Day 9: Datchet - Maidenhead

I’m struggling to find weekends when I can do some of the walk now. Either I’m busy with other things, or like last weekend the weather was lousy. Luckily we had a bright sunny day, and like much of this autumn it was unusually warm from the time of year. It was also the day the clocks went back – winter will be here soon!

So to Datchet, and a short walk from the station to the river – just what I like. However, the walk starts along the main road through the village, until eventually a small path turns back to the river. There is then a pleasant stroll through the riverside woods with the first glimpse of Windsor Castle. Very soon I’m at the Victoria Bridge, the companion bridge to the Albert Bridge further downstream. The path cross back over the river at this point onto The Home Park. Here there are great views of both the Castle and Eton College chapel. And on this Sunday morning the park is packed with schoolboy rugby – so this could well be the ‘playing fields of Eton’. The path then passes under the railway and through a boatyard. Windsor Lock is nearby, but we don’t go anywhere near. Then very quickly I’m in Windsor itself. At this point the path cross the river again over the pedestrian only Windsor Bridge across to the southern end of Eton High Street.

The path then goes past the old Eton Boat House and onto the meadows with the classic river view of the Castle. Up ahead I quickly catch up with a ‘crocodile’ of OAPs on a morning stroll. Eventually I get past them at one of the bridges that pass over the river just west of Windsor. On the southern bank the eastern edge of Windsor Race Course can be seen while the river kinks quiet sharply. I follow the river but the OAPs take the short cut. By the time I rejoin the main path, they’ve overtaken me and I have to go through the same delicate process of trying to get past them!

The path no edges fields until it reaches Boveney Lock and goes on to the small, wooden built chapel dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. The chapel was once in a quiet spot by Boveney Court alongside the vast expanse of Dorney Fields. However, now there is a bit more going on here. Particularly today. Ahead is Dorney Lake, Eton College’s purpose built rowing lake construction of which began in 1996 and took 10 years to fully develop. It was used earlier this year for the World Rowing Championships and will be the rowing venue for the 2012 Olympics. The facility opened in 2000, and today was playing host to a 10,000 km race for Cancer Research UK.

The rowing lake run diagonally away from the river and eventually it is in the distance, while the riverside path winds it way through riparian woodland. Eventually the gothic splendour of Oakley Court appears on the opposite side of the river. Oakley is now a hotel was originally built as a private house in 1859 for Sir Richard Hall Say. In 1965 the then owner died and the property stood empty for 14 years, but with Bray Studios next door, it was used as a setting in a number of films in particular the St Trinians series, The Rocky Horror Show, Half A Sixpence, Murder by Death and a number of Hammer House Horror films including Dracula.

Soon I am at Bray Lock, a very small lock that is about to go through some refurbishment and bank strengthening work over the winter. The M4 bridge is then close by and the rest of the walk involves more woodland paths up to the large riverside houses at Taplow and Maidenhead, leading to Brunel’s impressive bridge for the Great Western line. Unlike at Datchet, I then have a walk of just over a mile to Maidenhead station. Bad news!

Bridges No.31 - Teddington Footbridge

The Teddington Lock Footbridge crosses a particularly wide part of the river at the point where the tidal influences on the river cease. There are two parts of the bridge, the bit I took a picture of the suspension bridge, being the most interesting and largest - it links Teddington to the lock island. Another iron girder bridge crosses the channel of the lock system from the island to Ham.

Until Teddington Lock was built, the river was tidal as far as Kingston. Construction began in 1810 and was completed with the weir in 1812. The first lock was entirely built from timber and had to be repaired in 1825. A major rebuild took place in 1856-8 when foundation stones were laid and a narrow skiff lock was included. In 1869 a boat slide was added and in 1904-5 a large the barge lock was built. This is now the largest lock along the whole length of the Thames.

The two bridge were put in place between 1887 and 1889. The bridges were designed by G Pooley and replaced a ferry at Teddington.

Bridges No.30 - Richmond Bridge

Richmond has the honour of being the oldest surviving bridge in Greater London. It was built in 1777 and replaced a long-lasting ferry service. The ferry operator, William Windham, petitioned parliament for a Bill permitting a bridge to be built at Richmond. However, there was considerable resistance from the local residents. They did not like the idea of a wooden bridge, the traditional construction material for bridges at the time, being built in Richmond. There was also opposition towards a toll bridge. However, stone was considered a more acceptable building material and this was ultimatley chosen.

The architects of the bridge were James Paine and Kenton Couse, and it was constructed between 1774 and 1777. Despite the opposition to tolls, this was the usually arrangement for bridges at the time, prior to ownership by local authorities. At Richmond there were gates at either end of the bridge, with small lodges for the toll-collectors.

Ownership of the bridge passed to the counties of Surrey and Middlesex in 1927, the 150th anniversary of opening of the bridge. Ten years later the bridge was widen on the upstream side.