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Days 3-4 Battersea to Hampton Court 12-13 October 2024

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All images for this section are on: Days 3-4 Thames Path Day 3: Battersea to Richmond (14 miles) Been a year since last walked this Trail, but finally we got diaries synchronized for a weekend. I had idea of asking Rob and Jackie & Dom, long-standing friends and erstwhile walking and cycling companions, if they would like to join us. They were pleased to do so for first day. The second day was rather different as Granddaughters Freya (aged 3) and Evie (aged 1) joined us. We meet at or near the church in Battersea where we left off last year. Pass the helipad (where meet Rob) and continue alongside the Wetland Centre opposite the new stand built at Craven Cottage football ground.  Wandsworth Park Seven of us on day one at Putney Bridge Craven Cottage with ubiquitous rowers A feature of todays walk is the large number of rowing boats on the Thames. There is an event - The Pairs Head of the River Championship - taking place this morning. I found that following some research after the

Day 2 London Bridge to Battersea 14 October 2023

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  All images for this section are on: Day 2 Thames Path London Bridge to Battersea 6 miles 14 October 2023 Today is a family affair as Alice, Matt, Dave, Paul, Freya and Evie (not even born when we walked day 1!) join me for a short section along South Bank. Weather is fine. It is easy going, past more icons such as Tate Modern, St. Paul's Cathedral, London Eye, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Navigation is straightforward, thought there are couple of places where the path deviates away from the river.  Start at London Bridge South Bank is busy on a Saturday as expected. It is quite a surreal experience to share a National trail with so many others. We pass several of the iconic sights of London en route. London Eye London Eye Houses of Parliament Wall of Love in Lambeth Freya and Evie enjoy the walk. We stop at the Food Hall in Battersea Power Station for lunch and finish walk about an hour later. A lovely day with the family. End of walk in Battersea

Day 1 Woolwich to London Bridge 10 June 2023

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  All images for this section are on: Thames Path Woolwich to London Bridge 13 miles 10 June 2023 First day of what will be a completely new experience for me: a day walk on a Trail that is completely in a city for a day. Dave, Mike and I walked the part of the South West Coast Path that passes through Plymouth in February 2014, but the day ended outside the city limits. Matt, Dave and I have pledged to walk the entire 187 miles; that may take some time due to work and family pressures on Dave, and that Matt will shortly be living in Sheffield. Freya joins us for the first part, mostly in the buggy but she walks a short distance and uses her scooter as we find the start point at Woolwich, a mission that is more difficult than anticipated, as there is no way marker. That may be attributed to the fact that the start point has moved a couple of miles eastwards from the original start point at Thames Barrier, apparently so that it meets the England Coast Path at the same place. At the star