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| Our Canoe in front of the Houses of Parliament & London Eye |
Time Taken: 1 day
Overnight Accommodation: n/a – we returned
home
Overall Distance Covered: 164 miles
We did the trip from Kingston to Richmond
many times; The White Swan pub in Twickenham is a great stop, with a large landing
area in front of it. Located just after Twickenham town and right by the end of Eel Pie Island, it can get very busy when there are rugby matches on at Twickenham Stadium. A handy BYO drinks stop is at Teddington Lock whilst using the portage/canoe rollers
Quite often we would finish our trip at Richmond, pack the canoe away (whilst having a pint or two at The White Cross or The Slug & Lettuce) and take the bus back to Kingston
We did the trip to Westminster with Bill's cousin, Jez, and made a few stops along the way, including:
Quite often we would finish our trip at Richmond, pack the canoe away (whilst having a pint or two at The White Cross or The Slug & Lettuce) and take the bus back to Kingston
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| Outside The White Cross pub in Richmond at high tide |
We did the trip to Westminster with Bill's cousin, Jez, and made a few stops along the way, including:
The White Swan (Twickenham)
The Rutland Arms (Hammersmith)
The Ship (Wandsworth)
The sluices of Richmond Half Tide Lock are open 2 hours either side of high tide, meaning that between these times it is possible to paddle straight through without having to leave the water
Once onto the tidal Thames beyond Richmond things can get a bit more serious – the tides and the presence of large boats can make for a hairy trip at points; passing the London Eye we were a bit worried that the skippers of the tourist boats leaving there may not have been able to see us
It is important to know the tide times; it
could be dangerous to get things wrong, or you just won't be able to paddle in the direction you want to go! We timed it so that we left Richmond during slack water and so paddled straight through the Half Tide Lock. Tide tables can be checked on the PLA website
This stretch passes Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, under Hammersmith Bridge, past Fulham Football Club, Battersea Power Station and the Houses of Parliament (and Big Ben)
There are a lot of rowers on this stretch of the river (particularly along the course of the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race between Mortlake and Putney) who approach quickly and with their back to you. They are supposed to keep a frequent look out, but you should still watch out for them and avoid them
This stretch passes Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, under Hammersmith Bridge, past Fulham Football Club, Battersea Power Station and the Houses of Parliament (and Big Ben)
There are a lot of rowers on this stretch of the river (particularly along the course of the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race between Mortlake and Putney) who approach quickly and with their back to you. They are supposed to keep a frequent look out, but you should still watch out for them and avoid them
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| Passing the Secret Service MI5 building by Lambeth Bridge |
We got out using the beach by Festival Pier (the beach is only uncovered at low tide) on the right hand side just after the Hungerford and Golden Jubilee Bridges. We went for a well deserved drink at the bar in front of the Royal Festival Hall before making our way to Waterloo Station
If you would like to download detailed information on the river please see this blog entry
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