Feet First Walking

If you enjoy a riverside stroll and don't mind the constant sound of the pitter-patter of jogger's feet and their panting as they run past you, then this could be the walk for you.

The idea was to criss-cross the Thames as I came to each bridge. Not familiar with this stretch of the Thames Path, I wasn't sure which side was best to walk on and how many diversions there would be due to extensive construction work being done at the moment.

Getting off the bus at Hammersmith on a Saturday morning still felt like going to work. But I was able to over-ride the autopilot setting and head for the lovely Hammersmith Bridge instead of the office.

 

Bridge No. 1, Hammersmith.
Opened 1827. Length 700ft
7 out of 10.
The aesthetics of this bridge means it gets a high score, despite the fact it feels very rickety when crossing it and that it is always closing for renovation work.

 

Bridge No. 2, Putney.
Opened 1886. Length 700ft
4 out of 10.
A bit non-descript for my liking.

 

An interesting looking second hand book shop on either Ranleigh Gardens or Fulham High Street... I don't know, take your pick.

 

Bridge No. 3, Wandsworth.
Opened 1940. Length 650ft
6 out of 10.
A bit better than the previous one, I quite like the blue vertical panels.

 

Spot the missing tile.

 

St Mary's stands on one of the earliest known consecrated sites on the south bank of the River Thames. The original church was built as early as 800 AD, presumably by the Saxons, and the present building was completed in 1777.

 

 

Not one of the bridges that I crossed, but for the record Battersea Railway Bridge built in 1863.

 

Bridge No.3, Battersea.
Opened 1890. Length 725ft.
5 out of 10.
Unfortunately, totally overshadowed by the next bridge, which is very close by.

 

Bridge No.4, Albert.
Opened 1873. Length 710ft.
8 out of 10.
Very nice and reminiscent of the Hammersmith Bridge, but not as rickety.

 

Bridge No.6, Chelsea.
Opened 1937. Length 698ft.
9 out of 10.
Follows a similar design to the Albert Bridge. Gets a slightly higher score due to the coat of arms and tall ships on top of the suspension upright, columns. Attention to detail is everything.

 

 

Two of the iconic chimneys of Battersea Power Station, currently being turned into luxury apartments. No flying pigs today.

 

 

Henry Moore-esque plastic sculpture.

 

Bridge No.7, Vauxhall.
Opened 1906. Length 809ft.
9 out of 10.
Not bad. Although it looks starkly functional from a distance, this one scores highly due to the colour scheme and bronze statues on each of the piers. Also, it's setting near to the M15 building that overlooks it.