An alarming update has been issued about the future of a set of popular stepping stones in Ewell.
High water levels over the popular feature have left the crossing still submerged and unsafe to use, causing debate about its existence.
The famous stepping stones across the Hogsmill River remain underwater after gravel built-up and high groundwater pushed levels up through the winter and spring. Despite last week’s heatwave, water levels are still high, and the stones have not re-emerged.
A joint statement from the Environment Agency, South East Rivers Trust, and Epsom and Ewell Borough Council says raised water levels mean the stones are “not safe to be used at the moment”.
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Erosion around the access steps and heavy use by dogs has also contributed to the concerns.
The stones form part of a key walking route between Ewell and Kingston, including sections of the London Loop, and are a regular stop-off for walkers, dog owners, and families.
The Hogsmill is a globally rare chalk stream and has been the focus of years of habitat work, including the Chamber Mead wetland upstream to clean up polluted water before it reaches the river.
Gravel washed downstream from the wetland has built up where it joins the Hogsmill, helping to keep the stepping stone crossing underwater for much of this year.
The stones are more than just a way across the river, but a local landmark in a landscape immortalised by Victorian Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais, who used the Hogsmill near Ewell as the backdrop for his famous Ophelia.
Generations have treated the stones as a playful route over the water, but the joint statement warns that “until a public body formally takes responsibility for maintaining the structure and access steps, the long-term future of the stepping stones remains uncertain”.
Officials have described the current safety measures as an interim step while a more permanent solution – and someone to own and insure it – is agreed.
Although the stepping stones are still physically reachable, officials warn they can be slippery and unsafe. At present, the Environment Agency owns the riverbed and banks, but not the stones or steps.
It says it will remove the crossing unless another organisation agrees to take on inspections, maintenance, and liability, which Epsom and Ewell Borough Council is still debating.
According to a report to the committee, the Environment Agency “wishes to remove the stepping stones from the Hogsmill River unless another organisation agrees to assume responsibility for their ongoing safety and maintenance”.
Even if water levels fall, the stones will remain under review. Talks continue around the safety and maintenance of the stones.
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