Date: Saturday 2nd February 2013
Route: Hammersmith Bridge to Kingston Bridge along the Thames Path
Distance: 11.5 miles
After a couple of weeks off from walking, a bright sunny day seemed like a good reason to walk one of the stretches of the path that we are most familiar with. This section of the Thames Path is one of the first that we walked regularly when we first moved to London - and have walked regularly ever since - and is highly recommended.
Whilst the path is very popular with walkers, runners and cyclists, it definitely feels as if you are leaving the city behind as you leave Hammersmith and head through the trees. You're always aware of the fact that this is Boat Race territory, passing multiple boat-houses, hard-pulling rowers and no-nonsense coaches (complete with loud-hailers) encouraging them to row even harder.
The walk also passes a number of grand and impressive houses, from George III's unpretentious palace at Kew Gardens, to the imposing silhouette of Syon House and onwards past Marble Hill House and Ham House, where the recent film of Anna Karenina was filmed. Henry VIII's Richmond Palace is also hidden from view behind a wall on the outskirts of Richmond.
We have often combined a section of this walk with a boat trip from Central London in the summer - you can catch a boat from the Embankment out to Kew, Richmond, Teddington or even all the way to Hampton Court (although if you opt for the latter, you do spend rather a lot of the day waiting to get through the locks at Richmond and Teddington, so your walking time is pretty restricted!).
Richmond's Tide Tables cafe makes a great lunch/ cake stop but if you get hungry before then, you can always stop off in Barnes (erstwhile home of Gustav Holst!) or near Kew Bridge. Richmond also boasts a number of great riverside pubs (though probably best avoided when there is a rugby match on!) and a Saturday Farmer's Market not far from the Thames Path.
The path alternates from tarmac and gravel to more muddy stretches and it is worth keeping an eye on the tide, as the path can get flooded at certain times (there are more than a few "diversion in case of flood" signs!). Having waded through a very cold flooded section near Petersham in the winter twilight a few years ago, I would not wish that experience on anyone. At this time of year, the fields alongside the path also are often flooded or providing drainage for the river's overflow.
The amount of birds along the river increases dramatically on this stretch - with the usual ducks and moorhens being joined by the herons that nest near Kew Bridge and the parakeets that you often hear before you see the flash of green overhead.
No matter how many times we walk this section of path, there is always something new to see, great places to stop off en route, beautiful views to appreciate and riverside dwellers to envy. The next section will take us past the familiar territory of Kingston to Hampton Court and further out into the countryside - really looking forward to it.
