Thames Path: Staines-on-Thames to Richmond

 

We are not sure exactly the message trying to be conveyed here or how to solve the problem. Unfortunately, that isn't necessarily territory we don't live in every day!

---

The Thames is as inexhaustible a subject as English history itself.---Jonathan Schneer

Overall, this part of the journey was flat and held a few surprises around some corners and a palace, but generally was riverside parks, a meadow scattered here and there and finally, the outskirts of London. 

First lock of the day: Penton Hook Lock. I have to retract my prior statement regarding no public bathrooms being available at locks. There was one here and it was clean. 

Chertsey was established by Saxon Kings, pillaged more than once by Vikings and the home to an Abbey, St Peters, established in AD 666 (not sure if the Catholic Church was concerned about this annum since Irenaeus in the 2nd century might actually have screwed it up...those scribal errors! and other documents report the antichrist numerically as 616.) From the river, we could not see the abbey, but as close as it is to Hampton Court (ala Henry VIII), it's probably gone. But there are some humorous balcony decorations on the fancy houses in the 'hood. 

Hard to tell, but it's the Blues Brothers on the upper deck

Your friendly neighborhood life-size polar bear statue. 

There aren't very many ferry crossings on the Thames Path, but we ran into one near Shepperton Lock. It's pretty obvious for anyone who might have anxiety about finding it. There's a bell on the waterfront, you ring it, and a teenager comes out and gives you a 90 second ride across the Thames. It's all easy, efficient and not terribly expensive.

Ferry cross the Thames operated by a 16-year old. He was good at it. 

Shepperton Lock Keeper's House. None too shabby!

Shepperton might be recognizable to some dystopian sci-fi fans as the long-time home of 1960s-1990s novelist, J G Ballard who even had some of his novels adapted to film, such as Crash and High Rise . We didn't knowingly see anything associated with him on our traverse along the Thames, but this seemed to be a wealthy area with lots of fences, so maybe?

East and West Molesey followed the almost imperceptible Walton-on-Thames (but it does sound nice). Molesey Lock just proceeds Hampton Court. 

Lock Keeper's house at Molesey

             In the process of reaching Hampton Court, we ran into two things we hadn't yet encountered on this trip:  1. Hoards of Englishpersons (mostly ladies in my age range in flowery apparel) cramming the trains and sidewalks for the annual Hampton Court Garden Festival and 2. Rain. We have been so fortunate as to have hardly experienced even a single drop in the first 145 miles of the walk, but this is, after all, England and that was bound to end. And it did. We ran into several very wet moments, but were rescued once by a nearby restaurant and the second time by the overhang of Richmond Lock. 

This event is a crowd-pleaser with plenty of people in attendance! Many of them bought plants at the gathering. 

Paul and I had the pleasure of a long private tour of Hampton Court in 2022 and highly recommend going there. Henry VIII and the story of his feud with the Catholic Church and his unsuccessful search for an heir (and heads rolling, etc.) is known to most of us, but there were other kings who lived here and the tennis court, a big different than the one of Wimbledon, but still serviceable, is still in use today. The gardens are indeed stunning.  Please make time to go there if you are in the hood. 

Although we didn't partake in much of the history, our next town was Kingston-on-Thames. Many argue that this is the start of London, although that remains a controversial statement. King Egbert in 838AD held a council here and the "king stone" was the site on which at least seven Anglo-Saxon kings of Wessex were crowned. The actual stone can be seen outside the Guildhall. There is also a museum of the history of Kingston for interested parties. 

We were more interested in the next town, Teddington. And why? After about 150 miles of walking, this is the site where the river Thames become TIDAL. And some argue that Teddington is the beginning of London. 

The footbridge at Teddington Lock where the Thames becomes a tidal river. 

At this point, a walker has to make a decision: North Bank or South Bank for the walk? We chose the south, because it is a bit more scenic and has less road-walking. We passed Ham Lands Nature Reserve and made a detour to Eel Pie Island. Eel Pie Island was famous for hosting many great bands in the early British music scene, including the Rolling Stones, the Who, Pink Floyd...you get the picture! It is not a very big island and is now home to an artist community. In fact, unless you live there, you are NOT allowed to come onto Eel Pie Island except for two weekends a year... and we happened to be passing by on one of them!  One interesting thing that happened on our detour and reiterated the change in the Thames was that we had to wade through the rising waters in the streets to get to the island as we came at the very peak of the tides. Overall, there wasn't all that much to see there, but a few artists did have their studios open. Some of the housing, as you might expect, was very creative. 

Paul gazing at the ever-widening Thames

Teddington Lock

Artist home on Eel Pie Island (with an ice cream on top!)

A lovely garden and cottage on Eel Pie Island, now an exclusive artist community

There were some very old trees along the nature preserve on the Thames. We were grateful to them during rainstorms. England has been around for awhile, and most large trees have been cut down for various uses. The dearth of large trees is a great contrast to home. 

We ended this part of the journey at Richmond Bridge---which some argue is the start of London as it holds the oldest modern bridge built in the 1770s. It's also the end of the District Line tube. And the last lock on the Thames. 

Richmond Lock and Bridge. For around two hours each side of high tide, the sluice gates are raised into the footbridge structure above, allowing ships and boats to pass through the barrage.  For the rest of the day the sluice gates are closed and passing river traffic must use the lock alongside the barrage.

From here forward, we will officially be journeying the Thames through London proper for the next 23 miles to the Barrier. 

"The Thames is dear to the Londoners. It is the scene of half their pleasures. In the summer season it is ever in their thoughts, and they are often on its bosom. He who in treating of the mighty metropolis would omit to devote a chapter to the Thames, would, in Cockney estimation, betray as great a want of judgment as the itinerant player who proposed performing Shakespeare's tragedy of Hamlet without the character of Hamlet himself."  ----William Blake

Paul's Ponderings:   The walk continues and we finally reach metro London!   From here on, the transport options get much better.    Likewise the weather has turned to be much cooler, albeit with minimal moisture thank goodness.   We've had some time off and our minor foot blisters are much better.   The walking path has gotten much improved as well.     While it is still "path" and not paved, it is not head high overgrowth, which would be much more miserable in this weather with the low level dampness.      As an aside, we've had quite a bit of great food on this trip so far.    We are well over 120 miles into this walk and are moving right along.   

 

                                                         

Thames Path: Henley-on-Thames to Staines-on-Thames

 

Teams practicing for the Henley-on-Thames Regatta. There is a Rowing Museum here, but we saw the live version instead...

Oh these are our joys, and this our toil;
And this is truth that I now record;
Rowing is – what with blister and boil, 
And the rain and the sewers – its own reward.
Yet every day it is just the same 
Though my nose be red and my fingers blue,
I visit the river and sink my name 
And become one-eighth of an eight-oared crew.

Anon, a la Newbolt

Henley-on-Thames was in full "about to have a world famous regatta" mode when we arrived the following day to make our way further along the Thames. It reminded us of Bonnaroo or even a UT football game (without the tents.)

Lodging for some during the regatta

The lanes in which the rowing takes place for 2,112 meters (a little over a mile)

Where it all begins

From here, our next stop was a "deer park"-- a large private property which amazingly allows easement for walkers. We didn't see any deer, but the grounds were large and well-manicured.  Temple Lock  which has been around since the 1700s was a good rest stop. 

We encountered many beautiful wildflowers along the way and there were still many meadows in addition to many lovely homes on the river 

Temple Lock and Lock Keeper's home

Hurley Lock, next on the river, had a tea shop and numerous people were lounging about at the lock, which we haven't seen before, although they nearly all have a bench. We often stopped at locks for water breaks or even lunch and watched the boats come through. For anyone expecting bathrooms for the public at the locks (as sometimes mentioned in guide books), we haven't found many have one and if they do, they aren't open. 

Lounging at the Hurley lock

Marlow, next town on the lock, is noteworthy for literary works of Mary Shelley (Frankenstein) and her poet hubby, Percy Bysse Shelley, and Thomas Love Peacock who wrote Nightmare Abbey. If you happen to pass through, scribble something down. It might become a masterpiece! 

All Saints Church in Marlow is next to the bridge,  right on the river and the bells were tolling for a wedding when we arrived.  There's a lovely bakery, Burgers, where we ate lunch just up on the high street and also Amarino's which is a gelato shop that shapes ice cream as roses. We didn't eat it but it looked awesome.

Next Stop: Cookham. This was a quiet hamlet with not much to either recommend or detract you from it (except a particularly nasty unisex public restroom at the rail station), but it is the home of Stanley Spencer, a former soldier and then famous artist with unique outlook on the world , and also Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows. 

Stanley Spencer interpreted many situations within the confines of Cookham, his home town.  This one is Christ Preaches at the Cookham Regatta. There are several paintings in this series. There is a gallery of his work in Cookham for anyone interested. 

On now to Maidenhead, the former constituency of Theresa May, ousted and retired Prime Minister who implemented Brexit. Notable of this town is that if you let the riverside be the judge, everyone here appears to be very wealthy!

The river gets ever wider!

A little riverside "cottage" Maidenhead style.

And then it was Boveney Lock...

This is the only lock keeper's house on the entire path without a garden and in fact, the yard was disheveled. We sat on a bench to eat our lunch and it was a memorial bench to the "retired" lock keepers wife, so perhaps no one is living here now. 

Paul always has a smile for chocolates for dessert on the trail!

Next stop: Eton/Windsor. We overnighted at the George Inn which has been a coaching in since 1750 and currently also has a brewery.  It's in Eton, directly across from the Windsor Castle. We were shocked at the sheer size of Windsor Castle. How does anyone find their way about inside of it?  I would need a map app just for that. And there is a massive amount of property owned by the Royals and about the same amount owned by Eton School much of which we walked past (but not inside of) the following day. 

No air-conditioning, but a quiet inn on the High Street of Eton. Take a meal Cote if you can. It's nice French food at reasonable prices with a view of Windsor Castle. 

I had to pinch this photo from the internet. No way I could get this view from the "outside." 

From here we passed through Old Windsor, mostly riverside, with not that many towns or such. We did meet an interesting mechanical engineer from Australia who looked slightly older than us. He is hiking select areas of the Thames Path and I wish I had gotten a photo of him, as he designed his own device for hauling his bags and luggage out of recycled items from "the trash heap and recycle. " Interesting, inventive  chap that we walked with for about a mile. 

Old Windsor Lock

A friend who walked ahead of us on the path

And it keeps getting wider

We felt obligated (especially so close to the 4th of July) to see the location that the Magna Carta was agreed to by King John and the barons in 1215. Apparently, although it is said it was signed there, there is of course, historical controversy. Mostly likely it was signed elsewhere by the king but there was a meeting somewhere around Runnymede to hold a discussion. Paul and I both remember studying about the Magna Carta as early as grade school. There's a great large park there to commemorate the document. 

They are proud of the Magna Carta. Why not? I am too!

Lovely display in the fields leading up to an art exhibit symbolizing freedoms and made from thatch

A better look at these sculptures

To mark 800 years since the sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede, the National Trust unveiled The Jurors, an intricate artwork in the Runnymede landscape celebrating the endurance of Magna Carta. Created by artist Hew Locke to examine the changing and ongoing significance of Magna Carta. The Jurors is not a memorial to the barons who met with King John , but an invitation to sit down and reflect upon the histories depicted in the artwork. Each bronze chair incorporates a main image on the front and back, representing key moments in the struggle for freedom and civil rights worldwide , and is embellished with flowers, keys and other significant symbols. The artist has colored and polished some areas, as well as adding slashes and gouges to the surfaces. The result is a rich layering of imagery, marks and textures.

This is the actual Magna Carta memorial site. The Magna Carta was established due to a struggle between King John (brother of Richard the Lionhearted who was NOT as successful of a military campaigner as his sibling) and the barons during the reign of feudal law.  Feudal barons were depended upon for both monetary support and to supply an army.  Traditionally, barons were consulted prior to any additonal taxation, but after returning from France and losing control of land there, King John made a mistake oft repeated by the British monarchy--taxation without representation. He didn't consult with the barons prior to imposing new tax burdens. They rebelled and captured London. That probably didn't sit well, but...eventually they would "come to terms" in Runnymede.  The Magna Carta, mostly written by the Archbishop of Canterbury,  was not the first document to provide a "bill of rights" of sorts, even though it is the most recognized but it gave certain rights to people 'no matter what" and allowed all men the right to access to the legal system and limited the power of the king. Today the document is seen as a first step toward democracy and has influenced the constitution of many countries.  Interestingly, this monument was erected by... The American Bar Association on property deeded to the USA by Queen Elizabeth for purposes of establishing a John F Kennedy memorial in tribute to his contributions to civil rights in the USA.

The JFK Memorial in Runnymede

 

Onward we trudged from this point toward our goal of Staines-on-Thames and the last lock we were able to see (there were some only accessible from the other side of the Thames) was the Belle Weir Lock .

Belle Weir Lock does not have a garden but does have civil rights paintings on the building. 

It's a short distance from here to Egham and across the river, Staines-on-Thames. Most of the day we were accompanied by  passenger trains and/or planes on the flight path to Heathrow. We did see a few bovines, but I suspect this is the last stop for livestock? Time will tell!

There's fifty-two stations on the Northern Line

None of them is yours, one of them is mine 

--- Robin Hitchcock

Paul's Ponderings:  We had quite a busy period of walking; we've been humping it mileage wise for most of the past several days.   Both of us have some minor blisters but otherwise all good.   The good news is that this path is mostly flat, albeit long-ish if you do it all in one go, as we are.   The weather has cooled, thank goodness, after a few days of VERY warm walking.    Seeing Runnymede was pretty impressive -- having been taught about the Magna Carta early in in school, I had not realized it was "here".   Likewise, Windsor Castle is massive -- we did not have time to go take a tour (maybe one day), but it dominates the town in a major way.   The path was much improved over the early days; no overgrown Queen Anne's lace/etc.    It is both scenic and heavily trafficked here and no doubt on through London.     We now take off to attend Wimbledon for a day, which is going to be great.   We are now 2/3 of the way through this walk.    Looking forward to the remainder!

Thames Path: Reading to Henley-on-Thames

 

There is nearly any kind of boat you can name on the Thames. With the popularity of rowing between Oxford and Reading, it's not wonder you can rent a dragon row boat. 

"Only the one who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat."        Jean-Paul Sartre

After a pizza and good rest at the Ibis Hotel in downtown Reading, today's planned walk was 11 miles from  Henley-on-Thames, but ended up being more like 13. But more about that later...For transport reasons, we walked upriver to Reading.

A market town since 1269, Henley-on-Thames  (once home to George Harrison and final resting place of Dusty Springfield) seems to be an affluent community nowadays. It is the host to the Henley Royal Regatta, a boat race that attracts rowers worldwide and is held in early July (which apparently raises hotel prices to astronomical levels.) This race started in 1839 and predates international boating contest rules, so they can pretty much make them up for themselves. 

Not your average city phallic symbol, the Henley-on-Thames obelisk, now stands on the Thames. Built in 1788 of Portland Stone, and marking the center of the city, the obelisk was inscribed with the distances to Reading, Oxford and London and a water pump was built nearby to wash down the pavement after each Thursday market.

Two gas lamps were later affixed to its northern and southern faces. In the 1970s when a roundabout was fashioned in the center of town, the obelisk was moved. It was found to be in sufficient disrepair that having it fall over was a real concern, so it now decorates the Thames Path in a location unlikely to cause any real harm. 

Five-arched Henley-on-Thames bridge

From here, we were having a lovely walk on the Thames toward Shiplake (birthplace of George Orwell)  when it was so rudely interrupted by a "diversion" (better known to Yanks as a detour). The bridge at Marsh Lock has been out for two years and in a very American maneuver, no one can agree who is to pay for the repairs, and therefore, none are done. I don't mind diversions too badly, but this one was poorly marked and led to a bit of additional walking besides the detour itself. The good part was that we got to walk through the Harpeth Woods which was a lovely place and eventually we did get back to the river. 

Paul in the forest 

Our walk back to the Thames led us past St Peter and Paul Church in Shiplake  with its lovely graveyard full of weathered stones. 

Alfred Tennyson was married here and instead of paying the vicar in cash, he gave him a poem. 

We had a nice lunch next to the boathouse for the exclusive Shiplake College and met a nice couple and their furbaby dog. They told us to watch out in Marlow, because there is a bridge out there as well. We will certainly be checking the Thames Path website in the future!

The remainder of the walk was fairly uneventful with mostly waterside perambulating among the usual ducks, geese and swans...and even some swoose (a hybrid from mating by a goose and a swan. Swans, we learned, can also mate with ducks but those eggs never hatch.) We are starting to see fewer and fewer farm animals. 

The next bridge was Sonning Bridge near another expensive private school, the Blue Coat School. 

The only lock we were able to visit today was the Sonning Lock. As usual, the lock keeper's home had beautiful gardens. We also went in the vicinity of Marsh Lock which wasn't accessible and missed Shiplake Lock due to the detour. Caversham Lock was on an island and not on the path. Bad day for viewing locks!

Obviously, we made it into Reading and had a coppa. 

The walking has been long today, but much easier as the Path is better maintained and we are passing through more towns/hamlet which often have very well-kept and often paved paths.  

The river Thames that by our door doth pass,
His first beginning is but small and shallow;
Yet, keeping on his course, grows to a sea.       

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Paul's Ponderings:  We had a pleasantly cool day out walking today but it ended up being about 13 miles.   We had a very lengthy unexpected detour just past Henley On Thames that added quite a bit of distance.   All good though as we still were back in Reading by 4 pm in time for a pint at a restaurant near the path.    Tonight we had a dinner with a work colleague from the UK.   We are now over 100 miles into the path.   The next couple of days will likely put us over 125 miles, so we are making great headway.  

Thames Path: Cullham to Reading

 

The non-tidal Thames grows ever wider as we sojourn its banks

“There is no river in the world to be compared for majesty and the witchery of association, to the Thames; it impresses even the unreading and unimaginative watcher with a solemnity which he cannot account for, as it rolls under his feet and swirls past the buttresses of its many bridges; he may think, as he experiences the unusual effect, that it is the multiplicity of buildings which line its banks, or the crowd of sea-craft which floats upon its surface, or its own extensive spread. In reality he feels, although he cannot explain it, the countless memories which hang for ever like a spiritual fog over its rushing current.

("The Phantom Model")”
― Hume Nisbet, Gaslit Nightmares: Stories by Robert W. Chambers, Charles Dickens, Richard Marsh, and Others

We took a very nice rest day after a week of walking and visited Oxford University. That would be an entire blog on its own, with all the history and famous figures (not to mention Harry Potter--oh wait-- I just did!), and I will omit any other mention of this other than seeing the bar where William Jefferson Clinton did NOT inhale marijuana. If you get to Oxford, allow yourself at least one day if not two to see the campus and the many colleges and historical sites. 

Now, on to the walk.  I will cover various features from Culham to Reading.

We returned to Culham to start where we left off and toward Clifton Hampden, named for Oliver Cromwell's cousin who owned a manor there. 

The Clifton Lock keepers cottage. Red brick which is a standout since most are stone. Also a standout, is that this lock keeper sold ice cream. I wish I had a photo of the smile on Paul's face when ice cream was offered. 

Clifton Bridge, also red brick and lovely. Paul and I from here walked through many many meadows toward Reading. A nature trust appears to own most of the land along the Thames as wildlife preserves, although there are also a considerable number of private properties that allow a narrow band of easement for which we were very grateful. In areas where owners did not allow such things, there were often long detours around hamlets and walks on roads, some major thoroughfares. 

From here we wandered past Dorchester on Thames which we could see less than a mile from the path. In retrospect, I wish we had wandered into the tiny village as it was quite historical and once a Roman garrison with an amphitheater. We saw no evidence of that, but what was apparent was a large church in a small hamlet.  Dorchester Abbey mostly survived the wrath of Henry VIII. Also here Bishop Birinius in the 7th century converted the Saxon king, Cynegils to Christianity. He made an alliance with already Christian King Oswald of Northumbria and essentially paved the way for Britain to become the Christian nation that resulted thereafter as they "overcame" pagan Mercians. 

Then we were off the the Day Lock and just beyond it, the Wittenham Clumps--a pair of chalk hills that probably wouldn't stand out so much if they weren't planted on an area of extreme flatness. 

Lock keeper's cottage at Day's Lock 

 A standout just past the bridge at Day's Lock: Wittenham Clumps--basically, a hillock.

Onward we marched to Shillingford, where we had to walk on the road for a very hot distance. I can't say much to recommend this small town except that we had a very nice and cool lunch at the Shillingford Bridge Hotel. 

Shillingford Bridge Hotel. A nice respite on a very hot day. Try the Croque Monsieur

During the walk, we passed a way from Benson, an RAF Base, and although we never saw it on the path, we often saw helicopters and airplanes overhead. We eventually reached Wallingford which is a nice little town with tons of history. There is a castle (or remains thereof) built by the Normans in the 12th century. And lots of historic churches, cafes, and a very amazing Waitrose where we secured lunch one day.  

We didn't see Benson, but we did see Benson Lock where the lock keeper has a beautiful garden. 

From Wallingford to Pangbourne, there is mostly walking along the river through meadows and encountering only the twin towns of Goring and Streatley. During the Ice Age, the Thames River was forced through the valley by glaciers to follow its current course.  

Mouldsford double-arched railway viaduct: Paul and I stopped underneath for a water break on a hot day.

Due to some construction detours, Paul and I missed two locks but we did get a ride upriver on a ferry for about a quarter of a mile which was very enjoyable. The Thames path crosses the river many times, and this was our only option. We didn't mind not walking a short distance on a 12 mile walking day!

Another thing we encountered that was unique was a walk UPHILL (the back down to the river). This has been almost all either flat or minor up/down for a few feet, but this one was for real. 

Wallingford Bridge. 

Spectator on the Thames Path

When we reached Pangbourne, we walked along a paved road to the rail station where we were treated (not) to a dose of the problems we read about in the paper regarding Great Western Railway: cancelled trains. Since we were > 20 miles from Oxford, it presented quite an issue, but we eventually were able to secure a long bus ride back. I really enjoyed the ride, even though it wasn't planned, as it gave an interesting view of the area we didn't get on ground level and walking speed. But it was still frustrating and I would warn anyone following in our path to make sure there are at least two ways to travel if you are using a city as a "home base." 

Pangbourne to Reading was also a series of meadows and small villages until just before Reading proper. 

It keeps getting wider!

A church claiming Lewis Carroll preached there.

Mapledurham Lock. Last one before Reading

Rowing is massively popular, especially in this area between Oxford and Reading. There are many boathouses and we saw rowing teams of many sizes and compositions come by. 

Rowers need somewhere to leave their shoes!

The last village of note before Reading was Purley-on-Thames where we made a big detour on the river to escape the GWR train tracks. This appears to be a bedroom community for Reading.

Farming is still practiced in Purley and, although the vineyard of the past has apparently gone, arable farming, dairy and livestock farming still exist in the parish. Purley today is a village of more than 1,600 households and is still growing.  There is no doctor’s surgery, no pub, no police station, no cash dispenser/ATM, no petrol station and only a limited mobile library service.   The Post Office in Purley on Thames having closed a local voluntary group has organised a post office service to take place on Monday afternoons (other than Bank Holidays) between 2.15 and 4.15 pm in the small Barn at Goosecroft Recreation Ground. 

From here it was a flat walk into Reading amongst ducks, several types of geese, swans, marsh hens, and narrowboats on the river.  Tired feet beneath us, we were ready for our evenings rest at the Ibis City Center!

“The Thames here had a vastly different character to the wide, muddy tyrant that seethed through London. It was graceful and deft and remarkably light of heart. It skipped over stones and skimmed its banks, water so clear that one could see the reeds swaying deep down on her narrow bed. The river here was a she, he'd decided. For all its sunlit transparency, there were certain spots in which it was suddenly unfathomable.”
― Kate Morton, The Clockmaker's Daughter

Paul's Ponderings:  A couple of very warm and somewhat long days of hiking along the path.    Due to failures of the GWR trains, we spent quite a bit of time on buses moving around, but it all worked out.   We are now over 1/2 way through the path and pretty much no rain, which is great.   Lots of good food in the evening after all these long days out -- and long means it gets dark at 10 pm here.    Once we get past Reading, our transport issues should lessen quite a bit    For now, our walk continues and we are moving into cooler weather, which is great.