Fit to Walk?
This week we have been having fun on social media giving some tips on how to get fit for the season. February is a great time to start getting yourself into shape. The slightly longer days and the first flowers shooting up give us hope that we will soon be enjoying warm sunny days walking. Check out our blog to see what practical steps you can take to get yourself ready.
Route News
A little bit more rain this week but still no flood alerts. However, with rain forecast for most of the week, we think the situation may change in the next few days. Stay tuned.
The Department for Environment has decided to put forward an application for designated bathing water status on the River Thames in Oxford for national consultation. If successful, the site will be only the second river swimming area in the UK, after the River Wharfe at Ilkley. Once a site is designated as Bathing Water, the Environment Agency has a duty to test the water regularly, and the landowner must display signage showing the water quality – classified from ‘Excellent to Poor’. We believe the site chosen is at Port Meadow, just north of Oxford, co-incidentally where a sewage discharge happened during Christmas. See our newsletter of January 26, 2022.
We hadn’t realised until this week that there is a minor diversion if following the right bank of the Thames Path at Putney. Construction works from Tideway’s super sewer mean that walkers must leave the riverside walk before reaching Putney Bridge.
Anyone walking through central London on the Thames Path this summer will perhaps have been disappointed to see the Elizabeth Tower (also known as Big Ben) shrouded in scaffolding. Over the last few weeks the scaffolding has slowly been revealed in what must be the slowest strip tease on record!
A cygnet was rescued from Canada Water between Tower Bridge and Greenwich. Andy (that’s its name) had somehow landed there on January 16 but was attacked by another swan couple. It went under a void to avoid (excuse the pun) being attacked. Eventually, Swan Support sent in a diver to bring the swan to safety. It is now being held in safety in Shepperton.
This previously escaped us but a new exhibit has appeared at Runnymede celebrating the ancient craft of haymaking (see picture below).
This tuesday’s Winter Webinars will feature a repeat of An Introduction to the Thames Path. It will be followed next week by the Path from Reading to Staines. Click here to register for these free events.
The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has a special exhibition dedicated to Pissarro (1830-1903), the father of impressionism. The exhibition opens on February 18 and runs until June 12.
The Barnes Music Festival starts soon on March 4. There will be 36 events taking place over a 2 week period. Did you know that Gustav Holst lived in Barnes (as well as Reading!)? Click here for more details.
Advance notice that the Museum of London, currently located close to the Barbican in the city of London, will move to West Smithfield in 2025. West Smithfield is slightly west of its current location and is 0.5 miles north of Blackfriars Bridge. Remember that the Museum of London also has a venue in Canary Wharf, the Museum of London Docklands.
Reminders:
The Tenebrae Choir will be performing at Dorchester Abbey on February 25. The program is entitled Sounds of the Solstice and includes both old and new classical music. The programme culminates with John Rutter’s heartfelt Hymn to the Creator of Light. Tickets may be purchased here.
Southwark Cathedral is hosting Cathedrals of Steam: How London’s great stations were built – and how they transformed the City, a talk by railway journalist Christian Wolmar. Unlike most large cities, London has twelve major railway stations. Wolmar writes regularly for a wide variety of publications and appears frequently on TV and radio as a commentator. The event takes place on Thursday February 24 at 1830. Tickets may be purchased here.
Battersea Power Station is hosting a Light Festival starting January 13th until February 27th. There are six installations displayed against this fabulous building. Winter is a perfect time to tick off those London miles – especially when you can walk at night!
Website News.
We’ve just published another detour: this is to leave the Thames Path at the bottom of Port Meadow, follow the Oxford Canal into the city, wander round some wonderful sites, and emerge at Folly Bridge ready to resume the Thames Path. Just 0.5 miles extra but well worth it!
And finally…
Thank you for those emails rendering their support to the Thames Path passport. We now have 16 venues signed up, so getting close to wrapping the first edition up.
That’s all folks. Mind how you go!
Ready to book?
