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Published: October 13th 2019
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The White Hart Inn19 September 2019, Thursday
Kingston on Thames to Putney Bridge London day 18 of Thames Path, day 34 of travel
A note about the previous blog. Harlan's brother-in-law and Bob, a friend from Anthem, have given identification to our 'oreo' cows!' They are Banded Galloways bred in Scotland.
A 15.9 mile day.
Left the White Hart hotel around 0800 with plans to walk to the cafe at Petersham Nursery for breakfast (Google says open at 0900). We crossed over the bridge and at the lower level of the John Lewis building we saw the archeological section of a arched roof structure of a very early 14th century merchant's house. This is the exact spot the barrel-vaulted cellar and ornate chequerboard flint and chalk walls were discovered when working in the old bridge abutments.
We elected to follow the much shorter south shore of the Thames but the path is on both sides of the river. Now we see more commercial ships and traffic on the river.
A tree has been planted to replace the ancient elm at Half-Mile marking this distance from Central Kingston.
Teddington weir is the largest lock complex on the Thames. Three
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A white hart above door locks are used here. One for large barges.
Our book describes boating mania of the late 19 century. The entire river covered by boats. One could walk from South to North shore by just stepping from one boat deck to the next.
Below the lock a stone pillar marks the Port Authority of London and Thames Conservancy jurisdiction boundary in the river. We continue on past several mansions and estates.
There is one perfect view, as we walk along, of The Royal Star and Garter Home, a magnificent red brick building topping Richmond Hill. It was the former accomodations and nursing facility for 180 seriously injured servicemen.
Ham House is an historic house, with formal gardens, set back from the River Thames. It is claimed by the National Trust to be "unique" in Europe as the most complete survival of 17th c. fashion and power.
Ham Lands consists of woodland, grassland, wetland and scrub beside the Thames. During the thirty-five years before the Second War the area was extensively used for gravel extraction but after the war the gravel pits were back-filled with rubble from war-damaged buildings in London.
At Petersham Nursery, after finding the
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14th century cellar roof and wall construction. place with several helpful villagers, they served only coffee and pastries. Their lunch is accompanied with fine china and crystal for high prices in the greenhouses. Norma told us later that several years before she had taken her friends there for lunch and recalled it as memorably very expensive. But the nursery is magnificent to browse in. A large pad of our Neveda cactus fetches 35 to 54 GBP or more than $40. Karen laughed at seeing this as the morning before leaving she whacked off some huge cactus pads for unceremonial disposal as it was getting treacherous to try and pass down the side path of our house without running into them!
After meandering for more than an hour we head on down river and soon see Wendy, our wonderful walking companion from Toronto.
We pass by the lovely Old Deer Park, so called to distinguish it from Richmond Park, further up the hill, where the deer now live!
One can almost picture themselves in sylvan woods in the west of England where this adventure began--were it not for the jets thundering overhead! The path continues onward. All of a sudden the vista opens up and
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Teddington locks and weir for the first time one sees the towering blocks of London proper.
The tidal waters begin below Richmond Lock and weir. The weir is opened 2 hours before high tide and closed 2 hours after to maintain flow for river traffic which would not have sufficient water at low tide. The tide was going out and river bottom close to empty as we walked. Many of the boats are resting on the exposed river bottom.
After a few more miles and bends in the river we come by Kew Gardens and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The gardens cover 131 hectares and has existed for more than 250 years. It houses the world's largest collection of living plants. It also has a major scientific centre.
Just pass here we stop at the Cricketer Pub for a sandwich. We have just under 6 miles to get to Putney Bridge.
After passing Kew Bridge we encounter one of the most beautiful and green lengths of the path. It is pleasantly countrified, along a track with trees and flowering bushes on both sides.
The bridges continue to intrigue. Chiswick Bridge is ahead. There are 33 bridges over the tidal
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The history of the River Thames and aviation in the UK Thames.
We pass by an enormous brewery complex, whose history stretches back 200 years; after many years as Watney's it is now owned by Budweiser.
There are now rowers on the river and myriads of joggers.
Rounding a bend we see the beautiful Hammersmith Bridge, in all its green and gold glory. It has towers of wrought iron clad in ornamental cast iron and is detailed in gold.
Coming up is the old Victorian building -- Harrods Furniture Depository. The Baroque monstrosity housed furniture too big for the store itself. Red brick and terracotta construction has each wing topped with pillared cupolas. Now it is luxury flats for the wealthy.
Now up ahead is the London Wetland Centre. On their website they unabashedly proclaim it is "the best urban wildlife site in Europe." Birds, amphibians, and other creatures find a welcome habitat here.
We now trod a quiet road with the unassuming name -- "The Embankment."
At last, the Putney Bridge and our lodging, "Premium Inn," is in sight! It has been a long day but this stretch of the river has been so interesting and 'green' I would like to give it
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The float planes used the river as their runway much more time -- alas, the big city is beckoning.
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