Updates

The Thames Path national trail starts at the Thames Barrier but there is now a viable and mainly riverside path which starts downstream at Erith. However, Chris Smith is suggesting pushing further east into Kent and through Gravesend. His route, called Kentish Thames Walk, would start next the Isle of Grain where the lonely London […]

A temporary bridge has been installed at Oxford’s Osney Lock to keep the Thames Path open whilst work on the lock is completed over the winter. The two weirs are being refurbished and a hydro installed to generate enough electricity to power more than 50 houses. Some of the weir timber has been dated back […]

Bugsby’s Reach is to be renamed Watermen’s Reach. This change, which appears to have the support of the Port of London Authority, takes place  next year to mark the 500th anniversary of the Watermen’s Company. Bugsby’s Reach is the name of the River Thames between Woolwich Reach (where the Thames Barrier was built) and Blackwall […]

Archbishop of Canterbury St Edmund of Abingdon grew up by the Thames which he knew well at home and at Oxford where a college is named after him. He was born on 20 November 1174 and died on 16 November 1240. Death came in France where he is buried at Pontigny Abbey. Today Saturday 16 […]

The Artists Christmas Open Day weekend at Eel Pie Island is on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December; 11am-6pm. Original arts and crafts made during the year by resident artists will be on sale. Access is from the footbridge on the Twickenham bank. Homemade food available in the garden.

There is a flood alert for  central London today Monday 4 November which means that potentially affected locations around 1.45pm are Greenwich, Mayflower pub at Rotherhithe, Angel pub at Bermondsey Wall and Bankside.

Work on rebuilding Whitchurch Bridge continues after discovery that the piers are in a worse condition than expected. Next month navigation will be closed for the winter. Walkers continue to be able to cross the river by using at temporary footbridge on the upstream side.

There will be a towpath diversion at Grafton Lock from Monday 28 October. The lock gates are being replaced and work should be completed by March next year. Grafton Lock is between Radcot Bridge and Kelmscot.

A year ago Dushan Salwathura opened the long closed Nag’s Head on Abingdon Bridge. Now it has now been named as Oxfordshire’s Best Pub of the Year in the CAMRA awards. A CAMRA spokesman described it as “an astounding achievement”.

The Oxford Times has a disturbing story about a woman being shot whilst walking between the Appleford railway bridge and Culham. The gunman was on the right bank and fired across the water. This is  a most unusual incident. People are usually only injured when jumping into the water.