After a few weeks of intensive planning and calculating distances and studying the terrain via Google satellite maps, I am almost ready to rock and roll along the Northumbrian coast as I walk the Northumberland Coast Path from Berwick Upon Tweed to Cresswell – the official route.
Of course, because I’m just that way ð I’ve decided to tweak the route and add on a few kms!! After all, why not? It’s only 100 kms, I’ve done way more than that on other walks, so yeah….I’ve planned my route to include the stretch from the border of Scotland at Marshall Meadows to Berwick Upon Tweed and since I’m going that way anyway, I’ll keep walking from Cresswell to Newcastle….not all on one day mind!!!
So whew, I’m now VERY familiar with the Northumbrian coast…I know just about every town on the route and the distances between – slight exaggeration of course, but it sure feels like it.
What’s not an exaggeration is how much time I’ve invested in searching for suitable places to stay that are not too far apart and not going to cost me a month’s salary for 1 night!! Exaggeration of course but some of those places do charge more than I earn in a day…
Google maps, Booking.com, Airbnb and I have all worked overtime since I decided on impulse to leave St Oswald’s Way and St Cuthbert’s Way for 2022 when I do the Two Saints Way (different saints), and instead walk the NCP as part of my quest to walk the whole of the English Coast – since I’m up that way anyway for my other big walk.
My train ticket is booked, my accommodation is now finally booked, I’ve identified bus routes for getting to and from stop/start points, and I’ve identified some of the must see sights.
There are a lot of castles and rivers and a few islands. Plus the coastline is a UNESCO heritage site (I think???) I’m sure I read somewhere that it was, but for the life of me I haven’t been able to find where I read it, so may just have to let that go, but it looks like I’ll be adding quite a few places to Project 101.
In the interim I got my official guidebook and passport ððððð and that was well exciting.
It’s been really tedious working this plan. You’d think that with the sea to my left and heading from north to south it would be a breeze to plan my days, but no!!
Accommodation has been a huge stumbling block. I figured I would aim for approximately 20kms a day or as close as possible, but because I couldn’t find affordable accommodation in some places, a few of my days are a bit of a yo-yo.
But yesterday I finally nailed it. Hoorah!!!
So 3 nights in Berwick Upon Tweed with 2 day trips: 1 to Lindisfarne and 1 to Bamburgh Castle and some walking to cover that part of the coast inbetween, then on day 4 I hit the road, so to speak.
I’ll be adding my kms to the Kruger Park Virtual Challenge since I need to complete that by the end of September.
I’ll pop up another post in a few days with more details, but for now…
…..all I have to do is keep my fingers crossed that we don’t go into another lockdown…
Although it was a dream of mine to sail into Venice on a cruise ship after watching them sail into Venice from the sidelines, I’m really glad they’re taking this action. The damage caused is shocking and we really must take more care of the heritage of this fabulous place.
What are your thoughts on this action? Have you sailed into Venice on a cruise ship? Should cities like Venice be taking similar action to prevent further damage caused?
I’d like to extend a massive, humongous, enormous ððð thank you to every single person who has stopped to read what I have to say. You are all very much appreciated.
When I first started blogging nearly 12 years ago, I had no idea what to write about and no idea of the journey I would go on.
It’s been fits and starts with massive gaps inbetween where I just didn’t get to write, and other times when I’m able to write every day.
I first started this blog on 21 October 2009, my sister’s birthday as it happens, although the coincidence has no relevance, it was just the date I started.
I had another blog before this one, but I really can’t remember what happened to it ð ð
Over the years I’ve developed a passion for walking, so of course those adventures have become my main theme. Travel too, and there are loads of posts about my travels over the years. I also, unbelievably, have 143 posts in draft ðĪðĪðĪ Most of which are probably quite irrelevant by now.
Some of my posts have passed under the net unnoticed and unread, but others have garnered a substantial number of views.
The all time favourite seems to have been Twickenham on a hot summer day written on 11 July 2010, and still gets views all these years later. Weird.
The most popular day was 26.12.2012, and I still have no idea why!! I’ve written 956 posts ðŪðŪ some verbose, others just a brief jot, and 52,000 people have visited my site…quite accidentally I’m sure ðð and headed out quicker than a jack rabbit. But many have stayed, read a while and left comments (which I totally love âĪâĪ) and I thank you for that. I’ve also had to block quite a few nuisance callers, and once I installed akismet, it reduced the huge volume of spam comments I used to get ðąðąðą
Although I’ve learned a lot in the interim, I still haven’t quite come to grips with keywords, key phrases and ranking. Possibly because my posts are mostly so random with no real theme, order or organisation. My biggest beef is the developers that keep ‘improving’ their programmes and when they do that, I’m left back at square one trying to relearn everything. Drives me mad. I’m not a fan of the current upgrade, and a few choice words fall like pearls from my lips from time to time ððð
Since I started the blog I’ve become a granny, seen my daughter married to an amazing man, moved to the coast, travelled extensively around the UK, both for my job and my personal desires, been to a royal wedding, become a British citizen, met new friends, become an aunt to 7 kiddies, attended the 2012 London Olympics and lived through the insanity that was/is Brexit, flown in a helicopter and a Spitfire, attended the 2016 400th anniversary of the Great Fire of London and the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, amongst much else. But those are the highlights.
My passions are the same, I’m 12 years older, albeit not much wiser…and my bones creak at lot more than they did back then!
Thank you all for dropping by and visiting, I appreciate you one and all. ðð
This is a very short post (hoorah I hear you shout ðððĪŠ) but I just saw this on Facebook and I found it SO powerful that I simply have to share it.
The words are absolutely spot on and I wonder why it is that we feel the need to control time.
I follow the Regenerative Conciousness Community on Facebook and they often post some really thought-provoking and powerful messages.
And as I think about the words above and feel them, I get quite panicky at how restrictive our need to control time actually is. I understand the fundamental need to do so, but it is quite restrictive.
When I was involved in the personal development environment 14 years ago, I remember working through a process during which we identified our highest value/s. Mine was freedom. So I guess that’s why those words have induced a feeling of panic.
And now I’m going to shut up ððð this is turning into one of those posts where I go off on a tangent.
I wonder what your thoughts are on the above quote?
I saw this image in one of the pages I follow on Facebook and it brought back memories of my teenage years.
That’s how short I used to wear my dresses ðð ðĪðĪðĪ
I sent it onto my daughter and sisters, with the following memory; none of them would remember me in mini skirts! It caused a fair amount of hilarity, so I thought I should share it with you too ððð
I was about 19 years old, and remember one day walking to work from Hillbrow into Central Johannesburg – I had on a very short, beautiful pale blue/turquoise dress with a white edging pattern & a little bolero jacket to match, with a teeny tiny lacy blue & white petticoat (maximum 6 inches length) & the highest platform shoes (blue – a fiend for colour coordination ðð).
As I was walking, obviously attracting a lot of attention (I was very skinny in those days), I felt something tickling the tops of my thighs. I felt around but couldn’t identify what it was. This went on for a few minutes as I walked. Suddenly I realised that it was my petticoat sliding down. The waist elastic had snapped ðððĪŠ
So I stopped, wriggled the offending article down to my ankles (I didn’t dare bend over with my extremely high shoes – would have been a faceplant). When the ‘slip’ reached the ground, I daintily stepped out of it, crouched down very carefully, picked it up, stuffed it in my bag & haughtily walked on ð head held high!!
The incident attracted a lot of attention.
At least my underwear was colour coordinated. My Mother used to say: “always wear clean underwear, you never know when you might get hit by a bus, you at least want clean underwear “. You might be dead, but at least your panties are clean ðððI went one step further and colour coordinated ððð
Last year, 2020, inbetween lockdowns, and somewhere between Sandwich and Deal, on a practice walk for my now started Thames Path jaunt, and having just finished reading The Salt Path, by Raynor Winn, I was inspired to attempt to walk the WHOLE of the English Coast….in stages – you know how I love my stages ððķââïļðķââïļ
I have already walked from Broadstairs (when we still lived there) to Sandwich, and to Margate – countless times when preparing for my Portuguese Camino in 2016/2017.
Due to my job I also get to work in a variety of locations, and occasionally it’s at the seaside…so I’ve already walked a few sections of the English Coast Path accidentally. But of course, now I’ll have to walk them again, this time with purpose, and that won’t be any hardship.
I reckon it’ll take about 10 years at my current rate, and because I’m still working and following a multitude of other routes!
Actually, I recently had the good fortune to have a booking in Nether Stowey and planned a couple of days in Paignton during which time I walked from Berryhead to Torquay via Brixham over 2 days â â and I also walked as far as Dover last year. (I will eventually get to write about these walks – the scenery is just stunning, and of course the east coast is awash with history – forgive the pun!).
Although I have a penchant for just going on my walks ‘on impulse’, mostly a fair amount of planning has already gone into the ‘idea’ ðð and its usually impulse meets opportunity, and off I go.
I’m walking Hadrian’s Wall in September, so decided to walk the Northumberland coast path from the border with Scotland and part of the Tyne and Wear coastal path. Since I’m up that way….
To that end I’ve ordered the Northumberland Coast Path guidebook and passport (yes!!! To my delight, I discovered that there is a passport to go with it yayyyy ðð).
The Northumberland Coast Path
And so planning has begun. Originally (2020) I had planned on walking St Cuthbert’s Way and St Oswald’s Way, both of which are in Northumberland/Scotland, but there are 2 other Saints walks I want to do, and since I have the St Francis’s Way Conqueror Challenge still waiting in the wings, I’m going to try plan those for 2022, and put the mileage towards that challenge. ð
I better plan a trip soon…I joined this challenge in December 2020!!
Part of the enjoyment of these walks is the planning. I love to set up the spreadsheet, decide on suitable dates, identify the distance and then start my research : transport, accommodation, weather, food stops, and of course affordability. I usually budget for ÂĢ100 a day all told because accommodation costs are quite expensive. There’s a HUGE difference between the UK prices and Portugal/Spain. Its wayyyy cheaper to travel the Camino than plan a walk in the UK, unless you wild camp, which I have not yet had the courage to do.
First I had to identify all the main towns along the route, which is 100kms +- from Berwick Upon Tweed to Cresswell, and onto Newcastle. Identified and noted – spreadsheet updated.
Then I broke the distance down into ideally 20km walking days to see the how long and where to stay places. Towns/places noted. Some days will be longer than other!!!
Next up: transport. Hmmm. There’s a railway line but it appears to goes direct from Berwick to Newcastle ðĪðĪðĪ and buses? Also a direct route, and no stops from what I can see (on closer inspection I found a few stops ð). So possibly basing myself in one place and hopping back and forth like I’m doing with the Thames Path and Saxon Shore Way! Tricky!
Next up: accommodation! I had a look on Airbnb and Booking.com. I nearly had heartfailure at the prices!! Even the YHA in Berwick Upon Tweed are charging ÂĢ99 for 1 night! Restyled as a Hilton then?? Jeez. A more indepth search is required.
What I found during my searches is that accommodation is in short supply, and few and far between, and if available – very expensive!! Gosh, I hope the guide book is waiting for me when I get home!!
So I contemplated the possibility of ‘wild camping’ ð ðĨīðĨī I’ve seen loads of people who do this on their long distance walks, but tbh I can’t even consider the idea of carrying a tent, sleeping mat and sleeping bag!! I carried a sleeping bag on my first day of the Pilgrim’s Way and the extra weight nearly destroyed my will to live.
I’ve been toying with the idea of just roughing it and sleeping with my jacket on under my emergency blanket…but I asked myself “what if it rains?” and of course there is this: Wild camping is not allowed in England, so please do not pitch your tent unless you have sought the permission of the landowner. What if I don’t have a tent? LOL
But ‘just in case’ I decided to check the weather patterns for September on the Northumbrian coast… very encouraging. Of course those 8 days, could coincide with my 6 days ðððð so perish the thought!!
I hope my trip coincides with those 22 days… Q. Weather Northumberland September? A. On average, it is maximum 16° in september in Northumberland and at least around 10° degrees. In september there are 8 days of rainfall with a total of 8 mm and then it will be dry 22 days this month in Northumberland’.
Not sure which year this was, but I hope it rings true for 2021 too!! Loving the average temperature!!
Sitting here on Saturday morning waiting for my client to wake up and scrolling despondently through the World Wide Web ððļ I had the bright idea to ask the community on the Long Distance Hiking page on Facebook ðð
Voila…I’ve had some lovely responses so far, but not much about accommodation. So, patience being a virtue, I’m keeping my fingers crossed ðĪ and hoping someone has relevant information.
If not, then I’ll have to just wait for the guidebook and hope for the best….other than that, I’ll just wing it. I have a limited amount of time to book my advance rail ticket…
So that was in the morning…. meanwhile I’ve had a few people respond with more information about accommodation and bus routes that I did not find during my searches – change the keywords and success! It seems there are indeed local bus services that ply the coast between towns (of course ðð silly me, I had wondered how people get around).
I then had the bright idea (yes, I do wake up occasionally) of going back to the Northumberland Coast Path site from which I ordered my guide book, and hey presto! Guess what??? They have a whole section dedicated to the different stages and surprise surprise….accommodation options. However, on closer inspection some of the accommodation listed is well beyond my price range and when there are no prices listed….don’t even bother going there!
So back to the drawing board and fingers crossed by tomorrow I’ll have my route sorted and accommodation identified and booked.
Eighty-one years ago today the Battle of Britain officially started, 10th July 1940.
Please spare a thought for all those who participated, from all Nations. Many would be killed during the Battle, some would die months later from wounds and burns sustained during those critical months, some would be killed later in the war. Others would carry their mental and physical scars for the rest of their lives.
We believe that only one Allied Battle of Britain airmen is alive today, Paddy Hemingway. Paddy celebrates his 102nd Birthday next week. We are not aware of any Luftwaffe airmen that survive from the Battle.
2938 Allied Airmen were entitled to wear the ‘clasp’ as a Battle of Britain airmen. 544 were killed or died from wounds sustained in the Battle. 795 further airmen would be killed by the end of the war.
All they ask is to be rememberedâĶ.
Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this, and the Kent Battle of Britain Museum page, and help us commemorate our Heroes ‘The Few’. Thank you
One of my absolute favourite memorials in London is the Battle of Britain memorial on Embankment in Westminster, opposite the London Eye.
Battle of Britain Memorial in London
Perched above the White Cliffs of Dover you will find the memorial to The Few at Capel-le-Ferne.
‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few’. Winston Churchill. 20 August 1940.
Referring to the ongoing efforts of the Royal Air Force and Polish fighter crews No. 303 Squadron RAF who were at the time fighting the Battle of Britain, the pivotal air battle with the German Luftwaffe, with Britain expecting an invasion. Pilots who fought in the battle have been known as The Few ever since; at times being specially commemorated on 15 September, “Battle of Britain Day”.
The Sculpture His view across The English Channel to France ðŦð·
Memorial to The Battle of Britain at Capel le Ferne.
Still one of my favourite places to have visited in my travels around England.
I remember seeing a film, in my late teens, back in South Africa called The Battle of Britain. It had a profound effect on me and I sobbed for days after, and never imagined that one day, not only would I be living in Britain, but that I would fall in love with London and see all these amazing places. I certainly NEVER imagined for even 1 second that I would one day become a British citizen.
Here’s to The Few, from all corners of the world, long may they be remembered…
I love history and I love the English language, and this little piece combines both. I’m constantly fascinated by the origin of everyday expressions and sayings and traditions…we learn them growing up and repeat them accordingly without knowing or understanding their origin.
Over the years, on various tours at ancient castles etc the guides have frequently imparted little gems of information…like the saying: getting a square meal. My daughter sent me these last night so I thought I’d share them. Love this language so much…
So without further ado…
They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & Sold to the tanneryâĶâĶ.if you had to do this to survive you were “Piss Poor”
But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn’t even afford to buy a potâĶâĶthey “didn’t have a pot to piss in” & were the lowest of the low
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn’t just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s:
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June.. However, since they were starting to smell . âĶâĶ . Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting Married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.. Hence the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the Bath water!”
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roofâĶ Hence the saying “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That’s how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a thresh hold.
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire… Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old. Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, “bring home the bacon.” They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would Sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.
The country is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people aliveâĶ So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.
And that’s the truthâĶ.Now, whoever said History was boring? ðððð
One of the best aspects of the English language is how its a conglomeration of different languages like French and Latin with a smattering of others in the mix.
There are hundreds of these little gems. I really must, one day when I’m no longer jaunting around the country, compile a list.
Do you know of any other sayings or expressions we use daily (or infrequently)? I’d love for you to share. ðð
After a really hectic week of walking and taking my grandson on outings, plus a 19 km jaunt along the Saxon Shore Way and a brief visit to Sheppey Island, on Thursday 10th June I impulsively decided to walk another 2 stages of the Thames Path! I had planned on going up to London on Saturday 12th for Trooping the Colour, but fortunately I thought to check their website, only to discover that due to the continued lockdown, they had decided to hold the ceremony in Windsor again this year. And at that moment I decided to do the next 2 stages of the Thames Path; Staines-Upon-Thames to Windsor on the 11th and Windsor to Maidenhead on the 12th. Change of plans…
Walking the Saxon Shore Way
I quickly rejigged my calendar and rearranged my weekend plans, then a mad scramble to book accommodation ensued and at literally just on 9pm Thursday night I secured an Airbnb booking close to The Long Walk. I hastily packed my backpack with the absolute minimum requirements and prepared some food for the next day. Hoorah! I was off on the next 2 stages of my adventure. As mentioned in Stage 5, it was taking longer and longer to reach my starting point (the end point of my previous stage) and made more sense to stay overnight on day 1 and pick up again on day 2. The idea this time was to walk Stage 6: Staines to Windsor, stay overnight, watch as much of Trooping the Colour as I could see
after which I set off at approximately 1pm for Maidenhead, planning/hoping to arrive there relatively early for the long trip home. However, due to faffing around at the Three Store in Windsor for 2 hours, I missed the earlier train! LOL
The plans of mice and (wo)men….do not always work to plan! But that’s what I love about my life…I can change my plans any time I like ð
I left home early to get the 09:25 train as advised previously by the station attendant, and travelled to Staines via Vauxhall. Here things went a little awry…trains were either late, cancelled altogether or didn’t stop at the station. Total chaos reigned. Eventually sometime after 12noon, I finally boarded a train bound for Weybridge, stopping at Staines and arrived at just after 1pm. I made haste towards the river, reaching the railway bridge at 13:11 (now 34 minutes behind schedule!)
Staines Railway Bridge
Staines was the end of the tidal Thames until 1812 when the downstream locks were built.Staines Railway Bridge was built in 1856 and painted with yellow stripes in 1995 to stop swans from flying into it. ref Cicerone guide book.
Following the same route as when I first reached Staines on the 24th April at the end of Stage 5, I stopped to photograph the houses by the riverside that I passed at that time
So pretty, and there’s Staines Bridge in the distanceReminds me of Bermuda, so gorgeous and a fab view
Then a quick photoshoot (of course ðð) of all the interesting sculptures and the London Stone
The London Stone
The London Stone marks the end of the City of Londonâs river jurisdiction (1197-1857) and although it has been moved a few times in the area, it has stood in Staines-Upon-Thames since 1285. The Lord Mayor of London made an annual visit to touch the stone with a sword. (the London Stone at Staines, built in 1285 marked the customs limit of the Thames and the City of Londonâs jurisdictionâ the Corporation acquired these rights from the Crown in 1197 in the reign of King Richard I and held them until 1857 when the Thames Conservancy was formed).
After saying hello to the bridge, I meandered along the north bank and found a shady spot opposite Church Island to have my lunch.
Perfect view, Church Island to my right and the opposite bank where I’ll soon be walking
It was so relaxing just sitting watching the river and the world go by, that I could have stayed all day.
Top pic behind me. Bottom pic looking towards Church Island
I didn’t tarry too long, time was passing and so I set off back to the bridge
Thames Path Over Bridge – sounds like the title of a book ð
Following the instructions in the guide book I crossed over to the opposite bank and went in search of a City of London coal tax post, which the author said was opposite the London stoneâĶit wasnâtâĶI used up 2.92 kms and 30 minutes searching for it before giving up and continuing my walk â but not before photographing a couple of items that could possibly have been it, but werenâtâĶ.
#notthecoaltaxpost
I did eventually come across what I suspect is what he was talking aboutâĶ.but it wasnât opposite the London Stone!! it was in fact, a way further upstream of the bridge on the south bank, whereas the London Stone is downstream of the bridge on the north bank. Hmmm
I was really excited to be walking along this section and looking forward to visiting the Magna Carta memorialâĶwhich I thought was on an island but wasnât. It was actually very easy to visit once I knew how!! LOL As with all things you read in the guide books, the reality is very different to what you imagine it would be like. But that was still to comeâĶalso a lot further along than I imagined.
I would also be passing from Surrey into Berkshire on this stage, the 4th county since I started my journey at 1. Erith in Kent 2. Greater London 3. Surrey and 4. Berkshire. Of course there are a greater number of boroughs that I passed through.
Even though Staines is quite far from London, especially if you follow the course of the river, there is still a tremendous amount of history alongside the banks, and as I had discovered at Walton-Upon-Thames, the Vikings travelled the distance to plunder the abbeys. In 871 Vikings, from the word vikingr meaning raider or explorer, attacked Reading before making their way along the Thames to London at the end of the year. Setting off from Staines across the fields they sacked Chertsey Abbey, setting fire to the buildings and stealing valuables. It is said that Abbot Beocca, Presbyter Ethor and 90 monks were murdered, however, it is unclear whether the deaths all occurred in the 871 raid, or whether the number is a total from three attacks on the abbey. ref Chertsey Museum
The brick path from the bridge to the river’s edge is lovely and quite decorative. The path from here onwards is also very rural with lots of beautiful green trees and rich undergrowth and I passed through many shady copses and open fields, as well as alongside cultivated gardens that ran right down to the riverside.
The paved pathway leading to the river and the Thames Path Onwards….Windsor, I’m on my way!!
Crossing a lovely arched bridge over a little inlet
You can now see Church Island on the right from a different angle – LOVE that house!
a minute later I plunged into a world of leafy green foliage and shade.
Blissful walking environment
This continued for a few minutes and lo and behold….the City of London Coal Tax post…at least I think it was! I did a bit of research and found this on wikipedia Coal–tax posts are boundary marker posts found in southern England. They were erected in the 1860s and form an irregular loop between 12 and 18 miles from London to mark the points where taxes on coal were due to the Corporation of London. There were originally around 280 posts of which around 210 remain. So yes, I do believe this was (possibly) the coal tax post…
Coal Tax post me thinks!
The path continued with the river in close proximity through leafy green glades, past islands, across bridges, past creeks and canal boats. Tall trees abounded and provided the most glorious shade as the gravel path wound it’s way; turning this way and that way (reminded me of the nursery rhyme that my grandson loves)
in order of progress along the path….the bridge before the bridge…the hum of traffic from the M25 was already quite loud
I soon reached and passed beneath Runneymede Bridge and the M25….the traffic noise was astounding and jarred on the senses. I did though enjoy the image presented by the architecture of the underpass.
I saw an information board that told me about a Bronze Age Settlement that has been discovered in 1975 during development of the M25 motorway. Fragments of pottery dating to 750BC were spotted by local archaeologists. Before the Runnymede Bridge excavations, little was known about late prehistoric South East England prior to the Iron Age. From the artefacts discovered, it is clear that the river played a fundamental role in the lives of our Bronze Age ancestors. Excavation has shown that the site includes a large number of post holes and a wattle and daub spread including a double row of in-situ pile driven timber uprights forming a river frontage. The finds recovered include part of a spearhead and socketed axe fragment, pins, âbuttonsâ, rings, possible pommel, two pairs of tweezers, amber beads, spindle whorls, a loom weight and worked bone objects. This bronze assemblage was dated to the 9th-8th century BC.
now just a field of wild flowers…but haunted by the spirits of our ancestors
Absolutely fascinating! It gave me goosebumps to look out over the field of wild grasses and flowers and try to imagine the people who lived there so many centuries before. Magic
A short few paces on and I passed the first of the locks on this section; Bell Weir Lock – a pretty little island. The lock is named after its very first lock keeper, Charles Bell, who was employed by the Thames Navigation Commissioners in 1917. He earned a good wage of ÂĢ4 per month, but for this he had to provide his own residence. He already owned a house close by, so he had no problems. Charles fought in the first World War but sadly, he didn’t return. His wife was believed to have taken over the job. Several years ago a rare bald eagle was sighted here. At the same time an Irish landowner had lost one and discovered it was the same bird! He travelled to Bell Weir, caught the bird and took it home to Ireland.
Bell Weir Lock
Imagine my delight when I spotted the fantastic Magna Carta mural on the wall of the Lockmaster’s house – brought back many wonderful memories of being a part of the Magna Carta flotilla from Datchet via Windsor to Runneymede meadows back in 2015! Again thanks to my very special friend Joe Lane who invited me along to join them on the Trinity Tide. A magical day and a great honour to be part of the celebrations. I was in a daze of delight the whole day!
Magna Carta
Prominent in my thoughts the whole day was how I was going to reach the Magna Carta Memorial – I could be forgiven for being confused when looking at the picture board!! It caused just a little bit (a lot) of stress…in fact I thought I had bypassed it altogether! but no….if I had but studied the board a little closer, I would have seen that the memorial was still to come and very accessible.
Across the river I spotted a really beautiful building, looked like a hotel really, and what appeared to be a weir with probably a pump house….but no matter how much searching I’ve done on google maps and the web, I am quite unable to find out what it is….intriguing and more than a little frustrating to not know what it is!.
what is this place?
As with the Stage 5, there are some stunning houses on very large properties along this section of the river. I saw one in particular that I just loved!
oh my word…how much I love this house
Near the Runnymede Boatyard I saw a number of quirky canal boats moored alongside the banks…absolutely gorgeous. Clearly they are more permanent residents if the gardens are anything to go by. They provided a stunning array of colours and designs. Apparently there is a mile of these boats along this stretch. Woww.
It looks so quaint and quirky, each boat completely different to the nexthow different a lifestyle this must be…away from the noise of civilization, but close to your neighbour!
Here the path changes again and runs alongside the river across from ‘The Island’ which according to google maps is not a complete island….there were however some gorgeous houses that fronted the river…wow. That side of the river is Wraysbury. It looks really lovely.
I soon reached the Runnymede Pleasure Grounds and rather than taking a shortcut across the field to the statue of Queen Elizabeth II, I followed the path as it rounded a rather large bend in the river. One thing for sure that I’m learning about this river; The Thames, is that it is anything but straight!!
Runnymead Pleasure Grounds
It is an incredibly beautiful stretch (kind of a horse-shoe shape) and by and by I reached the QEII statue. I loved the history timelines engraved on the flagstones and endeavoured to photograph them all…hah!
Looks more like Princess Anne than Queen Elizabeth IIthe dates freak me out LOL Magna Carta – meaning: Great Charter. I love how French sounds so exotic, but translated into English…so simple (boring LOL)
I’m not entirely sure that the essence of the Magna Carta is upheld today…
leaving Runnymead Pleasure Grounds behind me
Runnymede – I was getting closer to the memorial, but still for the life of me I could not see it. I didn’t dare use my google maps function on my phone coz it chews battery life, and even though I had a spare charger, I have a fear of losing battery power….so I just carried on and hope for the best. I needn’t have worried.
If you haven’t yet been to the Magna Carta Memorial and you happen to be walking the Thames Path, and wondering where the memorial is and how to get there…it is a lot easier than I thought.
I got really excited when I saw this sign!!
When the barons gathered here in 1215 to meet King John on Runnymede, they had to ford the river at Staines – the first bridge was built 7 years later. ref Cicerone guidebook.
Across the river I could see a small section of the Ankerwycke Abbey. But sadly not the Yew Tree…I’ll have to go back and approach from the other side of the river some other time.
the ruins of Ankerwyke Abbey
Meanwhile….I was getting closer to achieving my dream of visiting the Magna Carta Memorial….6 years is a long wait!
And finally, there it was. And so easy to get to LOL after all my stress of missing it.
Simply cross the road at the traffic lights by the National Trust buildings and a short walk across the fields and there it was
cross here ðfollow this path
It was ever so worth the extra 2.5 km walk there and back. I met a delightful couple who were visiting the site, and we ended up chatting for well over 30 minutes while they asked questions, and I regaled them with snippets from my many journeys around the UK on the Camino. The lady of the couple said she was really keen to take up with long distance walking but didn’t want to go on her own….and I’m like “OMG that’s my ideal scenario!” She was already a member of Ramblers, but wanted to try something a little less crowded. She happened to say that one of the things with walking in a big group, is that you have to keep to their schedule…and that is exactly why I walk on my own. If I want to go off on a tangent to explore or spend an hour in a particular spot…then I am answerable to no-one.
Back to the memorial….it was everything I imagined and more. I got very emotional standing there and thought of my friend Joe (he has no idea just how very grateful I am that he invited me along, it was certainly one of the highlights of my life in the UK).
The Magna Carta Memorial – Symbol of Freedom Under Law
I took my time to read the information boards at the gate, walked around the memorial in a clockwise direction and mounted the steps to read the engravings. Absolutely thrilling.
enroute to the Magna Carta memorial is this amazing oak tree planted in 1987 with soil from Jamestown, Virginia
From there, and on the way back to the road I first stopped to admire the sculpture in the field; the 12 chairs depicting the barons at their meeting with King John…they are terrific
a lovely ensemble of decorative chairs representing the barons
And then I visited the J F Kennedy Memorial which is beautiful and worth the fairly steep climb.
a tiny piece of America in England
On my way back to the gates I noticed a lot of yellow ribbons tied to the branches of some trees, fluttering in the wind. Intrigued I walked over for a closer look, and as with the memorial on the Albert Embankment on Stage 2 through London, my heart contracted and I was close to tears. Each ribbon depicts someone who has died from Covid-19. Oh my gosh, so so sad…and really heart-wrenching to see the hundreds of ribbons each with a name and a date. I saw a ribbon lying on the ground all spattered with mud, so picked it up and dusted it off as best I could, then tied it back onto the branch. These memorials really bring home the reality of the staggering number of people who have died since March 2020.
incredibly poignant, and a real whack to the heart
Feeling pensive, and grateful for my health, I meandered over to the National Trust tearoom, only to find them locking the door!! LOL my luck., I should have stopped there first…but then I will have missed that lovely couple I chatted to earlier. CÃĐst la vie. I used the facilities instead and hope I could find some water somewhere…it was another hot day and I had already used up all my supplies.
Back at the river, at the boatyard, as I walked past two gentlemen sat on the riverside, I asked if they knew where I could top up my water…what a gentleman….he gave me a bottle of water ð I could have kissed him…but then he might have turned into a frog! I was delighted to spot a wee bunny in a field to my left…I had to backtrack to get a photo to show my grandson, and amazed that the bunny actually stayed put and allowed me to snap away… I thought for sure it would bound off into the undergrowth at my approach. But the fence…
the rabbit, the boat and the willow tree – a story in there somwhere?
Boom! Suddenly I was in Old Windsor. whoo hoo!! time 16:47 and I had been walking and exploring for nearly 4 hours. I had wanted to visit the old church mentioned in the guide book, but frankly I was quite tired by then, so decided to leave it for another time.
Old Windsor
The first Windsor, what we now know as old Windsor, grew up just to the south west of this lock. It was a fortified, national centre for the Saxons. Edward the Confessor had his palace only 3oo meters from here. After the Norman Conquest, King William continued to use Kingsbury, its church and surrounding buildings as a council place and hunting centre. The name Windsor may derive from ‘windles ora’ meaning a bank with a windlass.
The path ran right alongside the river here and there were some splendid boats moored up on the opposite bank of the river.
Dark gloomy clouds hung heavy on the horizon and I hoped that I wasn’t going to be subjected to a shower (not yet anyway).
I’ve said this before….and it’s worth repeating, the Thames Path is varied!!
Check this cute little canalboat…in the background on the opposite bank is a capsized boat. Poor old thing. I saw quite a few dilapidated and abandoned boats alongside the river bank. I often wonder why they have just been left there to rot.
Up and down, around and switchback, the path is a bit like a rollercoaster, and took me through some beautiful green areas.
Suddenly I reached Old Windsor Lock…getting closer to ‘new’ Windsor!!
Old Windsor Lock – look at the diagram of the river LOL twisting and winding
Continuing on my way I passed what I mistakenly thought was the Albert Bridge – it was in fact Ham Lane leading to Ham Island, which on closer inspection via google maps appears to have been created by another cut-through to avoid a large bend in the river… another section to try and walk at some stage then! Apparently I was walking in an area called Saint George’s Farm – okayyy, cool!
I walked over to the middle of the bridge to capture the scene upstream and downstream – looks the same either way.
This section of the path wound it’s way through shoulder height grasses and wild flowers – a home for the bees and butterflies. Magical.
I was just about to sit down at this bench when a little black and white spaniel came bounding out of the underbrush trailing all manner of greenery and nearly gave me heart-failure LOL It bounded off along the path and joined an elderly gentleman I had seen walking ahead of me – one of very few people I encountered on the path.
I spent a few minutes at the bench relaxing, enjoying some welcome tea and sandwich and soaking up the tranquillity…birdsong the only sounds.
Albert Bridge. Here I had to cross over to the north bank once again because her Maj owns the next section all the way into town…so there! Prince Albert’s Walk m’dear!
I stopped at the top of the bridge to photograph the river, it’s so beautiful and looks so tranquil. Just around that bend, and another larger loop in the river, but not too far upstream is Windsor Castle and my bed for the night. Hoorah!
Around that bend…and the next ð
Down and around and under the bridge I was now on the north side of the river. The bridge design is really pretty.
Albert Bridge
After crossing beneath the bridge the path meandered along past overgrown edges, a veritable plethora of plants. Over the fence a farmers field edged with a corridor of wild flowers for birds, bees and butterflies and all our wonderful wildlife that need this kind of habitat to thrive. Poppies waved their bright red heads, a stunning palette against the multi-colours of green.
In the distance I could see the red tiled roof of the farmhouse of Southlea Farm (Slough) … I’m nearing Datchet now.
On my left a thick line of shrubs covered in spider webs…a bit like a dusty cloak. I’ve always been intrigued by these webs so did a bit of research…as it turns out, it’s caterpillars that build these webs. Who knew ðĪðĪ
Soon the path turned away from the river, although along this short section I couldn’t really see the river anyway the undergrowth and overgrowth was so thick…but I knew it was there. Just before the B3021, the path took a sharp left (do not go through the gate said the guidebook, but turn left) and so I walked into Datchet.
It was horrible, lots of traffic, a very narrow pathway, overgrown hedges almost pushing you to step onto the roadway.
I ended up skirting a very very narrow verge since I hadn’t been able to cross the road. The guidebook didn’t say anything about crossing over so I carried on assuming the sidewalk would continue….it didn’t. Fortunately no big trucks came past and I managed to reach safety without mishap.
looking back – not fun to walk on what turned out to be the wrong side of the road…but I got through
A brief excursion onto The Green, which was not on the official Thames Path, but it looked pretty and offered brief respite from the traffic.
From there I did cross over the road, only to have to cross back over again not much further on. The guidebook could be updated here with more information. As it is, I just navigated by my nose until I spotted a direction marker pointing me in the right direction.
check out that traffic….I had to squeeze my way across
Along a short path, across a wee bridge alongside the Dachet Golf Club and once again I was plunged into a world of green, the traffic now barely a whisper.
Across the river, now visible again, I could see her Maj’s secret hideaway LOL
Do you think Her Majesty hides away here sometimes?
Anddd another flight of stairs..this time onto Victoria Bridge, and once again I returned to the south bank of the Thames. Looking back downstream from the top of the bridge the difference in vegetation between the two sides of the river is quite remarkable. On the left: an overgrown jungle of trees, shrubbery, flowers and grasses, and to my right her Maj’s perfectly manicured lawns, the trees marching in an orderly row evenly paced as they disappear around the bend. Someone needs to tell herself that we need wildlife corridors for the birds and the bees!
Her Majesty’s Lawns vs Nature
Hoorah!!! My first glimpse of Windsor Castle! From Victoria Bridge
I followed the directions in the guide book, although it wasn’t really necessary…but
Then things took a turn for the worse…actually not really, it just felt like that at the time. By this time I was tired and footsore, desperate for a cup of tea and in no mood to be redirected around construction sites. How inconsiderate of them to go and put up fencing and stuff.. LOL grumpy granny was out her box!!
Home Park….and here I had to force my way through a jungle of overgrowth my panga swiping left and right to forge a way through….LOL sorry my mind went off on a tangent there. As you may well imagine, my vocabulary once again took a turn for the worse…if I were a witch, workmen would be dropping around me like flies! Turns out they’re repairing Black Potts Ait bridge.. or something like that.
Diversion is the spice (chilli ðķ) of life
Once past the fencing I made my way diagonally across Home Park to the river and met up with the Thames Path once again. Very pretty along this section…so much green and so tranquil.
I walked beneath the railway line just as a train rumbled past. So glad I don’t have to rush to catch a train home tonight!
still going in the right direction!
I passed Romney Lock, but from the state of it I’d say it’s not in much use anymore.
Romney Lock
A metalled road soon took over from the lovely gravel pathway and hey ho, back in the urban jungle once again.
And there just ahead of me!!!! Wheyyy heyy heyyy my next sighting of Windsor Castle!! Hoorah.
Relax Lizzie, I’m almost there, put the kettle on sweetie ð So exciting to finally see the towers of the castle. But first I had to traverse this metalled road and pass some ugly industrial sites/sights!!
The path suddenly veered away to the right and thankfully I was once again surrounded by green with a small canal to my right. After looking at google maps I can see that it’s a small cut-away from the main river that splits around Romney Lock.
Walking alongside the Thames (Thameside) I could see Windsor Bridge in the distance…not long to go now!
Windsor Bridge in the distanceStopping to look back from whence I had come…the railway bridge in the distance
Lookie lookie!!!! What can I see? Without further ado, I was there…in Windsor. Glimpses of the castle as I walked towards the bridge
Knock knock! I’m here…..journey’s end! Hoorah. Windsor Bridge: designed by Charles Hollis and opened in 1824. Freed from tolls by the action of Joseph Taylor in 1898. Closed to vehicles in 1970. How sensible.
Windsor Bridge
Just across the bridge is Eton where our bonnie Princes William and Harry attended college. I mean why not? Granny’s pad was just up the road…makes sense really.
Looking towards Eton
I passed this really gorgeous old building on my way in…
Bell and The Dragon – serving food since the 11th century
And still light enough to have a bit of an explore and and ice-cream – come on! you knew there would be an ice-cream at the end of this! Actually, I asked a chap walking by if he would please take a photo of me with my ice-cream, in front of the castle… as you know, my selfies are not that good. But I’m not quite sure he got the idea of a good photo…and much of the pavement, my feet and legs are in the pic, but not much of the top of the castle. Oh well. I did a selfie anyway…rubbish as always. I might concede defeat and get one of those gadgets that allows you to take selfies when you have short arms. Oh wait! I have one. My daughter bought it for me. I hate it! LOL
if I look like I’m grimacing, it’s because I was – come on already, just take the photo!!
Windsor Castle. As castles go, this one is superb! Talk about intimidating! But it’s also beautiful and I love it! A quick few pics and then it was time to find my Airbnb.
Windsor Castle : Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has since been the home of 39 monarchs. Today The Queen spends most of her private weekends at the Castle. In fact she was home this weekend for her Official Birthday Parade and to meet President Joe Biden and Dr Jill Biden.
I had messaged my host ahead to say that I would be there about 7pm, as it turns out I got there just on 8pm! Usually when I get to a ‘new’ place I always check in and then go out and explore…but not tonight! My fabulous host made me a much appreciated cup of tea and I had my cup-a-soup and a slice of bread. Then sat in her garden for 30 minutes or so just to unwind, after which I bade them goodnight, had a shower and fell into bed….absolutely knackered!
Another fantastic day! Gosh I do love walking. Even though my feet ache and I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck by day’s end, I love to discover new places, sights and scenes. Once again I had it all; fantastic weather, wonderful scenery – albeit very different to stage 5, pretty bridges, a few locks, and a historic and world-famous castle at the end of the day…and an ice-cream. I am just a bit put-out though…Lizzie forgot I was coming and made other arrangements. So rude!
What a wonderful day!!
May I add as a caveat to what I said about walking on my own…the only exceptions I’m prepared to make are walking with two of my younger sisters who are both seasoned long-distance walkers/cyclists/hikers and understand the dynamics.
It totally reminded me of my walk along The Pilgrim’s Way back in 2018 and 2020…I cannot tell you how many, many stiles, of all shapes, sizes, state of decay or disrepair, and levels of navigable ability I encountered over the week of my final stages. At one point at the end of a very long day, near Detling, I literally sat down on the step of what was thankfully the last stile of the day for 30 minutes and just refused to climb it…my mind was bent!! I just couldn’t face having to hoik myself and my backpack, which by then felt like it weighed in at 5 tons, over the damn stile!! I seriously considered just parking myself in the surrounding field and staying there for the night….except…creepy crawlies and things that go bump in the night.
Another mile, another stile – near Detling alongside the motorway, not a very comfortable seat
In the space of 25 minutes, early evening, after walking for 10 hours, I encountered 1 kissing gate and 4 stiles, two of which were no more than 2 minutes apart! I kid you not!! So not funny! LOL I had just 3 hours earlier squeezed myself through another kissing gate…most times, as the article suggests, you have to just take the backpack off, throw it over (or lower it carefully depending on how fed-up you are) and squeeze through.
all shapes and sizes…variety is I guess, the spice of life
and then, just to really make my day….I had to climb this flight of stairs straight after, only to discover that I would be walking right next to a very busy motorway. What I said on seeing these stairs…. I’ll leave to your imagination
Oh! and may I just say…I did this walk between lockdowns in 2020! At a time when we were allowed to travel, albeit not hugely encouraged…I hardly saw a soul most days, and only encountered my airbnb hosts in a controlled environment. Just saying….as they say. I got some seriously nasty flack from someone I don’t even know on facebook…which is why my profile is private…
Other than that…what has been your experience with stiles? I’m truly grateful that so far there are none on the Thames Path and I’ve encountered only kissing gates so far on The Saxon Shore Way. The English Coast Path is also mostly free of stiles…probably coz you can’t farm on the beach. Or can you?
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