Day 5: Barnes Bridge - Kingston

Another fine day and an early start at Barnes Bridge. Certainly cooler than when I left here three weeks ago. The first significant feature was the Mortlake brewery, busy making another batch of Budweiser. The modern buildings dominate, with the tall chimney, but some of the older warehouses are still there, hugging the river bank. We’re now on the final bend of the river before the end of the Boat Race course. As Chiswick Bridge comes into view, so does the stripy finishing post, painting in the light and dark blues of Oxford and Cambridge.

Under Chiswick Bridge and we pass Mortlake cemetery and very soon we back into the tree-lined path that began in Putney. There’s been lots of new block of flats built along this length of the river of late, blocking the view of the concrete monster that is the Public Records Office.

Pretty soon we’re at Kew Bridge with a number of boats moored on either side of it. I was welcome to Kew by a docile cat sat on the river wall as Kew Gardens approached. Unfortunately access to the gardens is charged, but you catch glimpses from the river path. You can get in on this side of the river, from the car park, but you also get a great view of Kew Palace, painted a plumy red.

The only other sight along this length of the river is are the flood lands of Syon Park on the opposite bank, plus a fantastic view of Syon House topped of with its lion. If you look carefully into the gardens, down a long ride, you also catch a glimpse of the main glasshouse of Kew.

The rivers turns south at the northern end of Isleworth Ait and we are provided with one of my favourite views of the walk so far. The 14th century tower of Isleworth Church (the rest of the church burnt down in the 1940s) and the cottages around the slipway at Old Isleworth is very picturesque.

On the south bank Kew Gardens have now come to an end, but you don’t really notice the start of the Old Deer Park. The only sign is one of the meridian obelisks which marked the old line of the meridian before it was moved to Greenwich. Through the trees you can catch as glimpse of the King’s Observatory built by George III in 1769.

Now we are approaching Richmond and Richmond Lock, which doubles as a footbridge. The Old Deer Park now opens up and more obelisks marking the meridian can be seen again closer to Twickenham Bridge. At this point a much better view of the observatory can be seen, nicely framed by the trees.

Along Richmond waterfront the crowds pick up, and they stay with us for much of the next stretch. This must be the busiest part of the river since Central London and very pleasant it is on the sunny weekend morning. After Richmond Bridge, we quickly move away from the town and head across Petersham Meadows. Looking back the view is dominated by the steep escarpment behind Richmond topped off with the Star & Garter. This large building is a convalescence home for disabled ex-servicemen and women and was established in 1916 in the former Star & Garter hotel.

As the river curves away, another view across the river of a grand house, this time Marble Hill House. It was built in 1724-29 for Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk. Very soon on the south bank is another house! This time Ham House, built in 1610 for Sir Thomas Vavasour, Knight Marshall to James I. It’s now in the ownership of The National Trust, who have opened up the view to the Thames. You only catch a small glimpse of the house from the path, but you can walked down to building itself.

Back to the river and we pass the community of Eel Pie Island. Then the path returns to it’s semi-rural feel through woodland. There are some narrow sections along the path at this point, a pain when you have cyclists coming at speed from in front and behind. Eventually the trees part and we at the mega-complex of Teddington Lock. This is where the tidal Thames comes to an end. It’s worth going over to the other side of the river to see the main part of the footbridge here. Simple but looks great.

Not much to say about the river from here on in. The buildings of Kingston quickly appear, but the nicer houses are on the other side of the river with they own personal piers. Soon we’re alongside John Lewis and Kingston town centre and time to round things of for today, in anticipation of Hampton Court on the next stage.