West Kensington

I thought I would set off early this morning to walk some more of the Thames Path. Ma wee sister Meg's had drawn a beautiful coloured map of the walk (or what I thought was the walk) consisting of 6 kms!.

I ended up walking the Barons court to Putney path after forgetting Meg's map!! Hobbling home after 16.9 km I immediately soaked my feet in cold water. I hadn't worn my trail shoes, thinking my trail sandals would suffice on such a hot day, 26 degrees!

It was a lovely flat easy walk, passing a few iconic statues and buildings along the way. I began to wonder if I was on the right path about half way along the route. The reality hit, the Putney bridge was the next stop according to a "Thames Path" sign and indicated 1 and 3/4 miles!? Ok so that's only around 3 kms I can do this! My watch is unreadable in the sun but I'm sure it had told me I'd walked at least 6 km by now???

Distracted by beautiful gardens, statues, buildings I walked on stopping to ask one woman how far to a bridge across to opposite side of Thames, determined to complete a loop today! She was quite taken aback, I mean I do look my age!! She looked me up and down and at my walking sticks, assuming disability (which most people do here, not that you're walking a few hundred kms! Hehe) and said "oh my, it is quite a walk!"

I urged her to go on and tell me anyway. "Just keep going straight along this path and you'll find it, but then how will you get back" she added worriedly! "Do you intend to walk?" "Uh huh! That's my plan",
I forgot I then had to head back to Barons court!

I saw her face just then, head on side, eyebrows raised "that's a long walk" ... It is a bit of a walk and had my trainers been on my feet it would have been easier but hey ho, it was what it was.

I'm not keen on walking over bridges, but Putney bridge is like walking along a road, and I felt at ease; .. compared to the Hammersmith bridge which is under reconstruction, being forced to walk on a makeshift platform at the side of the bridge boarded off..!!

On the Thames, tourist boats and serious rowing crafts ambled along at a slow pace and I thought of my great granddaughter doing similarly in New Zealand. I noticed a school full of pupils, their parents and teachers enjoying a sports day in a huge open field next door to the Fulham football ground. Their shouts of glee and encouragement taking me back to other sports events I had attended. How did they survive sports in this blazingly hot sun?

Apart from the Putney rowing club, on the other side of the Thames, were many other college rowing club houses I passed, including the "Imperial" rowing club, The Thames, the Vesta, the Westminster, Dulwich College, Crabtree Boat Club, for Cambridge University Alumni, there seemed so many I was impressed!

I was reminded of my short sojourn rowing on lake Rotorua over thermal vents! It is a lovely sport.

"Hirpling" (old Scottish word for hobbling!) toward Hammersmith, off that bridge, I asked for directions to the main street. The young woman said "come with me I'll take you!" Just amazing! So off we went, she putting her hand out in front of me at each traffic crossing saying "don't cross, wait"! I was inwardly laughing to myself, she was very serious, she even asked if I could "see". I was heartily enjoying her kindness and assumptions about my abilities!!

She had glowing red hair and eyes, not unlike Queen Mary of Scotland. It wasn't long before she told me of her Scottish heritage. Such a lovely young woman, thanks to her, my Camino was shortened by about another mile as I would have walked on instead of the shortcut she showed me.

I reached home and sunk my feet into a delicious bath of cold water... 😊👣...satisfied I had completed my intention for the day...and some!!Read more