Distance - 4 Miles
Geocaches - 1
Walk Inspiration - Andrew Duncan's Walking Village London
Pubs - 3
I'd forgotten that the Hammersmith Bridge is still closed the road traffic. With infrequent Sunday trains - that at one point were not even running due to engineering works - it's a complex journey on tube and bus that involves getting lost in Hammersmith.
Psychogeograpgy at its finest, when you are going around in circles looking for the bus stop and find the Rik Mayall bench from the opening credits of Bottom.
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| The Man, The Myth, The Legend |
Eventually, I find my way to Barnes Bridge.
The walk is very simple, back alleys through cottages that wouldn't look out of place in a Cornish fishing village. The green spaces of Barnes Common - following metal disc markers labelled Barnes Trail. Bumping into celebs - Dan Snow and his grandfather walking in the opposite direction. A short section of the Thames Path and than back past the wetlands centre, where I am delivered to the pubs.
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| Barnes Common |
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| Short Section of the Thames Path |
First up is the Fullers House - The Red Lion. Packed to the rafters inside with family diners. Despite the large garden, with pod shelters, I decided that I had been in enough Red Lions this weekend. This was the 3rd.
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| An ESB Shunned |
Opposite the Duck Pond is the Sun Inn.... aged, venerable and I meet the same fete. No space inside, but the sun is shining and I can't pass by two, for I will be saddled with a fussy reputation. Northern Monk Eternal Session IPA tasting and looking like squash in the sunshine.
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| Handsome Pub - The Sun |
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| Northern Monk Catching the Daylight |
Indoors success at the former coaching house aptly named the Coach and Horses. All tables are reserved at particular times in the near future - so I couldn't settle in for my Sunday lunch. A shames, as I could have set a new European and Commonwealth record as the most expensive Sunday lunch ever purchased.
£19.
Seemed popular enough though.
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| Coach and Horses - Exterior |
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I'd not visited Barnes before, but I am sure those that have will know the best pub is coming up.
What a joy the Watermans Arms is. A very impressive range of Cask and Keg. A distinctively beautiful pub inside and out. Check out the 1st floor balcony, which is certainly where I will be aiming for on my next visit. Excellent service and a more reasonably priced lunch.
A real cracker - and although I know the beer would have been excellent in the Red Lion, I'd certainly swap the two over in the Good Beer Guide.
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| Lovely inside..... |
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| ..... and out |
The Bulls head adjacent, but no time. The once an hour train to Waterloo is about to depart.
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| Heading into the Sunset after a successful visit |
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