Day 25 To Richmond on the Thames

Today was forecast to be 16C - way more than any other day since I arrived nearly four weeks ago. Even fortified by a hot breakfast, it was cold down on the river, where the high water had dropped by a few inches.


Eventually the Turks Ferry website told us the ferry we intended to catch was running today.  Fortunately Sue rang them and got the news that because of the fast, high water, the first ferry would be about 20 minutes late arriving.

Down at the landing jetty I got to identify Canadian Geese, a coot (just near the pylon)

and, of course, the swans - all feeding on the detritus collecting around the wharf.












Our boat, when it arrived, was the Kingston Royale.

I can't resist the chimneys of Hampton Court.



The fence is in the process of being painted gold.




As we reached Kingston the waterside filled with apartment blocks.

We changed boats in Kingston. This time it was to the paddle steamer, Yarmouth Belle - late again because of a problem with the lock.



We sat outside this time. It was by now a little warmer.








This is an interesting stretch of the river, with lovely boathouses,

 

bridges,



bare trees,

and some extraordinary institutions - including schools.












We went uneventfully through the Teddington Lock.

past lovely trees



























and into Richmond, where we had a very quick lunch at the White Swan.The lateness of our arrival only gave us about 40 minutes for lunch.






There were more passengers on the way back so we sat in side. Sue sat outside for a while to take photos.

The trees are lovely, there is a lot of mistletoe

and some extraordinary decorations in the yards running down to the river.








There were a number of children on the trip, one group entertaining themselves with bubbles.

In Kingston we changed boats again, this time to the Southern Belle. We chose the downstairs saloon which had very comfortable seats but fairly high windows.






The windows provided a view of the tops of trees. It is a a view worth seeing - the trees are very beautiful in their bare state.




I can't arrange them here into a long strip - but I'd like to.

Towards Hampton Court we came across a horse-drawn carriage and the newly painted fence was sparkling in the afternoon sun.

I ended my trip, as I began, with the chimneys.






It was a lovely trip.




We had a bit of a rest before meeting up for dinner - a long, leisurely affair with a young crested grebe diving under our window and a worthy sunset.


















A fitting end to a lovely day. Tomorrow we leave, Sue and Alf back to Margate and me to my journey back to Australia.

We have time for lunch together tomorrow.

Day 24: East Molesey

English people know about birds. I noticed this at the Embroidery Retreat and with cousins in Cheltenham. It is being reinforced here by Sue and Alf, who have a whole range of identifiers for my classification of 'duck'.

This, although the photo is not good enough for identification, is a crested grebe, which, of course, brings to my mind Molesworth's Botany Walk ("The crested grebes are mating").


This morning was sunny. The temperature was only forecast to reach 11C (double figures created much excitement on the BBC late news last night) but it was pleasant and warm in the sun. We spent the first part of the morning sitting on the deck of the hotel dining room overlooking the river. Sue sketched and took photos, Alf played his mouth organ and I stitched. 

Most of the trees are still bare, but there is a magnolia in full bud in the property next to the hotel.


I managed to add the stumpwork leaf and the silk purl stems to my violet from yesterday's class.










We then went for a walk across the bridge, looking back at our hotel. The rounded section is the dining areas, and the area to the left of that is the outdoor decking we had earlier occupied.


The river is still running high.
















Across the river, on the other bank are a few boats for hire and a narrowboat that looks permanently moored - and, of course, more duck-like things.






There were lots of people out - with kids, dogs, scooters, bicycles and prams.


We walked down the muddy path to the weir.










We found where the swans were building their nest.



















We then walked back over the bridge and along the bank near Hampton Court. We are hoping the boat to Kingston and Richmond will be running tomorrow, but there seems to be a number of cancellations - probably because of the height of the river.





There are curiously pollarded trees.














Back in the hotel late this afternoon I managed to almost finish my violet. All that is left to do is to put some gold pieces in the centre of the stumpwork violet. I'm thinking this might end up on a box lid, if I can find one of a suitable one.

There was no sunset visible tonight, such was the heavy cloud cover. We did, however, notice a tribe of wood pigeons in the larch tree next door.













We were all pleased to hear that Christine's  minor surgery went well today.

Tomorrow's forecast is for an astounding 16C. We are hoping the ferry will be running to Richmond, or at least Kingston. We will have a good time, regardless.