Jane’s Walk 2022 – Day 13

Charles joined us again today as we headed for Walton-on-Thames, the end of our journey. There are rather more tarmac than country lanes along this section of the Thames Path. Instead of large opulent houses we walked beside large and modern flat complexes, all with river-view balconies.

Although there was an increasing feel of urban London as we travelled under both the M25 and the M3, an information board told us about the long history of this part of the river, stretching back to Neolithic, Roman and Saxon times. In the Middle Ages, it became an important thoroughfare for kings and the nobility. Staines is mentioned in the Domesday Book and the tax levied on it was £35. I mused on the river being affectionately called “Old Father Thames” and how it has always been an important trading highway in our history.

Moses had one of his many swims, chasing after sticks, but this time he came out very stressed, shaking and biting his back. Nothing could be found, and we eventually decided that he must have been bitten by something, possibly a crayfish. He gradually recovered but refused to return to the river later in the day.

At Chertsey, we saw several large houseboats. It’s difficult to believe they’ve ever moved from their moorings due to their height and general look of permanency. From there, the river meandered through many different channels, and we took a ferry – a route that has been running for 500 years, according to the boatman – across to the other side.

After another picnic, we soon arrived at Walton on Thames, another marathon trek of 130 miles completed. It’s been fun and certainly less arduous than some of our previous walks.