An Easter Walk through Weybridge

Since moving to Weybridge from Thames Ditton over a year ago we have been meaning to explore the maze of islands and channels at the point where the Wey joins the Thames.  We had also been looking on the Surrey Botanical Society (SBS) database and noticed an early 1960s record for moschatel (Adoxa moschatellina) in Weybridge cemetery, so we decided to walk down to the Thames via the woods of Brooklands College, stopping to search for the moschatel in the cemetery.  As the tetrad which encompasses most of central Weybridge is very under-recorded we made the walk a botanical recording trip.

The first surprise we had came just 100 metres from our front door when we noticed a large bank covered in white garlic-like flowers at the end of Locke-King Road.  Close inspection revealed not the ubiquitous ramsons (Allium ursinum) which we expected, but the less common few-flowered garlic (Allium paradoxum) - an introduced species but well established here.

As we crossed the railway and entered the woods we were disappointed to see carpets of seedlings of the invasive alien Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) at a number of different points, some well away from the stream that trickles through the centre of the wood.  However, as we reached the steeper section immediately below the college buildings and above the new houses on the site of Brooklands Farm we made another discovery - a huge oak tree.  Since Helen Stanley's talk to the society about ancient trees Dick Alder and Brian Spooner have been compiling a database of notable trees in the county and we have been on the lookout for suitable trees to add to this, even investing in a large tape measure for the purpose of measuring circumferences.  The oak we had just discovered measured an impressive 620 cm (244 inches): according to the Woodland Trust, any oak with a girth over 625 cm (as a rough rule of thumb) is truly ancient.

Leaving the woods and crossing into the cemetery we began a walk around the perimeter looking for the moschatel, which the SBS records indicated had previously been found in the south-western corner.  Sadly it was nowhere to be seen, but as we came around the north-eastern edge we found another attractive alien, sping beauty (Claytonia perfoliata), carpeting the verges for several metres.

After a break for lunch in the excellent new Italian deli in Balfour Road we resumed our progress towards the Thames by following the Wey Navigation towpath northwards from Town Lock.  As we approached journey's end at Thames Lock we saw, in the marshy ground running parallel to the river, our first flowering marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) of the year and a little further on we had another alien encounter, this time with creeping comfrey (Symphytum grandiflorum).  Although this was the first time we had seen this plant and so we were pleased to come across it, we have since become alarmed at reading in the new edition of The Wild Flower Key that it spreads vigorously!

Upon reaching Thames Lock and admiring the enormous London plane tree (Platanus x hispanica) on the bank of the opposite island, we retraced our steps along the towpath and came home via Wey Meadows.  However, there was one more patch of an unusual violet we noticed by the side of the towpath on our return which was a bit of puzzle to us, as the plants all had very pale, almost white flowers, with a darker spur: we thought this might be sweet violet (Viola odorata), but it had no detectable scent.  However a couple of weeks later we were out for a walk with Ann Sankey (vascular plant recorder for vice county 17, Surrey) and we saw exactly the same colour form, which she told us was indeed sweet violet.  So the mystery was solved and we were able to complete our list for the day, which will result in another 88 records for Weybridge going onto the SBS database.

ROSS BAKER AND LYNN WHITFIELD