Author: Leigh Hatts

Starting today Monday 8 January there is a diversion on the approach to Oxford.

When drawing level with the Cherwell and the start of the boathouses on the far bank it is necessary to turn inland.

The turning is at first narrow before widening with a hard surface as the Eastwyke Farm Pathway by the Oxford Spires Hotel.

At Abingdon Road go right along the pavement for half a mile to reach Folly Bridge.

The temporary route is expected to be in place until at least the end of January.

 

The Christmas holiday has seen a further improvement on the path between Vauxhall and Chelsea Bridge.

The new route does not yet follow the riverside at Battersea Power Station but it does take the walker away from the unpleasant  continuation of Nine Elms Lane known as Battersea Park Road.

ROUTE UPDATE: Vauxhall to Chelsea Bridge
It is now possible to stay by the river between Vauxhall Bridge and Heathwall Pumping Station at Nine Elms. On the way you pass close to the new USA Embassy where there is new seating.

The path turns inland to join Nine Elms Lane opposite Waitrose which had a handy toilet and cafe.

From here go right along the main road for short distance to turn back towards the river, passing between two tall buildings, and join Tideway Walk with its houseboats.

Pass the new glass Nine Elms Tavern (left). Where the path comes up against a wall go inland down Kirtling Street and left into Cringle Street to return to the main road.

Turn right along the busy Battersea Park Road passing the other end of Kirtling Street (right) and the giant Bookers Wholesale (left).

Look out on the right for the gated Pump House Lane.

Go through the gate and follow the winding Pump House Lane through the Battersea Power Station construction site.

The road rises to run close to the south end of the power station where there is a very good view of the interior.

Soon the road passes new shops (left) and reaches the river.

Bear left with the new building and restaurants to pass under the upstream Grosvenor Bridge carrying the Victoria railway line.

After a short distance the path is on a new platform as it goes under Chelsea Bridge to enter (beyond current gas pipe works) Battersea Park.

Christmas Morning Service on BBC1 is coming live from All Saints Church in Fulham.

It’s the church with the tower seen among the trees at the north end of Putney Bridge.

Its peal of bells was often rung when Elizabeth I was being rowed up or down the river between London and Richmond Palace.

The church retains a rural backdrop thanks to the once moated  Fulham Palace.

Walkers will also be familiar with St Mary’s Putney at the south end of the bridge where the Thames Path runs round the back.

The broadcast from All Saints starts at 10am.

The GMB Southern region which is highlighting opposition to the Nine Elms Bridge plan has called on Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to withhold support.

The cycle and foot crossing would cost around £100m according to opponents.

The union statement follows a written reply by Sadiq Khan to a question in the London Assembly.

The unpopular proposed bridge would be opposite the already controversial new US Embassy at Nine Elms.

One issue is how much attractive open water should be covered by new crossings. This was a major objection to the Garden Bridge at Waterloo which failed to win local support.

The GMB claims that the following now oppose the major landscape change at Nine Elms:

Leonie Cooper, London Assembly member for Wandsworth

Tony Devenish, London Assembly member for Westminster

Sian Berry, Green leader London Assembly

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of Lib Dems of London Assembly

Westminster Labour Group

Wandsworth Labour Group

Westminster Conservative Party

Battersea Labour Party

North Battersea Alliance against the Bridge

Pimlico Alliance

Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea

Rosena Alin Khan, MP for Tooting

Ibrahim Dogus, former parliamentary candidate for Westminster South

Mark Field, MP for Westminster South

May Morris: Art & Life exhibition at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow gives  glimpse of her life by the Thames in London and Oxfordshire.

May was the daughter of William Morris who lived by the river at 8 Hammersmith Terrace in London and upstream at remote Kelmscott near Lechlade.

William founded the Chiswick Press which in 1903 published May’s play White Lies.

Nearby on the river at Chiswick was lived Emery Walker who ran the Kelmscott Press.

May was an active supporter of the Socialist League Hammersmith branch.

But she loved Kelmscott and a long embroidery in the London house featured a view of Kelmscott in middle.

In the country she lived a frugal but self-sufficient life.

A painting shows May in the dining room at Kelmscott Manor as she checks proofs of The Collected Works of William Morris which she spent years editing.

One of the black and white photographs is of May’s funeral at Kelmscott in 1938 when her body was carried on a farm cart.

The May Morris exhibition is at William Morris Gallery, Forest Road, Walthamstow E17 4PP until Sunday 28 January; open Wednesday to Sunday; admission free.

Kelmscott Manor is open in the summer.

 

 

 

 

Eel Pie Island is home to 26 artists and twice a year, in winter and summer, the studios open their doors to visitors who can purchase or commission new art works.

The next open weekend is Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December 11am to 5pm.

Access is by an old toll bridge from the Twickenham bank.

Tide Tables Cafe at Richmond is easily missed but is probably the best place to stop.

You find Tide Tables Cafe underneath Richmond Bridge. Walking river thames societupstream you can pass through the tunnel under the bridge. There are two more to the left. One is still a boat builders. The furthest inland is Tide Times Cafe.

It’s open all day with good food. My vegetarian lasagne and salad was £10. On weekdays coffee refills are free.

There is  skiff hanging above the counter and magazines available to read include Thames Guardian.

If you need to keep looking at the river, maybe watching the tide, you can site outside on the downstream side.  Blankets can be borrowed from the basket at the door.

 

Hollyhock Café: Also run by the same management is Hollyhock Café in nearby Terrace Gardens. It has  good view over the river from its high position.

To find the little rustic building continue upstream along the towpath from Richmond Bridge. When the houses and gardens end, but before Petersham Meadows, look for Grotto Gate low down on the left. A tunnel leads to steps running up to Terrace Gardens.

Hollyhock Café share the same menu as Tide Times.

This Saturday afternoon 18 November sees the first consultation exhibition for the proposed Rotherhithe Bridge.

The display is at Canada Water Library, next to the station, from 12.30 to 4.30pm.

The plan is to build a crossing between Rotherhithe Street and the Isle of Dogs for walkers and cyclists. It needs to be able to open to allow large ships to reach the Pool of London.

The debates will centre round the need for a crossing and how high, or intrusive, the bridge would be.

Also under discussion is the landing point on the Thames Path. The right bank (south) offers options at Durand’s Wharf or Nelson Dock.

Views can be given online where there is a list of consultation events.

This first public consultation is open until Monday 8 January 2018.

The White Cross pub in Richmond often has  a flooded frontage but today there was a wide beach by the towpath.

This afternoon the river next to Petersham Meadows was unusually dramatic with people walking on the river bed. Glover Island was accessible from the Twickenham bank.

There is good news for anyone setting out on the Thames Path this half term week.

When you reach Inglesham in Wiltshire you will not have to call a taxi to avoid a dangerous road walk. You can now follow the river.

Until this autumn the way upstream from Inglesham Church involved a detour of almost two miles which included a mile long walk on a main road to Upper Inglesham.

This road had become increasingly busy since the Thames path opened 20 years ago.

In quieter times the Thames Path passing through Upper Inglesham at least had the advantage of being handy for a now closed YHA hostel.

Isolated Inglesham Church, just outside Lechlade, is delightful and unspoilt thanks to William Morris who stopped unnecessary restoration.

So on reaching the lane at Inglesham many walkers go right for a short distance to look inside.

Turning right will now be normal. No need to go left for the main road.

On leaving the church go down the churchyard steps to cross the quiet lane and take a wide mature grass path opposite.

After a stream/ditch go right to the river and turn upstream.

New signage and gates help to make the way easy to understand.

The new route turns inland along the Bydemill Brook to join the existing line from the end of the long path out of Upper Ingelsham.

This is the point where the path fords the brook.

The new Inglesham riverside path avoiding the main road was discussed 35 years ago and backed by the Ramblers’ Association thirty years ago.

This is a major and very welcome improvement to the Thames Path.