Walking round London 1

  On an impulse, I bought a book about the Capital Ring, literally a walk around London, about 6 to 10 miles from the centre, and I started doing it today.  I chose to begin at Richmond, as being convenient - those of you who can add (Dark Puss has special skills in this department, I feel sure) will see that the whole walk is some 78 miles - plus, I guess, another 10 or so getting to and from the route to public transport over the many stages.

I'm going clockwise, and I hope to complete the route in seven or eight goes over the summer and autumn, visiting familar and unknown London in the process.  Watch for further instalments!

I followed the Thames downstream briefly, then crossed over on the bridge at Richmond Lock.  This took me to Isleworth, where after gleefully using a right of way through the Town Wharf pub's balcony, I came to the church, where a modern body sits unhappily against the fourteenth century tower - the original church had long been replaced by an eighteenth century building, but this was destroyed in 1944, by vandalism, not enemy action.

From Isleworth, through the grounds of Syon Park, where I caught excellent views of a kestrel on the floodlights, and admired the Great Conservatory.

From Syon, you follow the river Brent (as in Brentford) and the Junction canal roughly northwards, and when the Grand Union canal joins, you veer off east along the Brent.  This is a revelation - amazingly wild and green, yet I walked under the A4 (the Great West Road), the M4, the Piccadilly Line and the main line railway viaduct to the west.  And in these circumstances, I saw heron, coot, swan, and other ducks in abundance.  And smart new waterside development have replaced the dirty, derelict warehouses at Brentford Lock itself, bringing life and sparkle.

Below (I hope - sometimes, I'm not in perfect control of where my pictures end up!) is a reflection of clouds in the GlaxoSmithKline building in Brentford, and the lowest of the Hanwell locks.

Finally, the route crosses more wooded and open land, including two golf courses, and ends in Greenford, whence I caught a train home - with fine views of Gilbert Scott's early church, St Mary's in Hanwell, proud and a little bit vulgar, and also of the Wembley arch in the distance, and lots of waterside flowers.  Altogether, a good nine miles of wonderful urban walking in glorious sunshine.

And the bookish connections I promise?  Well, walking by the Thames put me in mind of Jerome K Jerome's masterpieces, Three Men in a Boat and Three Men on the Bummel.  I also recall that in The Innocence of Father Brown, the accused in one of the stories (Hammer of God) gives as an alibi that he was in the Revival Mission in Greenford ("which sits all night, we save souls so fast"), where I finished today. 

Now all I need is the energy for the other 70 or so miles!

Comments

[Kelly]

Looking forward (like Karen, who led me here) to further installments. The last time we were in London, we took a canal boat from London Zoo back to Little Venice - more glimpses of green London. Love the photo of the reflected clouds.

[Peter the flautist]

Dark Puss can indeed add, and thanks you for the tag in the main body of your posting. Do you know the 2 volume guide to geological walks in London? No boring clay and alluvial sediment, but the geology to be found forming (or cladding) some of London's buildings. Let me know if you would like more information on this.

DP

[Karen]

This sounds fascinating. Were I closer I'd join you - if permitted - for some of the way, though it might be more a case of "in [her] master's steps she trod", as you're bigger and faster than I am.
I shall trail behind in spirit and look forward to reading your account.