Kew Bridge to Teddington Lock

THAMES PATH

WALK

Kew Bridge to Teddington Lock

Saturday 22 April 2017

Susan and I actually walked this route in reverse and as part of a Walking For Pleasure group walk that included Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park but I have only included the Thames Path section here.

We joined the Thames Path at Teddington Lock and walked across the footbridge to take a quick look at the TV Studios before crossing back to walk towards Kew.

This is a very busy part of the River and there were plenty of walkers, joggers and cyclists on the path as well as lots of traffic on the river.

We made it round to Eel Pie Island which is the site of the former Eel Pie Hotel which has seen the likes of Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, David Bowie and The Rolling Stones play there when they were less well known.

The Hotel is also famous for becoming the UK’s largest hippie commune when it fell into disrepair and occupied by the ‘less desirable’. It eventually burnt down in mysterious circumstances and was replaced by flats.

As we approached Richmond the busy leafy track was replaced with a busy paved track and just as we crossed under the Richmond Bridge we came to the Boathouses where craftsmen were busy repairing various types of boats.

We stopped at the White Cross pub for a drink before continuing on to Richmond Lock where we crossed over to the other side of the river. Along the way, we saw the Royal Thamesis, a six-oared Shallop built in 1996 (Shallops were the limousines and taxis of the lower Thames in the 17th and 18th centuries). The Royal Thamesis is own by The Drapers’ Company and used for charity events.

At Isleworth, we made our way round to the London Apprentice and then into Syon Park before coming out at Brentford Lock. At this point, the Thames Path on this side of the river seems to follow the River Brent. We stuck with the path as far as Brentford Dock and then headed up Dock Road and Brentford Highstreet back to Kew Bridge.

David Welch – View Profile

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