Author: Leigh Hatts

There is growing concern in Greenwich about the future of Enderby Wharf on the Greenwich Peninsula.

This is where the world’s first telegraph cables were made enabling people to send and receive messages in minutes rather than days or weeks.

Much of the wharf is being redeveloped by Barratt Homes and the focus of concern is the future of Enderby House which was built in about 1835 by Charles and George Enderby.

Elizabeth Enderby was the mother of General Gordon of Khartoum who spent his last night in England at the house.

Updates on the situation and consultations can be found on a new Enderby Wharf website.

Bugsby’s Reach, the first reach on the Thames Path, is not going to be renamed Waterman’s Reach.

The idea of marking the 5ooth anniversary of the Waterman’s Company sounded  a good idea but losing the name Bugsby’s meant losing a link with the mysterious past.

The move was first reported announced last year by the Port of London Authority and the consultation in March this year.

It’s a welcome and surprise decision. It is also surprising that only 47 people responded to the consultation.

The decision notice has been issued by the PLA.

There is increasing dismay at the council plan in Maidenhead which will not only leave the towpath closed but also reduce a much valued green space.

A  report by the Sport and Recreation Alliance confirms that outdoor recreation is the UK’s favourite pastime.

The Reconomics report reveals:

People spending their day enjoying outdoor recreation spent £21 billion in 2012/13
Walking tourism supports almost a quarter of a million jobs
Outdoor recreation can make a significant contribution to tackling the cost of looking after unfit people.

Key proposals for government action also published by the Alliance includes a call for better public transport in rural areas.

The announcement, made on Wednesday 12 June at Westminster just yards from the Thames Path, is supported by British Mountaineering Council, Campaign for National Parks, English Outdoor Council, Living Streets, Open Spaces Society, Outdoor Industries Association (Britain on Foot campaign), Ramblers, Sport and Recreation Alliance, Wild Network and the Youth Hostel Association.

The deaths reported early today at Deptford took place at the new flats next to Paynes & Borthwick Wharves where at present the Thames Path runs along the street behind the riverside buildings to the junction with Watergate Street.

Eel Pie Island summer open weekends are Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 June and Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 July.

The island, reached from the Twickenham bank, is open 11am-6pm.

St Peter’s Church in Wallingford is marking St Peter & St Paul’s Day on Sunday 29 June with Evensong sung by Wallingford Parish Choir.

The Georgian church with its candle snuffer tower is the town’s landmark seen from the river but the church does not have regular services nor is it often open.

A collection will be taken for the Churches Conservation Trust which looks after the building.

The service starts at 6.30pm.

A agreed plan to divert the Thames Path back on to the historic towpath at Maidenhead has suddenly been reversed.

The decision was taken on Thursday evening by Windsor & Maidenhead Council.

Instead a pavement will be created in Ray Mede Road to make following the the road along the inland side of Bridge View flats safer for walkers.

Residents of the flats will be given car parking space in adjacent green Bridge Gardens public open space.

This is an astounding turn around. It has been known for decades that many wish the towpath at this point to be restored as a right of way. The issue had been known about when new residents moved in.

Hours before the meeting Kate Ashbrook, general secretary of the Open Spaces Society, said: “We are dismayed that councillors are being pressed to reverse a previous, unanimous decision. The Thames Path National Trail is of national and international importance, bringing visitors into the heart of Maidenhead—indeed, for three quarters of them the River Thames is the main reason for their visit.

“The route is severely marred by the dangerous gap, which forces people to jostle with traffic along the busy A4094. They are not only at risk of accident, but they cannot even see the river. This missing link is off-putting to walkers and visitors and highly inconvenient for local people too.

“The proposal to extend the pavement instead of creating a riverside route is outrageous. People will still have to suffer from the proximity of traffic and lack of river view. Also outrageous is the proposal to sacrifice part of the Bridge Gardens public open space for a private car-park to appease the residents of Bridge View. This is an abuse of a public open space and we shall fight it.

“The council should continue with its agreed plan of a creation order for the riverside route, which will cause minimum inconvenience to the occupiers of Bridge View. The riverside route is highly popular with national and local organisations and individuals; there is clearly a need for the path so the legal tests are satisfied.

“We cannot understand why the council is threatening to adopt this wimpish attitude to resolving this long-standing problem. There is a clear and popular solution. We say it must get on with creating the riverside route for the benefit of all.”

Today, Friday 6 June, the Open Spaces Society repeated its intention to fight the decision.

The Rivers Thames and Severn have been connected by the Thames & Severn Way.

A footpath has been marked out by volunteers from the Cotswold Canals Trust. It mainly follows the towpaths of the Stroudwater Navigation and Thames & Severn Canal between Lechlade on the Thames and Framilode on the Severn but in places deviates to use other paths including the Thames Path.

Upstream walkers on the Thames Path wishing to continue beyond the source can make their way to the nearby old canal path behind the stone. The first landmark is the Tunnel House Inn.

The route has been marked using nearly 500 specially designed waymarks provided by Stroud District Council which is co-operating in producing an online map. Meanwhile the canals map is helpful.

The local aim is for the Thames & Severn Way to be part of the National Trail so the full Thames Path could run from Dartford to the River Severn which is route once easily navigated.

Guiding Lights exhibition at Greenwich’s National Maritime Museum marks the 500th anniversary of Trinity House.

The Corporation of Trinity House, first recognised by Henry VIII on 20 May 1514, looks after our lighthouses and buoys.

It had started in March 1513 in nearby Deptford where mariners were unhappy about unregulated and unreliable pilots in the Thames estuary.

The only disappointment is that the exhibition fails to say much about the beginning and where in Deptford could be found the fraternity’s great hall and almshouses. Trinity House is now based on Tower Hill in central London and at Harwich.

But this display is an opportunity to see around 70 rarely seen objects from Trinity House and the NMM’s own collection.

The exhibition is open 10am-5pm daily until Sunday 4 January; admission free to both museum and Guiding Lights.