A damp morning with drizzle in the air, however I had planned to go to Snow
& Rock in Chertsey to recycle several decades of ski boots, and climbing
boots that were last used in the 1990s. All of them had been in the loft since
they were last used. It was a lot more ethical for us to recycle them than bin
them - the charity shops were not very welcoming for them so off to a new
journey for them.
My idea was to drive aroudn to the Chertsey Meads after the drop of in the
shop and walk along the Thames to Shepperton then back via the Wey navigation
canal.
After dropping Sue off at Brinsbury, Bertie and I set off for Chertsey, only
to get caught up in the queue around the works at J10 of the M25. A 20min
delay added to the journey time, however the shop was empty and I soon found
the rather small recycle box, and laid everything beside it, and ran away
before any rejection.
Bertie and I eventually made it to car park A in Chertsey Mead, after following
the idiot box to the wrong side with no access to the car park. The car park
itself only had workman vehicles in it - I was glad not to have the van as there
were barriers everywhere. We set off towards the river only to find the path
ending there and had to backtrack until we found a gateway into the private
housing next door.
Across a bridge covering the access to a marina/ boatyard and into the exclusive
estate. we had driven around here earlier looking for access to the car park.
Leaving the residential area and across the Chertsey bridge to the far bank of
the Thames, and picking up the Thames path into the Dumpsey Meadow as it
followed a bend in the river
Bertie jumped in at a well used point as we continued to the end of the
meadow.
Now the path changed to a more typical tow path down past some static moorings
which all seemed to have gardens over the towpath.
Alongside a narrow back lane serving the exclusive houses (all very open plan)
to Dockett Point where the river bent sharply again.
Past the first Island - Pharaoh's Island - and the Thames Court pub
The river separates into several streams here aroudn a number of islands (the
largest Hamhaugh Island opposite connected by several bridges)with our
side going down to Shepperton Lock.
Beyond the lock is a foot passenger ferry (Shepperton - Weybridge ferry). The
Thames path crosses on this, however we continued up the road as it diverted
around the water works.
On a back road through a small village before a diversion back to the river
through a car park.
Through some woods to the river bank opposite Desborough Island. Then back through Las Palmas estate - a long winded shortcut to get back to the B375
Still on the road as it touched the river at the Red Lion pub. then down the B376 to cut down to Walton Bridge
Over the bridge to reconnect with the Thames path and a large car park.
The tow path on this side was a wide gravel track with a couple of road bridges over to Desborough Island.
The tow path here is very straight up to the end of D'Oyly Carte island with its café/ restaurant
The footbridge over to the D'Oyly Carte island marked the beginning of the turns and also the other side of the ferry we met earlier.
In all this confusion is the junction to the Wey Navigation canal. It is not the one beside the path at first as this is just a mooring offshoot on the river Wey.
We took a path beside the Old Crown pub, and through a twitten that then crossed over onto an island, which was mainly a large park. We followed the Wey Navigation trail through it to the start of the canal.
The canal started at the Thames lock, with its Victorian footbridge.
Beside the lock was the old stable - restored with information panels.
A weir crossing started the tow path beside the canal. On the other side some exclusive houses
The houses all seemed to be very open plan with very high ceilings. We continued down the tow path to a sharp turn. We left here to enter the Chertsey Meads to return to the car park.
The path opened out into grassland between Hamm Court and Woburn Park caravan park. We crossed then followed the power lines.
A zigzag and into a second large grass field - this had very long grass that hid the path and we ended up staying near the edge until we could cut over to the car park and back to the car.
