Putney residents have four days left to double their donations toward improving muddy, waterlogged paths on Putney Heath through the Big Give Christmas Challenge, with the campaign currently at 48% of its target.
The Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators appeal has raised £6,774 of its £14,200 goal through 35 donations, with the matching fund period ending December 9. Every pound donated during this window is doubled by the Reed Foundation, meaning a £50 contribution becomes £100 and improves two metres of path instead of one.
The campaign focuses on four heavily-used routes between Roehampton and Putney that become impassable during wetter months, forcing walkers, cyclists and horse riders off designated paths and damaging surrounding protected habitats.
Which paths need improvement?
Scio Ride – from the ‘Frying Pan’ to Roehampton Underpass – provides a vital link from Roehampton High Street through woods and Scio Pond into the wider Commons. The shared cycle path and horse ride currently features vast muddy sections forcing users to skirt edges, widening the path and damaging habitats. Improving sections of this route alone will cost around £25,000.
Scio Path – from Scio Ride to Scio Pond – becomes impassable in winter months.
Roehampton Ride – particularly between Roehampton Underpass and ‘Five Ways’ junction – becomes hugely muddy during wet weather.
Seven Post Pond to Kingsmere Pond – a scenic woodland and heathland route where low-lying sections experience heavy waterlogging that damages protected heath areas.
Path restoration costs approximately £50 per metre due to the materials needed and equipment required. If the campaign succeeds in raising funds, work will begin in summer 2026.
Why paths deteriorate
Muddy sections and puddles form where rainwater collects in low spots, especially in shaded woodland areas. Repeated wetting and drying weakens surfaces, while constant foot, horse and vehicle traffic compresses paths further, reducing drainage.
Leaf fall compounds the problem – as leaves break down into mulch, they turn damp areas into mud. Over time, depressions deepen into potholes that trap water and erode underlying material. Freeze-thaw cycles and prolonged saturation accelerate the breakdown, leaving paths uneven and unsafe.
The Commons team will carry out a hydrology study this winter to identify solutions that keep paths accessible while directing surface water to habitats that need it most, rather than letting it pool and create impassable routes.
Previous improvements
The Conservators have successfully improved many paths across the Commons over recent years with visitor and Friends support. Good paths make the area accessible and enjoyable for everyone while protecting the fragile habitats that make the landscape special.
When paths deteriorate, problems escalate quickly. The best time for major repairs is during dry, warm conditions when materials bond properly and surfaces can be consolidated, but such work requires specialist contractors and funding.
The Commons’ landscape takes visitors through heathland, woodland and ponds, supporting the Roehampton and Putney community and those from further afield to exercise and encounter nature. But in wetter months, many routes become impassable or so uneven they’re no longer accessible to all.
Donate: The Big Give Christmas Challenge runs until December 9. Visit donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05WS000005xaPqYAI to double your donation.
It’s common land, people should wear the right attire. Why not invite tree surgeons to off load their bark chipping’s for the paths ?