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River Wandle
A famous trout fishery, a valuable wildlife corridor and once one of the hardest-working rivers in the world, the River Wandle is a green oasis in the urban reaches of south west London.
The Wandle rises in a number of springs along the North Downs and flows north to meet the Thames at Wandsworth. Walkers and cyclists can follow the river’s progress along the Wandle Trail – an interesting off-road route linking four London boroughs.
Download the Merton Council Wandle Trail leaflet
The River Wandle achieved fame with the angling fraternity in centuries past thanks to the size and abundance of its trout. Lord Nelson fished here before winning the battle of Trafalgar and Frederick Halford, founder of modern fly-fishing was a familiar figure to Wandle regulars in Victorian times.
Sadly, it was also in Victorian times that the Wandle fell victim to its own success. It’s fast flowing water was harnessed to power water mills, with more than 90 mills operating along its 11 mile stretch. Sadly (yet unsurprisingly) this led to increased pollution levels, but thankfully the river has now largely recovered to become one of the finest chalk streams in London.
