Author: Leigh Hatts

Author Christina Hardyment has been sailing up the Thames and a week ago with much effort made it to Cricklade by punt.

She has now written up her blog. Her tales of stopping at the Red Lion at Castle Eaton, ordering a taxi to link up with a rare bus and visiting Kelmscot Manor will make interesting reading to those of us who have ventured upstream.

It’s good to hear about the painting restoration at Ingelsham Church.

Click on Adventures for some more Thames pictures.

Christina’s report makes me want to get back to the Oxfordshire and Wiltshire Thames now.

See pages 194 to 202.

A plan devised by Bermondsey architect Michael Davis to provide a wide riverside path between the London Bridge and the South Bank is to be considered by the London assembly’s transport committee.

The London Promenade plan would see a path built out into the river to keep walkers by water at such pinch points as Southwark Cathedral, Clink Street and Blackfriars Bridge.

See pages 30-37.

Swan Upping, the annual census of the swan population on River Thames, starts today.

Look out for the skiffs with their Royal and livery flags making a colourful sight on their slow progress to Abingdon.

The Queen’s Swan Marker David Barber and his team depart from Sunbury Lock this morning for a week travelling upstream. With him are the Swan Markers from the Dyers and Vintners livery companies who also own swans.

The swans and young cygnets are also assessed for any signs of injury or disease.

The timetable is:

Monday 19th July 2010
Sunbury Lock 09.00 – Departure point
Shepperton Lock 10.45
Penton Hook Lock 12.30
Romney Lock 17.30

Tuesday 20th July 2010
Eton Bridge 09.00 – Departure point
Boveney Lock 10.15
Boulters Lock 13.00
Marlow Lock 17.30

Wednesday 21st July 2010
Marlow Bridge 09.00 – Departure point
Hurley Lock 10.30
Hambleden Lock 12.00
Henley Town 13.30
Marsh Lock 16.00
Shiplake Lock 17.00
Sonning Bridge 18.00

Thursday 22nd July 2010
Sonning-on-Thames 09.00 – Departure point
Caversham Lock 10.30
Mapledurham Lock 12.30
Goring Lock 17.00
Moulsford 18.00

Friday 23rd July 2010
Moulsford 09.00 – Departure point
Benson Lock 10.15
Clifton Hampden Bridge 13.00
Culham Lock 16.15
Abingdon Bridge 17.30

The main diversion on the Greenwich peninsula can be seen on a map.

After walking behind Greenwich Yacht Club and passing the Millennium Village you will have to turn inland round the back of the 17 storey City Peninsula development. The best map for this so far is on Mary Mills’ blog.

I would not normally say such a thing but if you want a pleasant walk it might be better to start at Greenwich itself this summer.

See pages 14 to 17.

A bale of straw has been hung from the Tower Bridge walkway.

See the story and picture on the London-SE1 website.

There has been a weekend consultation about Convoys Wharf in Deptford this weekend.

Liker all these ‘public consultations’ not much is given away and if you are off on Friday evening or Saturday morning you will have missed it.

Much local concern about what will replace the wharf where so much newsprint was landed until recently but the plans do include putting the Thames Path along the river. The downside is that walkers will not pass the Dog & Bell.

Plans go before Lewisham Council this autumn.

See page  19.

I think that I have mentioned before that it is difficult now to describe the Olde Bell at Hurley as a walkers’ pub.

Matthew Norman has reviewed it for the Telegraph.

See page 110.

Two pubs feature in today’s 50 Best Country Pubs in The Independent.

Both are at the source end: The Wild Duck at Ewen and Tunnel House Inn just beyond the Source and suddenly much featured here. The latter is under the Families section whilst the former is ‘for weekenders’.

Good pictures here of the path between the Thames Source and the Tunnel House recently featured in the Telegraph; see below.

This Saturday 26 June Jonathan Wilkes will be at Tower Bridge at 9am ready to row upstream to Kingston-upon-Thames where he is the Rector.

He is being sponsored to help the funding for a visitor centre at All Saints Church near the river. Coffee and cake is already served in the church every weekday morning.

His supporters will be waiting at Richmond and some plan to jog along the towpath with him.

The Rector might reflect that in past times the Bishop of Winchester had a house near London Bridge and would be rowed by a team from there to Kingston where he continued by road to Winchester.

See pages 64 and 65.