Day 7: Shepperton - Staines

A shorter leg to walk today, but the weather is nowhere near as good as it on previous legs. Its overcast, but reasonably warm. However, as has been the case through most of September, it was muggy. I drove to Staines and caught the bus to Shepperton, which was a lot more alive on a Saturday than a few weeks ago on a Sunday.

At the end of Ferry Lane, where I’d previously caught the ferry to, I finally returned to the Thames Path. Much of the walk to Staines involves a walk very close to the river bank. However, there’s also a road right alongside, and this begins here at Shepperton Lock. A very English setting around the lock was taking place this morning with a fete of sorts in aid of the RNLI. As I passed a couple were setting up the stall for the Surrey branch of the International Guild of Knot Tyers, ironically having great difficulty knotting their banner to their tent. This, though, was to be the most exciting bit of this walk.

Sadly, there was little of consequence to see along this stretch of the river. That’s not to say it isn’t picturesque, but there are long stretch’s alongside roads and then even longer stretches alongside people’s houses. After a few sharp turns in the river upstream of Shepperton the small road from the ferry finally leaves the river and we are onto a dirt track. This must be the first ‘natural’ footpath I’ve been on so far in the walk and shows that London is now being left behind. There are some large houses and gardens here, including one with a boat house with direct access to the river. Normally the footpath would divert around it, but in this case it goes up and over the roof.

The path soon starts to weave around a little as it passes a small collection of house boats. The residents here clearly do not welcome the cyclists who tear along other stretches of the Thames Path, as there are lots of home made no cycling signs attached to almost every tree.

As Chertsey nears the path enters Dumsey Meadows. My book tells me this river meadow is the last before London, so yet another sign of the rural feel of the walk. However, Dumsey Meadows are quite compact, and very soon I’m passing under Chertsey Bridge and back to another path between road and river. And I am alongside this road all the way to the village of Laleham with the only significant features being Chertsey Lock and the M3!

At Laleham the road leaves the river allowing the riverside houses of the village to overlook the Thames. Around the next corner is Penton Hook, a very tight meander in the river whose neck was flooded on so many occasions in the 19th century that barges used it as a short-cut. So popular did it become that a full channel was cut across the neck and a weir and lock system built. Penton Hook Lock was also the further upstream lock built by the Corporation of London, and like at other locks this is clear with the City’s crest present of the gable end of the lockkeeper’s cottage.

We are now on the edge of Staines, and the river path now just passes the many varied houses. Across the river I spy a post with a red cross on it. Could this be another City of London coal post? I’ll need to check, but I get a snap of it on maximum zoom.

Approaching Staines the shopping centre and BUPA offices dominate the skyline. But it was a real surprise to see St Peter’s Church right alongside the river. A wedding was just getting underway as I passed.