One of the features of the Thames locally (and elsewhere in London) is the lack of bridges which, for me, means there are only two crossing places that I can easily walk to; and they are, going north to south, Richmond Bridge, Teddington Lock Footbridge and Kingston Bridge. Several of my regular walks take in two of these, i.e. Teddington Lock and either Richmond Bridge or Kingston Bridge.
That gives me two basic routes and as I can do them in either direction that makes four. Then I can vary each of them as I go to add more variety and interest.
This is an example of using Teddington Look Footbridge and Richmond Bridge travelling clockwise.
There are various ways that I can get to Teddington Lock and the prettiest is to head straight for the river.
On the other side of the bridge there is no path along the river and the main road that parallels it is busy and boring so I usually head into Teddington. Where and how far I do this depends on my mood. This time I went quite a way away from the river before heading past St Mary's University and rejoining the river at Radnor Gardens.
The river disappeared again until I got to Twickenham Riverside, by Eel Pie Island, which is one of the prettiest parts of the route. It is all nice from there until the other side of Marble Hill Park. I could have stayed by the river then but it is a longer route and I was getting late for my afternoon tea (no cafe stops any more)!
Once over Richmond Bridge it is back home along the river and the only question is when to breakaway from the towpath and head home. The quickest route is to do that early, as the river bends at Petersham and the longest is to follow the river all the way back to Teddington Lock. This time I took the medium option and followed the river to Ham House then walked straight up Ham Street and past Ham Common. Ham Street is full of old buildings and is (mostly) quiet.
This variation of the route was 12.5 km and took a leisurely 2 and a half hours.
That gives me two basic routes and as I can do them in either direction that makes four. Then I can vary each of them as I go to add more variety and interest.
There are various ways that I can get to Teddington Lock and the prettiest is to head straight for the river.
On the other side of the bridge there is no path along the river and the main road that parallels it is busy and boring so I usually head into Teddington. Where and how far I do this depends on my mood. This time I went quite a way away from the river before heading past St Mary's University and rejoining the river at Radnor Gardens.
The river disappeared again until I got to Twickenham Riverside, by Eel Pie Island, which is one of the prettiest parts of the route. It is all nice from there until the other side of Marble Hill Park. I could have stayed by the river then but it is a longer route and I was getting late for my afternoon tea (no cafe stops any more)!
Once over Richmond Bridge it is back home along the river and the only question is when to breakaway from the towpath and head home. The quickest route is to do that early, as the river bends at Petersham and the longest is to follow the river all the way back to Teddington Lock. This time I took the medium option and followed the river to Ham House then walked straight up Ham Street and past Ham Common. Ham Street is full of old buildings and is (mostly) quiet.
This variation of the route was 12.5 km and took a leisurely 2 and a half hours.
I had to cross the bridge at Teddington lock every day for 5 years and then down broom road to my school which at the time was Teddington boys.
ReplyDeleteIt changed after I left in 1982