone is and is now known as Canon Bridges's Bridge.

There is a second, less pretty but still very interesting flint bridge which the rector had built around the same time.

As we stood by the bridge I noticed a flash of iridescent blue darting down the river. My first thought was a dragon fly but that would not be possible in spring. There was another flash and I realized that it was in fact a kingfisher. I have never seen one in real life. He was so beautiful... I tried to take a photo but he was hardly still for a moment but I did capture a couple.

You can see that flash of blue down his back.

and here he is again at another spot we saw him resting further down the river. I was so glad I had taken my camera with me. Just seeing him was such a bonus on our walk.





We also saw lots of signs of spring as we walked by the river Wandle.

We continued out of the park, past Carew Manor (I will stop there another time and take some photos) and took that pathway which took us towards Waddon Ponds. I shall come back and share those photos soon.

I am afraid that winter has reared it's head for the last few days and it has been bitterly cold. The heavy snow  which was forecast thankfully never materialized here in the south east. We even lit another fire at the weekend. 

For today's card I thought I would go for something bright and cheerful as there are lots of spring challenges on at the moment I would enter this card which is one of my Easter makes.

This is a new stamp for me which I picked up on Ebay last year make by Bildmalarna called Little winged friends, my garden. She is a real cutie.

I coloured her with my Promarkers. and also added some fine glitter to her wings and flowers. I also used my new Whimsy stamps Vintage seed packs and also their brilliant scrabble pieces which I embossed with black embossing powder. I will let you into a secret that all the Kraft paper I used is actually from a roll of Christmas paper. It had been used to protect the paper, I just flattened it out and cut it into sizable sheets. I used my Marianne watering can and wheelbarrow dies (LR0260) and also open leaves from the Marianne leaf set (LRO227). The photo corner is a Quickutz die. 

I added some spring mulberry flowers and some Bakers' twine to give a real garden theme to my spring card.

I would like to enter my card into the  following challenges.

                                                           Ladybug Crafts Ink Spring 

Pan Pastel Girlie theme

Cupcake Inspirations Flowers/Spring I was inspired by the bright spring colours and the green butter icing!

Bearly Mine #77 Spring

My Mum's Craft shop card challenge Spring #3

Bunny Zoe Girlie

Allsorts Springtime #197

Forever Friends Lots of flowers

Crafting for all seasons spring #47

Papertake weekly 1-2-3 I have one image, 2 die cut leaves and 3 navy blue mulberry roses

A and T Emerald Faeries Bling #41

Cute card Thursday anything goes #260

Stamping Sensations The great outdoors

It is Thursday already and we really are rapidly approaching the first day of spring on 20th March, which is my darling daughter's birthday. Yes she was a spring baby. I am meeting her for a Ladies Lunch on Monday as she is out for the day with her husband on her actual birthday. We will be also visiting next weekend when she is holding a little post birthday tea party. She always loves to spread out her birthday celebrations ..don't we all. I am off to see my parents today and tomorrow my dear Mum is treating me to another visit to the Royal Opera House where we are seeing the Royal Ballet perform Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...I am so excited   I hope that everyone is keeping well? Thanks as always for your visits and kind comments and it's good to see my newest followers, you are so welcome. Enjoy the weekend when we get there,

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

On the Wandle Trail

many thanks to everyone who visited my Guest design post on Sunday. I really enjoyed seeing so many people and Billy was pleased too. Thank you also for all the lovely comments you left. I really enjoyed reading them.  I am glad the card went down well as it was really outside my usual comfort zone. At the weekend the weather had improved so much that my Hb and I ventured out for another good long walk. We are lucky enough to live on the Wandle Trail, a 12 mile walking cycling/walking route along the River Wandle from Croydon up to Wandsworth in London. The River Wandle in the past was a very busy "working" river with my mills and other industry along it's length. Indeed where I live was renowned for watercress and lavender growing. There are still many old buildings standing showing how the river was used in the past.
Recently there has been a major investment made and the pathways have been tidied up and even a map produced showing the trail.

The first part we decided to investigate was Wilderness Island, a local nature reserve. We put on our walking boots and set off on Sunday in the Sunshine.

The island is only small but perfect for sweeping away the cobwebs and getting used to walking again after such a dire winter. No one else was there so we had the place to ourselves and the wildlife. Cycles are not allowed inside this part of the Wandle trail either.

Several little bridges have been built since we last visited many years ago. There were lots of ducks and birds on the water. We even spied bat boxes in the tree, although we did not see any bats as they are usually nocturnal.

The island is a real little haven and yet so close to suburbia.

It was a great visit. We then rejoined the trail and walked a few more miles further down the river towards Morden. I will share some more of our adventures as we walk them and at some point this year we hope to get as far as Wandsworth.

All this walking inspired me for my challenge card for this post. Walking and shoes came to mind and I knew just what stamp to use. I used one from the Killer Heels  release, this one is called Rose. It is made by my buddy Kerry's company, Ladybug Crafts Ink. They have a blog hop on at the moment showcasing some fab new stamps called "Through the ages". I have a link in my sidebar. Do take a look and join the fun.

 I also wanted to enter the super challenge being run for Cupcakes Inspirations 200th post so I combined the 2.

This is my inspiration cupcake photo I used , it is number 72 from their blog.
I used the pink colour from the flowers and also I liked the black swirls.

So do you want to see what I made..................

 Here is a close up of this fab stamp. I had great fun using my Promarkers to colour it. I added some bling to the details and a silver sparkly ribbon. The tags are Lili of the Valley. I also got my Bigshot out to play and cut an oval for the 21 sentiment and used my great Memory Box bow too. 

Now I don't think I will be wearing these killer heels on our Wandle Trail walks......do you ;0)

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Ladybug Crafts Ink Through the ages - add a number I added 21 (my age..LOL)

Cupcake Inspirations 200th post and blog hop as I showed in my photo I used cupcake inspiration No 72

Emerald Faeries Bling #41

Natalie and Amy Die cuts #7

Gorjuss Anything goes with pink #173

Crafty Ribbons anything goes with ribbon

Allsorts For a lady #196

Crafts and Me Dies or punches #122

Ribbon Girl add ribbon or twine

Cupcake Craft #232 sparkle

Papertake weekly anything goes

Passion for Promakers One for the ladies #188

Party Time Tuesdays die cuts #110

Today has been just glorious, clear blue skies and the first real warmth in the sunshine. I went to my silversmithing class and came home to have a cup of tea in the garden. This was my view. If it stays like this I will soon be able to open up my garden studio.

When I stood up to take the photo Billy decided it was a very good place to sit....so I had to get out another chair for me. We were even joined by his little shy friend Blackie too

and I found that the very first of my outdoor daffs have come out to greet the sunshine

Dare I whisper the final line of my favourite Daffodowndilly poem by A.A.Milne......"Winter is dead?"

Squeal.......all is well in Jane's World. 

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x