The London Loop Leg 1
Kingston Station to Hatton Cross Station
Saturday, 30th September, 2006 
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The London Loop is a 140 mile walk around London and roughly just inside the M25 (although you do not see it) passing through as many green places as possible such as parks, woods, commons and riverside protected areas. The West Essex Ramblers are covering this in about 10 mile stretches over the winters of 2006/7 and 2007/8. We are following the path through The London Loop by David Sharp, ISBN1854107593, £13 rrp.
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Click photos below for larger image
- typically 640x480 pixels
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Click below for larger image as specified
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Some commentary on the photos,
which is also a reflection on the walk
[Road information is just to help identify where we were].
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1
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The church of All Saints (photo top left) is an historic church where many kings were crowned. On the board outside the church it says For well over 1000 years a church has stood on this site. In the year 902 King Edward the Elder was crowned here, as were most Saxon Kings after him. The old Saxon church was succeeded by a Norman church built in 1130. During the 14th century the nave was rebuilt. The chancel and the adjoining chapels were added in the 15th century. The tower, formerly surmounted by a wooded steeple, was rebuilt in 1708 and was extensively restored in 1973.
The 'NEXT' building (top right) has a facade, added in 1909 and 1929, showing important people associated with Kingston namely King Edward the Elder, King Henry, Edward III, Queen Elizabeth I, King Athelstan and King John, also Kings crowned nearby are quoted.
Then there is a view of the Thames from Kingston-Upon-Thames bridge and finally, walking on around a few corners, there is the church of St John the Baptist in Church Grove close to an entrance of Bushy Park.
[We crossed the A308 to get from the bridge to the park].
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2
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Going back to Kingston-Upon-Thames bridge, this is, I think, a nice view from the South (Surrey) side.
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3
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Bushy Park, which is a Royal Park and second in size to Richmond Park, is large and varied in its landscape design and is easily reached from Hampton Wick Station, Teddington Station and Hampton Court Station. We entered at its SE corner by Church Grove gate.
The photos start with a briefing by our leader on what to see in the park and then we were marching across a grassy area. This was followed by a field of fern and finally we stopped for elevenses at noon in the shade of trees of the Oval Plantation.
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4
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Just down from our elevenses stop was Leg of Mutton Pond where anglers' relaxed and a single swan came up and passed me on some apparent urgent business.
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A water course, which was tree lined, led away from the pond and on to Heron Pond and there was a path beside it that we followed.
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A water pump is sited just right of Chestnut Avenue which runs north-south and divides the park roughly 60% to 40%.
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7
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These are roots of an unusual Conifer plant the Bald Cypress or Swamp Cypress (Taxodium distichum) which has roots projecting above ground and are for the plant to breath. (See Google Images for more pictures, use Swamp Cypress).
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8
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The map, just readable at the largest resolution, is followed by the general photos of fungi; the Longford River, an ornamental canal (12 mile long) created by King Charles 1 in 1610 which tapped the River Colne in Hertfordshire; and a berried plant.
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9
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The park has lots of fallow deer that roam freely (you are warned that they are WILD animals and should be respected so) and here there are seven sitting down.
[We crossed the A313 to get from the park to the pub: next picture].
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10
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After leaving the park by the Laurel Road gate we street walked a short way to The Roebuck pub (72 Hampton Road) that let us eat our own sandwiches in a delightful small room in their rear garden which was nice as it had started to rain a little (Pic 1). Whilst to sit in their main bar you were surrounded by marine memorabilia and fishing tackle (Pic 2). Then some road walking, over a leafy railway line (Pic 3) and down beside a private golf course although on the road (Pic 4).
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11
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There was more greenery, Fulwell Park, but then we had to walk along a few roads. [This included crossing the A305 & A316]. After we crossed the A316 we were in a field (top right) and aiming for the River Crane and a bridge under the road where we then walked along the river (last 2 photos).
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12
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Eventually we came to a Shot Tower where lead shot (gun ammunition) was made: molten lead was poured through a copper sieve at the top of the tower and by the time it had fallen to a water basin below for cooling the balls were perfectly spherical (raindrops are similarly spherical) due to surface tension. The last two pictures show the weir by the tower and a map (readable at largest resolution) of Crane Park Island Nature Reserve (formally part of Hounslow Gunpowder Mills).
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13
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Because of a camera fault I returned another day,using an OS map but without a definitive route of the Loop, to finish photographing and the pictures, numbered 13 -15, were taken on the WRONG side of the river, so, are not on the London Loop ... although it was quite pleasant.
The pictures show the path squeezing passed a tree; the River Crane; a common and the River Crane again.
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14
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The River Crane in Autumn (not the London Loop).
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15
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A common which was enjoyable to walk on but I got lost trying to get out of it (not the London Loop).
Essentially, by not photographing the London Loop, I missed out walking North and then crossing Hounslow Heath Nature Reserve.
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16
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Back on the London Loop and more views of the River Crane, and a path through the trees parallel to it. We were beside the river for a long time.
[To get this far we crossed the A314 and a railway line].
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17
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Another one of many lovely views of the river this time including a small weir.
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18
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Map of Donkey Wood, unfortunately suffering the scribbler's pen.
[Just after this we crossed the A315].
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The Duke of Northumberland River, then a weir before it feeds into the River Crane. There is then a bridge over a ditch and a path paved with wooden slats in a slightly boggy area.
[Last crossing is the A312].
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20
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Approaching Hatton Cross, where we were still beside the river, and the planes are coming low with their undercarriages down. Viewed from here there is no excessive aircraft noise.
For the larger pictures I've cropped the image and just left the plane.
[And then we were on the A30 walking to the Tube Station].
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