 |
A third of the way around.
|
What a great walk. I left Bicester at 0915. It was foggy and wet but I didn't care I needed to get back on it! By the time I was on the train out of Waterloo the sun had come out and I was on the route by 1115. Not bad going. This route was well sign posted from the start and to be honest I met nobody until Kingston, apart from the odd dog walker. It was so peaceful as I followed the Hogsmill river from its source in Ewell all the way to The River Thames. Lots of mud and half an hour of a complete and utter soaking from a mad shower but apart from that it was beautiful. Just what I needed.
 |
| This is the Upper Mill of The Hogsmill. All that remains. |
 |
| The source of the Hogsmill. |
 |
| Keeping an eye out for trolls. |
 |
| The river begins |
I was walking through different parks and nature reserves. All of them had lots of sign posted walks of their own. A lot of work and love goes into maintaining all these green spaces on the edge of the city.
 |
| Ophelia was painted on the banks of the Hogsmill |
 |
The picture Ophelia was painted along here in Old Malden. The artist camped out here for 22 nights painting the natural scene. (The woman model was a 'friend' who didn't have to lay in the Hogsmill for days...she just got very cold and wet in a bath back at his home. Her parents made John Everett Millais pay for her hospitalisation as the constant cold water made her ill.)
|
I passed a rather ugly red brick Church and then suddenly I was going under a railway bridge with the best mosaics. Really uplifting. The only time I have wanted to stay under a railway bridge!
 |
| St John in Old Malden. Modern brick tower. Probably the original tower was destroyed. |
 |
| I loved these mosaics |
These mosaics were a joy! I've found a link and it's great to know that the area has been completely altered from a graffitied drug taking spot to something so beautiful.
The Hogsmill nature trail around Old Malden was brilliant..supposedly lots of Tawny Owls about. (Real ones, not just wood!)
 |
Some weird patriotic camping.
|
Suddenly I was going through the subway under the A3 and then I was in the Borough of Kingston. The walk this side of the A3 had a completely different feel. I think the land here had been less rural for a longer time.
I did a detour for a mile or so into
Berrylands nature reserve. Local volunteers have removed all invasive non-native species here. The biggest thing I noticed was the louder birds in the trees and the fresher smell of the wood. It's a shame there is nothing on their website since last summer though. It was in need of a bit of TLC.
 |
| No invasive bushes here, they say! |
Berrylands, the residental area on the edge of Surbiton was a bit of a dump. It looked really down at heel and although the rain was beginning I decided to give the ugly looking pub a miss and entered into Kingston in a complete deluge! Thank god for my plastic map and bag cover. My coat is a bit crap...I think I create my own tropical micro climate inside it.
 |
| This area is known for crowning ancient English Kings. (Including Athelstan.) I found the stone they were crowned on later. |
 |
| Two long walks merge. |
 |
| A palm tree in Kingston. |
I then got back onto the Hogsmill bank again and passed the Kingston School of Art. I went inside the
Stanley Picker Art Gallery to have a free mooch about. A bit weird...actually very weird but interesting.
 |
| Lots of mirrors and big hatted people with streamers. |
 |
| I think the video was a fantasy dystopia but hey, I have no idea because there was no information! |
I passed the Kingston College. Could get a job there!
And then into the heart of the town. The Hogsmill went under the
Clattern bridge ,one of the oldest bridges in England. It was built in 1175 and still intact.
To the left of the bridge in the gardens of the Registry Office I found the ancient
English crowning stone. It's a sarcen block (Same carbon dating as Stonehenge) The Victorians decided to preserve it and in 1851 its new home was found. Athelstan was the first King to be crowned on it in Kingston in 925. It was an ugly thing and in need of a clean but hey, quite cool!
 |
| Athelstan crowned in 925 and all the other Kings around the base too. My Roman numeral knowledge isn't too hot though. |
I was coming to the end of the walk now and just a few metres up from The Clattern Bridge the Hogsmill emptied into The Thames. The sun was back out and Kingston Bridge looked great. I finally decided to have a well earned beer by the river.
 |
| Goodbye Hogsmill |
 |
| Goodbye Hogsmill |
 |
| Turn around and hello River Thames and Kingston Bridge. |
 |
| End of walk beer with a view. |
I then got the train back to Waterloo. This was one of my quickest transfers because trains are so frequent out of Kingston. My phone battery was dying but I quickly managed to locate a Thai on Lower Marsh Street behind Waterloo and I had a cheap eat there with the best chilli fish sauce.
 |
| Lower Marsh Street near Waterloo |
 |
| The Thai I went to. |
 |
| View of the Shard from Leake Street. |
A great day. So glad my feet held out, my boots didn't leak or give me any blisters, and that it didn't rain too much. In the end I did 12.5 miles. Yep, happy with that!
