September 2014
23.9.2014 Section 7
23/09/14 17:41
As I had too many things to attend to I took almost three month to walk another section of the London Loop.
Very likely this one will be the last one in 2014, but let’s see….
Having finished last time at Kingston I had to get up early ( like in the “good” old days of my working life to
catch a crowded commuter train to get to KIngston. I was greeted by a lovely autumn morning when I crossed
the bridge across the Thames.
After a short walk through Richmond one reaches passing through big iron deer gates Bushy Park which is part of
the Hampton Court estate. Cardinal Wolsey enclosed this area and gave it together with the palace to Henry VIII.
Deer is still grazing these days in this vast graze land with occasional tree plantations.
Crizz-crossing the park in it’s beginning autum splendour one reaches the famous Chestnut Drive which was
originally planned to provide a grand approach to William III’s new north wing of Hampton Court Palace.
Whilst the wing was never build the chestnut trees survived.
Crossing the drive the Woodland Gardens are reached where one can marvel one of the strangest growth:
the aerial roots of swamp cypress - their stumps pointing skywards like rotten teeth.
Finally the Upper Lodge is reached and shortly afterwards civilization takes over: Teddington.
The next two miles are boring to walk as one has to cross Teddington via small streets until one finally
reaches Crane Park with the river Crane meandering nicely through the park land. One is somewhat close
to Heathrow judging from the sound of aircrafts approaching.
Passing high earth banks and reaches a gaunt brick tower, known as The Shot Tower.
From the 16th century on gunpowder mills that used the waters of the river Crane to drive their mill-wheels.
In its original role the tower will have been used to drop globules of molten lead into a vat of water - a way pf forming lead shot.
Heading on next to the river the parkland comes soon to an end and again a boring walk along a busy
road leads to the former Feltham Marshalling Yard, today Hounslow Heath.
Despite the tower blocks at its edges the heath retains a wild character.
Crossing the heath one meets the river Crane again: Brazil Mill Woods. The river needs to be followed
until one reaches Baber Bridge with the A315 Staines Road, on old Roman road.
On the other side ones follows the Crane, the area now called Donkey Wood.
Houses line one side of the river, a lovely place to live with the a river flowing through.
Here one has to manage ones walk carefully as nettles and brambles a everywhere.Willow and alder
trees provided the charcoal, an essential ingredient of gunpowder.
Finally one reaches the Causeway Nature Reserve, which is alreay a part of the vast Heathrow Airport territory.
Here one has to compromise as the A30 is blocking the way, impossible to cross.
About 1 mile down the road is Hatton Cross Tube Station, the final point for this section.
Some more pictures of this section can be found here.
This concludes the 7.section: 9 miles, 97 3/4 m still to go.
Very likely this one will be the last one in 2014, but let’s see….
Having finished last time at Kingston I had to get up early ( like in the “good” old days of my working life to
catch a crowded commuter train to get to KIngston. I was greeted by a lovely autumn morning when I crossed
the bridge across the Thames.
After a short walk through Richmond one reaches passing through big iron deer gates Bushy Park which is part of
the Hampton Court estate. Cardinal Wolsey enclosed this area and gave it together with the palace to Henry VIII.
Deer is still grazing these days in this vast graze land with occasional tree plantations.
Crizz-crossing the park in it’s beginning autum splendour one reaches the famous Chestnut Drive which was
originally planned to provide a grand approach to William III’s new north wing of Hampton Court Palace.
Whilst the wing was never build the chestnut trees survived.
Crossing the drive the Woodland Gardens are reached where one can marvel one of the strangest growth:
the aerial roots of swamp cypress - their stumps pointing skywards like rotten teeth.
Finally the Upper Lodge is reached and shortly afterwards civilization takes over: Teddington.
The next two miles are boring to walk as one has to cross Teddington via small streets until one finally
reaches Crane Park with the river Crane meandering nicely through the park land. One is somewhat close
to Heathrow judging from the sound of aircrafts approaching.
Passing high earth banks and reaches a gaunt brick tower, known as The Shot Tower.
From the 16th century on gunpowder mills that used the waters of the river Crane to drive their mill-wheels.
In its original role the tower will have been used to drop globules of molten lead into a vat of water - a way pf forming lead shot.
Heading on next to the river the parkland comes soon to an end and again a boring walk along a busy
road leads to the former Feltham Marshalling Yard, today Hounslow Heath.
Despite the tower blocks at its edges the heath retains a wild character.
Crossing the heath one meets the river Crane again: Brazil Mill Woods. The river needs to be followed
until one reaches Baber Bridge with the A315 Staines Road, on old Roman road.
On the other side ones follows the Crane, the area now called Donkey Wood.
Houses line one side of the river, a lovely place to live with the a river flowing through.
Here one has to manage ones walk carefully as nettles and brambles a everywhere.Willow and alder
trees provided the charcoal, an essential ingredient of gunpowder.
Finally one reaches the Causeway Nature Reserve, which is alreay a part of the vast Heathrow Airport territory.
Here one has to compromise as the A30 is blocking the way, impossible to cross.
About 1 mile down the road is Hatton Cross Tube Station, the final point for this section.
Some more pictures of this section can be found here.
This concludes the 7.section: 9 miles, 97 3/4 m still to go.
