'Source to Sea,' a Walk

Waterstones

Isolated as we are, banned from walking the earth as we wish, and quite simply unable to hike 215 miles alongside a river this book is a good way to get ourselves outside, in comfort.  
The author, a Londoner who lives and works close by the river, decided one day to leave the travel desk at the 'Times' and travel along the river, from 'source to sea,' thus providing himself with a title and some blisters.  Walking from pub to pub, with occasional hotels, for rest spaces he completed the task covering 368 miles in 21 days.  His detours, not always deliberate, added to the length of the journey.
What can be said about a walk by a river?
The early stages cover paths blessed by a wide variety of flowers and wildlife, cattle, horses or sheep appear in fields around, swans and sucks paddle past often silently.  The stopping places and foodstuffs get good coverage, some would say too much but if you follow the trail you will see this as wise advice or warnings.  Old pubs often go back several hundred years, all have their tales of famous or infamous deeds and people, some of them true.  Occasional houses, usually for the very rich, are passed all along the line of the river.  Near the beginning gardens from aged cottages costing a million reach down to the waterline, often with boats at the ready.  Near the ending London apartments cost double that with views of the river front and former warehouses turned into just as expensive flats.  Neither indicate prices we can afford.
From the bird covered countryside London appears, as do industrial estates, lower priced housing and dereliction.  You will note I miss out Reading!  "One does not linger in the neighbourhood of Reading," wrote Jerome K. Jerome, out Tom considers this good advice!
I'm torn with wanting more descriptions of the house, churches and past sights throughout the book while being somewhat bored with the repetitious nature of much of the writing.  It must be difficult taking notes on such a walk and even more difficult to find new ways of describing similar daily experiences.  The fact that so many historical or interesting places, events, situations arise on such a walk along a river that has seen two thousand years of history, more than that we cannot discover much about, means there are several books to be made from such a walk, possibly half a dozen at least all the way along the river.  
I could be being greedy of course.
Eventually, having wandered through London itself, again the contrast between the rich and the poor appears, he snakes his way to the finish a black stone that marks the official end of the river authority and the beginning of the North Sea.  Two stones, one at either end mark the course, one at the sea the first in a dry field!  Later in the year it is wet they say!  From this trickle that cannot be found to the far end the book holds out attention, not least for his honest descriptions of those he meets.  Several bars are to be avoided, some to be looked out for.  
This is the type of book I wish I had written, although it must be said the grammar is better in this book.  However I have not made such a journey in recent years, I am unlikely to make one soon, unless a description of walking early to Tesco will do?  I recommend this book a s worth a look for those who are trapped indoors, like rivers and pub food and have 'spare time' to read...

Passing Showers

This passing shower took ages to pass, cleaning the streets and overflowing the gutters.  Jolly good I say as the streets needed a wash (remember the days when a lorry would spray water on the streets?) and while I saw no lightning and thunder was minimal over me it did show up elsewhere. 
This part of the land often has thunder after a few days heat.  When in London I sat in a pub on the Thames called the 'Mayflower.' This pub claims to be the oldest in London and also that the 'Mayflower' parked itself here to avoid taxes nearer London before heading out into the wild of the Atlantic Ocean.  Such things can never be proved but it had to dock somewhere nearby.
As we sat there a storm blew above.  Brave soul stood at the door leading to the jetty while lightning flashed across London easily seen from the view over the wide expanse of the Thames caused by the bend in the river at this point.  
I sat by the bar.  
Soon however the heavy downpour poured in through the door and the barman was to be found fighting the incoming tide of rainwater as it sloshed its way under the door.  Cries of "Man overboard etc" were to be heard.  
I sat by the bar.

Estuary by Rachel Lichtenstein

Amazon

This book is great!

Having a liking for the sea and a wish to spend time around the estuary of the Thames I was glad to mae use of the Christmas Book Voucher in Waterstones to get my hands on it.  The author, brought up in Leigh on Sea, took a few years to sail on, travel around and talk to people who worked or used the estuary.  Once of course many boats went out from the inlets to catch fish, cockles, oysters and the like and this dangerous but fascinating work continued for generations after generation.  There was often of course nothing else to do so the danger of the sea was what was on offer.  Today the work continues but much reduced and very technically improved.

Rachel sailed on the refurbished Dutch sailing barge 'Ideaal,' once a working barge that from the 1920's carried freight on these waters but now served as home to Be the owner.  They took a trip from near the Tower Bridge along to Southend where a storm gave an indication of a seaman's life.

Meetings with men who once and on occasion still fish for cockles tells us of the arduous life such men endured.  Women were not allowed to work at sea, not only were they considered unlucky the job was dangerous and all too often the boat did not return.  There job was on shore, with the kids and often dealing with what was brought in the next morning.  Many lost their men to storms and mishaps, this a danger no less today than before for those who work at sea.

The author frequently refers to the huge new London Gateway Port as many believe the dredging for this colossal project has harmed the fishing grounds, moved sandbanks, often dangerous enough as they shift during the night, and created an environmental disaster in the making.  One day vast container ships will plough through the seas, mostly from China, to unload at the port polluting the Thames and killing the sealife.  We will have to wait and see if this is the case.

Southend and the pier where once immigrants landed and others left for far shores gates a visit, as do several aged rusty defence forts built during the second world war to defend the estuary from German bombers.  Some of these have been made use of since, illegally and often with conflict, while one, 'Sealand,' outside the seven mile limit has become an interdependent nation.

The 'SS Montgomery' gets a mention, this 'Liberty ship' became stranded on a sandbank during the war and while much of the munitions aboard were removed a great many remain.  This is a perfectly safe wreck except for the thought that an unfortunate accident might blow the ship up sending debris around twenty miles from the source.  This indeed happened during the Great War when the 'Princes Irene' exploded while loading mines killing many people and causing a great deal of damage. She remains where she sank also on the Medway.

As she travels around we read of the long history of the estuary, ships have travelled this way for millennia bringing and taking, wars have been fought, many fortifications remain, and the newer nature reserves are built of land once used by the army or navy.  Canvey Island, just see how many 'islands' dot this coast, sits on what was just a sandbank that grew and grew, 'Two Tree Island' grew from the London rubbish dumped there and now is too polluted for human habitation, wildlife survives fine.

Wandering around the estuary, or sitting on it watching other vessels pass by, we read of history and get a eel for the scenery all around.  Her descriptions of the shoreline are fine though some reviewers feel she is too girlie I feel.  That is certainly an element and she does not hide her fears when they arise, this ought not to put us of the book however.  I particularly liked the later chapters of sailing the yacht 'Jacomina.'  Her descriptions of the view of disappearing land, passing ships and the sounds of water as they headed towards Harwich, especially in the dark were excellent.  I can now understand why people wish to travel the world on such boats.  What does is the mistakes that appear, sloppy, tired editing possibly, and the photos which while excellent are indeed too dark in the pages of this book.  It is however possible to understand what is in the photographers mind.

This is not a perfect book but worth a read to get the 'feel' of the estuary, the size and danger, the busyness of the seas, and understand what culture lies behind those who grew in this area.

This book is worth a read.

I have just found a site with a chapter from the book and the photos also but the photos are in colour and well worth a look!   Spitalfields Life

The Church at the Gates of Heaven, almost...

I've been tidying up the cupboard.  I now have a box half full of old photographs and a large bundle of these set aside to scan into this infernal machine.  How lucky you will be to see pictures taken in the days of the distant past.  Lots of them!
This one of course is Tynecastle Park Edinburgh which you will recognise instantly.  Many moons ago the huge board announcing the home of the Heart of Midlothian stood here but for reasons of crass stupidity this was removed during reconstruction work.  This reconstruction was under way as I passed and we can see inside only because the stand at this end had not yet been built.  I believe it is now home to Mr Smith, author, raconteur and wit, of our acquaintance a man who is lucky enough to sit here weekly and even luckier enough to write about what he sees in the local free press.  Good for him!  Recently it has been announced that the old stand to the right and out of the picture is to be rebuilt.  This will increase the ground capacity and stop folks worrying needlessly re the safety of the present structure.  It is said this stand was completed late in 1914 as the men working on it ran off to enlist in the army at the outbreak of war, a story I have not found evidence for but it does appear likely.

 
This was I thought a rather delightful shot of St Giles Kirk when I found it but age has ruined the dark bits somewhat.  However turning it into B&W has helped to create a nice enough image of Edinburgh inn the gloom, when is Edinburgh not in the gloom?   Edinburgh is so hard to get to nowadays.  I have nowhere to sleep, no transport and no money so I could make use of the bus pass all the way to Berwick on Tweed and walk from there I suppose?  Maybe that is a bit too far?  I could spend three or more hours in Stansted Airport for a one hour flight and get the bus in from their, or travel by train to Kings Cross and travel by train for six hours or so to Waverley Station.  Just thinking about it all makes me wonder if it would be worth while, especially now the cold east wind is hurling wind up my trouser leg.  I might just wait till Spring, the Haar eases of then and the gloom lightens up somewhat.

It is difficult enough to travel to London just now let alone Edinburgh.  Each weekend for the next couple of months (which means until Spring) they are working on the lines so all trains are replaced by buses from Chelmsford onwards, that's normally a 45 minute journey!  No weekend in the 'Big Smoke' (Smokeless now so what to call it?) for me these days.  In time all this will lead to an improved service or at least that is the hope but the cynical commuter puts things differently!  It does not take much to disrupt a train service, one man stood in front of one just outside the station and argued with the driver for 45 minutes because of a ticket problem.  The friendly travel police took him away.  No train service can be satisfactory all the time but privatisation has made it worse and that is the ideology driving this Tory government today.  Things will only get worse!

 
I wonder where that is?
It looks a bit Londonish to me but I have no recollection of taking this picture.  It is possible I took it on my travels but who knows.  I quite like it.
You can tell I have not got out, not that there is anything to see around here just now.  Instead I cleaned the fridge (bi-annual event) and sorted these pictures.  I ripped up and dumped hundreds in a cruel but required exercise today.  Most were duplicates, many were children unknown belonging to friends, many more were our lot and not worth keeping now and others were just rubbish.  The wheely bin will be heavy next time dustman!  
Work tomorrow, someone skiving off again!

Scraping the Barrel

In spite of many years of development, fire, redevelopment the Roman wall that once stood around Londinium can still be seen in places, the road called 'London Wall' kind of illustrates it well.  Here, just below the 'Museum of London' is one huge part which has as you can see been built upon many times since the Romans began it in the middle of the first century AD. 

From the tower that was the wall stretched southwards towards the Thames yet lay hidden for many years until those German Heinkel pilots dropped their bombs upon the then buildings standing here revealing the hidden gems for all to see.  Actually there is not much to see at all but the eager archeologists who strove to uncover the foundations and interpret their finds enjoyed greatly what they came upon.

   

Clearly the Victorian churchmen were not going to allow new constructions to steal a foot of their territory as in between what once were built here stood this sign, dated 1860, for all to see and take note off.  The Parish limits must be observed and it is important to ensure the correct people are in charge of appropriate spaces.  Anyway rates must be paid to the right hand innit guv.

I took this simply because I liked it.  This lamppost stands at the rear of the Gresham Centre, once St Anne & St Anne's Church, and now a centre for 'vocal music performance.'  I suppose in days of yore we called that 'singing?

Postman's Park hosts the memorial begun in the 19th century to those who died attempting to save others.  A noble enterprise that has not been continued by the tabloid press which is a pity.  There are numerous such heroic acts these days but these flash by with no permanent memorial to be found.

 

Yet another closed church on a Saturday yet clearly open during the week for the million or so City workers passing each other daily as they run the 'rat race.'  The 'Postman's Park is what once was the church grounds, the name coming from the nearby Royal Mail headquarters and the many post employees who sit in the park I suppose for lunch.  Here the memorial to the dead hero's stands among the remains of the old graveyard.  Now well tended and peaceful a welcome break for the city worker.

A break was indeed required so I made for the 'Lord Raglan' the only hostelry open and for the same price as my earlier Egg and bacon roll and coffee I obtained one pint of Guinness.  For London I suppose it was cheap!  This appeared to be the only pub for miles around, not that I looked, and from the window i watched the passersby pass by.  

Tourists and those connected to the never ending cyclists, people leaving the nearby Museum and a wedding party all in their finery heading for the Postman's Park for photographs.  Later, much later, a young woman in high heels too high for her wobbled past in that direction and I wished I had the video working at the time.  Fashion dictates and the results are not always in the lassies interests.  

  

The Lord Raglan pub stands in St Martins-le-Grand, a continuation of Aldersgate Street.  The name comes from the gate in the wall that once stood here, and the name itself possibly from a later Saxon, one 'Ealdred' after the Romans had long gone.  Aldersgate Street in in fact the beginning, or the end depending on which way you are travelling, of the A1, the Great North Road.  As such this is the gate through which James VI and I arrived in London in 1603 to claim the English throne and rightly place England under Scots control.  

During 1738 John Wesley attended a meeting here and while the preacher spoke on the Letter to the Romans John felt his heart 'strangely warmed' and the Methodists had begun.  Aldersgate was demolished in 1761 probably while rich folks houses were erected but I doubt John Wesley had anything to do with that.

The 'Lord Raglan' has been here for centuries, Shakespeare is supposed to have visited but he is supposed to have visited most pubs in London at one time, and this one was rebuilt in the mid 19th century and and named after the Crimean War General.  The pub retains a welcoming dark wooden Victorian interior.  I found the staff efficient even friendly, the place clean and well looked after and the toilets aged in style in keeping with the building but considerably cleaner than mine!  Upstairs snooker tables await those willing to show off!  I didn't.

  

Had I been young and rich I would of course travel about on one of these.  However I would not park it like this near a narrow road turning in central London!  Actually I would never have one of these, the one bike I got I destroyed by technical incompetence and this modern British 'Triumph' would not survive my skills.  I wanted a bike when I was 15 and stood outside Alexander's shop in Lothian Road hoping they would give me a spare 'BSA,' 'Triumph,' 'Norton' or even a wee 'James.'  They never did and by the time I was 17 they had all been killed off by the Japanese!  The British manufacturers refusal to change their ways led to huge sales of the vastly superiour 'Suzuki' and 'Honda's' killing the industry.  Man management, planning and unwillingness to change their ways killed them long before Maggie Thatcher was able to do so.

A quick last look again at the smell of the Thames and while the sewage bubbles under and the occasional tourist falls in and drifts off towards the open sea I rest my hot lens and seek refuge in the train before my knees give way.

Near the Thames

The Church of St Magnus the Martyr was, like the rest, closed when I and many other tourists passed by.  This was rather unfortunate as with many tourists it could have brought in cas...been helpful for the church and in a position to speak of the history of the church and the role it had in London in times past.  For one thing outside the front door the roadway once led on to London Bridge as was and many a foot has trod this way before.  This was an important church in the past.  Today 'Adelaide House' another money machine this time for lawyers, engulfs the surroundings making it difficult for the church to breathe.

Not a great picture but with the church door to the left as you pass through you get some idea of times past and the throng that once used this path daily.  The first stone bridge was built in 1209 (that's A.D., not a.m. by the way) and the bridge existed on this alignment until 1831.  Arguments rage over who St Magnus was as several contenders could be the one.  It is best to let them argue and look at what lies around.

The Romans built the wharf here early on and Londinum sent a Bishop to the Council of Arles in 314 and some like to think this church existed then.  It certainly did in the 1100's and was rebuilt by Christopher Wren at a cost of nearly ten thousand pounds after it was destroyed during the Great Fire.  It was an important church partly because of the position and that possibly encouraged greater spending on a rebuild. Fishermen had their shops just to the south of the church along the riverside and as such the church became the Guild church of the 'Worshipful Company of Fishmongers.'  Billingsgate Fish Market used to stand right behind the back end of the church, today two tallish buildings fill the space.  Evidence for the Roman wharf was found in 1931 close to the church and this blackened portion of timber piling is now stationed outside the church door.  This dates from the year 75.

The River Thames still carries a lot of traffic however much of it now appears to be tourist boats staffed by chaps touting for tips it seems to me.  In 1966 when employed at my first job of work I scribbled out paperwork for lorries carrying a thousand cases of whisky to London Docks headed for various parts of the world.  At that time both sides of the river before Tower Bridge would be lined with tramp steamers while cheery cockney dockers pinched as much as they could from each consignment.  Working on the docks was a poor show, each man having to be called out from the crowd of jobseekers by the foreman every morning and work was not guaranteed.  Constant strikes, sometimes these were understandable, did not encourage sympathy for the East End men.  It was in 1966 I saw the first containers being put to use and it was interesting to note that all 1000 cases of whisky reached their destination unopened, something that did not always happen otherwise.  We used Southampton, Liverpool and Glasgow docks but the British Road Services drivers disliked London most of all which tells you something.  The opening of new docks with few workers at Felixstowe and elsewhere killed such docks and now they contain expensive flats and tourist sights.  The barges today may well have a variety of uses but I know that much of London's sewage gets carted away in similar barges to landfill sites further down towards Kent.  In the past many were used to unload ships that could not get docked at the Port.

What mean you 'That's boring?'  

In itself it contains much that is boring but it does represent all those steps that once were arrayed along the Thames enabling those using the River Taxi's to cross from one side to the other.  Those little rowing boats plied their trade for centuries until in the 19th century they decided to build more bridges.  Much trouble ensued as the 'Taxi' drivers lost their income and folks walked across for nothing, there again who has ever met a happy taxi driver?  The river was crisscrossed by such taxi's while sail and steam boats and many other craft made their way up and down stream.  It is no surprise that on occasion there were accidents especially in the recurrent smog.

In the far distance squashed in amongst other buildings stands the Tower of London.  This was begun not long after William the Conquerer took over and the Keep, the 'White Tower' in the middle went up in 1078.  Since then the fortification has seen several changes but basically the tower itself stands as Willie built it.  Once it towered over London in similar fashion to his Barons wooden, then stone, castles towered over the rest of the population.  The resentment felt by the locals was palatable, especially in London a place which has never been keen on outsiders telling it what to do.  Willie and his men had a  good way of dealing with rebels, they slaughtered them, that kept them in the their place somewhat. Today the Tower appears a little squashed but no vast skyscrapers are built too close I notice. 

Had I the energy I would have wandered around to see the ancient ship stuck away permanently in the far dock.  I did see it up close about 25 years ago but I suspect the area around is now full of the cafes' and eateries that abound in tourist traps.  That tourist boat looks gey full to me, I suspect it is a tourist boat but could be a special party.  Later I learned some of those folks who row kayaks around the UK or the world were returning home and some boats were heading out to welcome them.  Row around the UK?  Are they daft?

This rather gentle Art Deco style office block is Adelaide House, the building that engulfs St Magnus. The building was one of the first to be steel framed and covered with very expensive Portland Stone and when erected became the highest office block in the City of London.   The name comes from King William the IVs wife Adelaide, this because she opened the new London Bridge in 1831.  She didn't see this building however it arrived in 1925.

On the front stands this lass holding a globe for reasons not stated.  She stands on a coat of arms from an Australian state, several line the front for reasons unknown.  If you wish to know why ask one William Reid Dick who chiselled her out and he will explain, although he may be dead by now.

What's that doing here?

Nothing.  However after wandering around London the heart cries out for greenery and plant life.