Author: Leigh Hatts

Adrian Tierney-Jones new book CAMRA’s Great British Pubs includes two Thames pubs among his 200 reviews.

The well-illustrated paperback (CAMRA Books £14.99) has The Dove at Hammersmith down as maybe having “reputedly one of the smallest bars in the kingdom” although that could challenged by The Rake in Borough Market.

The Rake is also featured and could almost be a Thames path pub being just one road back from Southwark’s Clink Street.

The surprise in the book is the Red Lion at Cricklade described as a “rambling town inn”. The entry concludes with: “Five en suite rooms available, from £75 per night, including breakfast.”

The Pangbourne to Goring section of the Thanes Path is the only stretch where you have to go up or down a hill. This, of course, is due to the missing ferry at Gatehampton.

The path from the top of Whitchurch Hill through Hartslock Wood has a sudden feel of being on a cliff.

Now there are complaints about the steep descent near the start of the path where there used to be steps. In the Henley Standard two walkers who met at the bottom of the slope compare notes.

See 135.

I am sorry to see in the autumn issue of English Heritage’s Conservation Bulletin that Kew Bridge Station remains on the Buildings At Risk register.

The station, which I have often used on the way to and from the river, was built in 1850 for the London and South Western Railway. Its architect is the distinguished Sir William Tite. He had just finished work on the splendid Windsor Riverside Station for Queen Victoria. Just five years later his Royal Exchange in the City was opened.

Kew Bridge Station first appeared on the danger list in 1998.

The towpath between Reading Bridge and Caversham Bridge has reopened but now has barriers to slow down cyclists.

This is because the council has discovered that the cycling ban is illegal and the no cycling signs are to come down.

David Walliams arrived at County Hall at about 6.30pm.

Here is the local media’s report.

One of the places on the Thames Path where it is a pleasure to be briefly inland is just upstream of Southwark Cathedral where the route is along Clink Street.

The cobbled way is flanked by the Victorian warehouses of Winchester Wharf and the remains of the great hall of Winchester Palace.

When this was the residence of the Bishops of Winchester it was possible to look out of the windows and see the river. It was a riverside dining room known to both Katharine of Aragon and Mary I.

Bishop Lancelot Andrewes, who chaired the team translating the King James Bible, lived there.

The hall’s rose window survives in the ruin and now the suggestion is to make the exposed cellar into a garden.

The details are here.

London SE1 has Thames Festival pictures.

David Walliams has set out this morning on the tidal Thames from Teddington with the aim of reaching Westminster by 6pm.

David Walliams arrived at Teddington about 8pm on Sunday.

The plan is to head for London early tomorrow. Look out for him at Richmond and Putney.

David Walliams had a huge welcome at Marlow on Friday night and seemed in good form.

Yesterday he came down to Old Windsor.

Today Sunday he is now back in the water and should be seen between Staines and Teddington.