Month: March 2010

The annual World Poohsticks Championships at Little Wittenham was cancelled today due to fast running water. Maybe this should be a summer event. There used to be problems when it was held on the first Sunday in January. In 1997 the fun contest was cancelled due to the river being frozen. I understand that there […]

Today is the start of Holy Week and this holiday walkers may like to pause at Southwark Cathedral where a cross has been erected in the churchyard on the south side. It stands where the Christmas Tree is found in December. The cross is large like the original and has a crossbar made from wood […]

Many people passing along Petersham Meadows upstream of Richmond look out for Ian Hamilton’s makeshift raft near the left bank. I hear that his 20 year old home was nearly destroyed by fire a week ago. The local fire service did what it could from the bank whilst the fireboat was on its way from […]

The Discover Greenwich attraction which has opened in the Old Royal Naval is good news. Really this is a new tourist information centre with a good cafe and museum attached. The displays include some good historical information and artifacts excavated on site. Featured is the Tudor royal palace which preceded the Naval College. We now […]

‘The Great Bore’ is open this weekend at Rotherhithe before the Underground service is resumed shortly. The Guardian has one of the many weekend reports. Those who choose to walk through will be doing what Brunel expected when he designed the tunnel. Trains were an afterthought. Walkers can have a drink at The Mayflower where […]

Watercolour painter Paul Sandby is best known for his pictures of Windsor in George III’s reign. The exhibition at the Royal Academy marking the 200th anniversary of his death in 1809  brings together his other Thames views. He certainly knew the river well because his earliest drawing is of the Tower of London and he […]