Rock 'n Roll 'n Royalty by the Thames: SW London Walk 1

A lovely walk along the Thames towpath from Kew, passing Kew Gardens and via Richmond to Twickenham. The walk culminates in a visit to Eel Pie Island (see the bridge in featured photo), where giants of the music world such as the Rolling Stones and The Who performed at the outset of their careers.  We will have lunch in Richmond just over halfway through. At the end of the walk,  there is an optional addon of visiting the recently opened Eel Pie Island Museum (not actually on the island but in Twickenham), which is full of memorabilia from the island’s heyday.

This walk also introduces us to kings, queens, a  royal mistress and some lovely stately homes.  We hear of the swimming exploits of Charles Dickens, how writer Alexander Pope commemorated his faithful servant and how Richmond played host to a famous exile, an entrepreneurial refugee and a fearless freedom fighter.  A warning though – this walk is not for the faint-hearted, as we also meet some local ghosts and hear about a particularly gruesome 19^th century murder.

The walk begins with coffee at the lovely plant-filled Kew Greenhouse café, which started life as a family-run bakery in 1895. Please note, they only takes cash or cheques, no plastic!

It ends in Twickenham circa 3pm.  For those who then want to visit the Eel Pie Museum, please be advised entry charge is £3 payable to the museum, or £5 for an annual ‘passport’,  meaning you can visit as often as you like for 12 months.

Practicalities:  this is a leisurely stroll on the flat with just a few steps at one point. It's about 5 miles. There will be several brief stops en route to hear about people and places and to admire the gorgeous vistas. If you have time after the museum (which is sweet and small so doesn't take very long), come for a drink at the nearby Eel Pie Pub. 

Meeting point is Kew Greenhouse café, Station Parade, TW9 3PS (nearest Tube is Kew Gardens). This station is on the District Line (Richmond Branch) and also Overground. You can also catch a SWR train from Vauxhall, Waterloo or Clapham Junction to Richmond and then the District line one stop to Kew Gardens.  If coming from central London, take the underground walkway to the other side, where the pub is, and then continue to the café,

The walk ends in Twickenham – nearest railway station Twickenham with trains to Waterloo, or there are plenty of buses back to Richmond and the District Line.