The Heart of Henley Hike 2010
Well they all said (at least some did) that I wouldn't do it, couldn't do it or would bottle out at the last minute. But with a huge amount of support from so many people from the parish the Heart of Henley Hike from St Mary's to the Thames Barrier along the Thames Path was completed in time and on budget! In fact, at the time of writing the budget, or at least the amount expected to be raised, has risen from £1500-£2000 to around about £6000. So another big Thank You to everyone who sponsored and obtained other sponsors.
It was suggested that I keep a diary of the walk - but that would have taken up valuable time. I hope the following brief summary will suffice. Monday started off cool and bright and 2 dozen or so gathered to make sure I started! The Henley Standard were in attendance and the first photo was taken. Quite a few pushed me on as far as Hambledon lock, where the real walkers were left to get on with it. So Martin and Judy Whittaker, Carol B-P and Ness Lakatos and I ploughed on past Culham Court to Marlow via Hurley. Then, after a brief stop for lunch (!) on to Bourne End, Cliveden and finally Boulter's Lock in Maidenhead. Thankfully Martin had left his car there, so we had a speedy return home.
The next morning it was David Dew and I who were whisked off to Boulter's Lock by Frank Augur for what was to be the longest route of the week, all the way to Shepperton, 21 miles away. This was by far the most varied day of the walk, with riverside pastures, urban pathways (through Windsor where we were met by our fundraise, Clare Convey) and on around the Windsor estate through Staines and thence to Chertsey. Parts of the Thames path on this day were away from the river, and we found ourselves at one point fighting our way through "Our Lady's lace" and other tall weeds and brambles. I knew this was going to be a difficult day, and eventually we called it a day at Chertsey, where John Luker met us and brought us home. Wednesday was the turn of the Constantinidis - Sheila to drive us to Chertsey and George to share the day's walk - "Just a couple of rounds of golf!" It turned out to be rather more as we caught up on the previous day's shortfall and made it all the way to Richmond - a very beautiful and fascinating day's walk which included one of the few Thames Ferries still operating, and in beautiful weather. Martin Whittaker met us and brought us back.
On Thursday it was Brian Brent's turn to drive and walk the very mixed path to Westminster, joined once more by David Dew. Country paths gave way to concrete and tarmac - though the day ended with a cup of tea in the Staff Canteen at the House of Commons, courtesy of the Churchwarden of St Nicholas'! I stayed on in Westminster so Friday's start was a stroll to the other side of Westminster Bridge for the interesting, yet boring, seemingly endless yet shortest walk of the week with Mary Wood to the Thames Barrier, passing through mediaeval Southwark, regenerated bits of the old Wharves, past Greenwich, on a detour around the Olympic Village construction site to the O2 and then past the gravel conveyors before reaching the walk's end. A short taxi ride and a high speed water taxi brought us back to the London Eye where Ian Wood waited with the car - and a half bottle of champagne to celebrate. It was strange but I felt almost sorry that the walk had ended. After Wednesday all the aches and pains had disappeared and walking had almost become an obsession. So all that's left now is to collect the sponsorship money... and plan next year's sponsored walk from the Source of the Thames to Henley!