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The River Thames - photos and stories

The autumn colours were so beautiful on this walk I actually got a bit emotional!

In photos: a wonderful autumnal walk from Hampton Court to Kingston alongside the River Thames


In photos: a wonderful autumnal walk from Hampton Court to Kingston alongside the River Thames


In photos: a wonderful autumnal walk from Hampton Court to Kingston alongside the River Thames


 
What a sunset last night!

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What a sunset last night!

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I absolutely love being near rivers and canals, great photos as always :)
 
No photo, sadly, but last week I was visiting my old man in Fulham and saw a seal in the Thames.

He still lives in the flat we grew up in, between Hammersmith and Putney Bridges, near Craven Cottage and very close to the river. In the 1970s the river was so polluted it was declared 'dead' as nothing could live in it, we only ever saw seagulls - but now you regularly see herons, cormorants, grebes - and the occasional seal! There's barbel, bream, chub, dace, perch and more living in the Thames

It was high tide and for a second or so I saw a humped head and back dipping below the surface - much like those photos of the Loch Ness monster! I thought I had imagined it but luckily there were some dog walkers nearby who also saw it and confirmed it was a bloody big seal. We thought it had lost its way but apparently this stretch of the river is becoming quite popular among the seal community...
 
No photo, sadly, but last week I was visiting my old man in Fulham and saw a seal in the Thames.

He still lives in the flat we grew up in, between Hammersmith and Putney Bridges
, near Craven Cottage and very close to the river. In the 1970s the river was so polluted it was declared 'dead' as nothing could live in it, we only ever saw seagulls - but now you regularly see herons, cormorants, grebes - and the occasional seal! There's barbel, bream, chub, dace, perch and more living in the Thames

It was high tide and for a second or so I saw a humped head and back dipping below the surface - much like those photos of the Loch Ness monster! I thought I had imagined it but luckily there were some dog walkers nearby who also saw it and confirmed it was a bloody big seal. We thought it had lost its way but apparently this stretch of the river is becoming quite popular among the seal community...


Is the seal paying a decent rent on the place?
 
I reckon the waters were somehow cleaner even then :(

That is actually far from the case - yes there are problems still, but even with the stuff hitting the news about sewage outflow, it is still far cleaner than it used to be and is full of life.

According to this history of the cleanliness of the Thames, it is currently one of the world's cleanest rivers.

While there is still a long way to go, the water quality is much better and a wide range of projects to encourage aquatic life have been successful. Salmon are spotted occasionally, and studies show 125 fish species and 400 invertebrate species call the Thames home.

There is still much improvement to be made, but there is far less unregulated industrial runoff than there used to be (I mean seriously, how much toxic industrial waste would have ended up in the river a hundred years ago when there was less regulation? During eras when the air was filled with smog that killed people too?) and it is a living river in relatively good nick despite everything - and looking with rose-tinted glasses at the past doesn't help us to fight for the river to be even more improved.

 
I loved this walk and will definitely be back to cover more of it!

In photos: a night time walk along the Thames Path in Rotherhithe, south London


In photos: a night time walk along the Thames Path in Rotherhithe, south London


In photos: a night time walk along the Thames Path in Rotherhithe, south London


 
Great pictures - you got a lovely sky!
I keep meaning to do more of this section. I have walked from London Bridge to around Rotherhite (and back) but never gone all the way round the loop to Surrey Quays/Deptford.
 
In photos: a night time walk along the Thames Path in Rotherhithe, south London



hmmm ... they bear a resemblance

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(john finley walk along the east river)
 
I was a-wanderin' by the Thames last night....

Lights, people, buildings and the river: the Southbank at night in 25 photos


Lights, people, buildings and the river: the Southbank at night in 25 photos


Lights, people, buildings and the river: the Southbank at night in 25 photos


Lights, people, buildings and the river: the Southbank at night in 25 photos


 

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Is the seal paying a decent rent on the place?
Dave (the seal in question) is actually sub-letting, but managed to negotiate a reduced rate with my dad; he (Dave) argued than since he spends most of his time in the bath (occasionally flapping down to the fridge to see if my dad's got any fish in) he shouldn't be paying rent on the whole place.

It's mostly an amicable arrangement, as my dad tends to spend most of his time watching sport on TV - snooker, rugby, football, cricket, you name it - and Dave is only interested in ice-hockey so their paths rarely cross. He did take the piss one time last year when he scoffed all five packets of M&S smoked salmon, but aside from that little blip, they get on OK.
 
I loved this walk and will definitely be back to cover more of it!

In photos: a night time walk along the Thames Path in Rotherhithe, south London


In photos: a night time walk along the Thames Path in Rotherhithe, south London


In photos: a night time walk along the Thames Path in Rotherhithe, south London


its a great little pub crawl! Angel (for sunset) then >Mayflower > Salt Quay
 
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