Thames Path Walk: Part Three - Putney Bridge to Westminster

Poor Brenda!  Our newest member has been with the group only a couple of months, but in that short time, she has been injured in a team game and on Saturday, on her first walk, she picked up another injury getting off the train at the start!  It is just coincidence, we promise!

Wisely abandoning ship to rest her injury, Brenda and Ray left the group who then crossed Putney Bridge to start the walk with a refreshment break in St Mary's Church cafe, where we finished on the last walk.  The church has a long history, not the least bit of which was that the Putney Debates were held there in 1647, with the successful Parliamentarian Army members discussing the constitution they intended the country to have after the English Civil War.

Once we hit the path, in gradually clearing weather conditions, it was a pleasant walk through Wandsworth Park, moving ever closer to the hubbub of Central London.  This part of the Thames still has some nicely converted warehouses and views of the more expensive conversions at Chelsea harbour on the north bank.  We also passed Lotts Road Power station (on the north bank) which a few of the group confused with Battersea, a couple of miles further along the river.  Lotts Road at one time supplied all of the power for the London Underground system, but is now, as most things are, being converted into luxury flats.

An obliging heron stopped and posed for us at Ransome Dock, and we broke step across Albert Bridge, as requested by the signs, to head into Battersea Park for a lunch break.  As luck would have it, the fountains were on and the sun came out so we were able to enjoy a nice view from the park benches.