Skip to main content

Day 4 on the Thames Path - Vauxhall Bridge to Putney Bridge

I knew I had a long journey ahead of me this morning so had a quick wash (a sacrifice for me as I do love my hot daily shower) and toast and cereal for breakfast and I was off.  I have access to two train stations near here and the one I took today was one block away.  Which is handy BUT getting on the train itself is terrifying as there is such a huge gap between the platform and the train and it's high.  I haul myself up but am a bag of nerves the entire time.  If I couldn't fall between the train and the platform a teenager could and you'd never see a small child again.... it's the same at the other train station near here. And let's not talk about getting off... my knees are not happy.   I am already worried about how I am going to get my luggage up on the train let alone me when it comes time to leave!  I keep meaning to take a picture of the gap but I am in such a damn hurry to get on I never do!  Let's just say if I had a couple of glasses of wine I'd never make it. 

Then I got to Elephant and Castle and promptly got lost again for the third time.  (I wasn't kidding about getting lost in a paper bag). But this is really bad - you have to transfer between the train station and the tube station.  Whoever designed the train station ought to be shot at sunrise and I will do the honors.  (forgive the spelling; my tablet is an American) Today I was the crazy lady walking around swearing to myself - finally someone directed me.  Let me tell you last night a couple of ladies were lost too so we rang around together looking for the train station.  I mean really... who puts the ONLY entrance to the train station in a shopping center on the other side of the huge round about/circle and then doesn't provide decent directions.  If you can find the subway under the road you can follow directions but then none when you get out. 

Anyway I finally made it to Vauxhall station and I was off.  It was dull all day so the photos aren't pretty and well, the scenery for most of the way wasn't exactly riveting.  However I enjoyed the walk - I love not knowing what's around the next corner. 

Vauxhall Bridge

Riveting scenery isn't it. 

I stopped to visit Battersea dog and cats home and visited all the dogs.  I am happy to report there weren't too many of them.  Always a good thing. 

One of the entrances to Battersea park

The path runs along the park boundaries
Albert Bridge - it was hard to pick up the colors on this dull day but we're talking green, blue, yellow and pink - built in 1873.  When it is lit up at night it looks like it belong s at the seaside. 

The toll booth - no longer in service! 

Battersea Bridge


Even walked through a churchyard! 

I had a light lunch (welsh rarebit) at the Ship Inn - opened 1786


Lots of housing that used to be docks that brought in sugar and spices

The path goes through Wandsworth park..such as it is...
 
And here we are in Putney..adorable pub but I resisted...


 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Peeing on fish or a fish out of water

Well this morning we headed off by boat to Siem Reap.  Due to the low water on the Tonie Sap Lake (more like a river until near the end of the trip when it widened considerably) the trip would be an 8 hour one... It was supposed to be boring but ended up as anything but...in no certain order...let's see.... We had a rest stop (turned out to be the only one) along the way and the loo was just a hole over the lake and there were fish circling around underneath.  Yes it was just a hole in the floor...you definitely had someone watch your stuff while you went in or one false move and your camera/purse or whatever would be in the lake.  The fish either like the warm pee coming in or they are pervs and like to see ladies parts.  We were just a few minutes out when all of a sudden there was something flying over me and jumping all over the floor - a little fish!  Guess he wanted to join the tour.  Roger reached down and scooped him up while I hooted and hollered.  Okay it wasn&#

A walk along the coffin trail (and a couple of lakes) in the Lake District

While in the Lake District I wanted to do some light walking but not heavy duty hiking where I could easily get lost and my body not found for days partially eaten by hungry...sheep?  Anyway, you get the drift...not too grueling and safe for a solo walker.  I get a bit nervous when I am too far from civilization. There are lots of books about walking in the Lake District but they seem to be all about walking the fells in remote places...neither Thelma nor I fancied that.  While browsing in the post office/shop in Ambleside one day (if you are ever in Ambleside you must go there - a treasure!) I found a stand of walk descriptions on post cards.  And there I found my walk.  After all who could resist a stroll on the "coffin trail" in William Wordsworth country... I took a look and thought hmm...cafe along the route...that works for me. (with at least the security of knowing there was an available "loo" along the way.)  Okay, I may not have totally followed the

The highlights of my Fall 2023 trip

I'm back home after a great six weeks away. This was a "short" trip for me.  So here we go with an overview of my trip.   London London for me is always a good idea.  I fell in love with it back in the mid 70's and it's been calling me back ever since. Some of the best things in my life have happened in London.  When I learned my two Oz friends Loraine and Linda were going to be in London in the fall I knew I had to be there.  And what fun we had!!  Of course, I did loads of other things as well.  I spent two weeks there from mid September until very early October and then back again for four nights at the end of October before flying home.   After over five years (delayed for two and a half years thanks to Covid) of walking, I finally finished the 126 km Capital Ring.  The picture above is taken at the end of my walk and where I started in May of 2018 at the main door of Streatham Common station just steps from my B and B.  What a walk!  I got to see so much more