Glen Cottage

Glen Cottage in River Lane has been extended over the years and is now twice its original size. Luckily all the new building is hidden out of site at the back leaving the period frontage untouched for us to enjoy.

Low tide

For most of the year the Thames at Ham is kept artificially high by Richmond Lock but each November it is let free and allowed to be fully tidal and then you get low tides like this.

A closer look at the Garden House

When walking in to the Palm Centre on Ham Street, a glance up to the left gives you a pleasing view of the Garden House with its pristine white walls and the woodwork freshly painted in a colour that I am not even going to try and guess the name of. Very nice chimneys too.

A new sign in an old place

When I took a photograph here back in March it was of the old, worn and unreadable sign and I suggested then that a new one would be useful. Now there is a new one and I'm tempted to claim all the credit! I am also pleased to say that the old sign is still there hiding safely behind the new one.

Riverside Drive

Riverside Drive stands starkly against the open space around it and marks a clear boundary between the wild Ham Lands and the village.

Weathervane at Petersham Manor

Petersham Manor in River Lane proudly boasts a traditional weathervane which confirms that the road is almost due north-south at this point.

Rear wall at Rutland Lodge

If you like old brick walls as much as I do then Ham is a great place to live. This fine example is in the rear garden of Rutland Lodge and in the background you can see Rosebank peeking back at us.

Petersham Manor

Petersham Manor usually hides behind a large wall and solid gates but if you walk along River Lane often enough eventually you'll find those gates neglecting their duty, allowing you a respectful glimpse of one of Petersham's gems.

Pineapple

The boundary of Ham House is a luscious mix of dark red brick and black railing punctuated magnificently by white pineapples.

This is a footpath

This is Douglas Footpath and it certainly looks like a footpath, particularly now that it has been resurfaced and the hedges have been trimmed, but it is nice to have a sign to confirm that it is, indeed, really a footpath after all.

Something about Sand Martins

This plague may be attractive and informative but it has been laid below the high water level and so is already illegible.

Autumn trees

My usual walking route to/from Richmond takes me along the path on the north side of Ham House. When returning to Ham it offers this very welcoming view as you approach Petersham Avenue.

Apostrophe problems

I like the bistro on Ham Parade but it's a shame that whoever does their signs does not know how to use apostrophes. Their awning announces that they sell "coffee's" and this new A-board proclaims that they are "Hams" number one cafe.

A secret place

At times exploring Ham on foot can be a bit like stepping into a Rupert the Bear story with charming cottages and wonderful woods were magical things live. Surely a secret place like this one just off Petersham Road is just the place to find a faerie hiding among the quiet bushes.

Solitary gull

A solitary gull perches above the lock at Thames Young Mariners and intelligently turns its back on the havoc wrecked on the north bank of the lake.

Scaffolding at Ham House

Ham House is not immune from the plague of building works and scaffolding has taken a firm grip of the North side of the old and vulnerable building.

P 557 OGS blocks the crossing

I've not done a bad parking picture for a while but this car annoyed me this morning as I was trying to cross the road here. The dropped kerb, tactile paving and double yellow lines should have been enough to keep anyone away but the owner of this car decided to be selfish and to block the crossing.

Gate House Garden

The Gate House Garden is on the prominent corner formed by Ham Common and Upper Ham Road which makes it one of the focal points of Ham. And thanks to the hard work of the Ham Amenities Group it is an attractive corner all the year round.

Wet bench

The good idea was adding a bench to the long stretch of the tow path between Teddington Lock and Ham House, particularly when it gives you a good view of the artificial Sand Martin nest on Eel Pie Island. The bad idea was putting it below the high water line, building a path to it that is far more formal than the tow path that it leads off, and destroying a large swath of Ham Lands to accommodate it.

Richmond Golf Club

This is Richmond Golf Club observed discretely from Hazel Lane. The wild rough here was cut back drastically last year and now hopeless and unlucky gardeners have some hope of finding their wayward balls.

Red berries

When most of the days are grey it is warming to see something colourful like these deep red berries and a few stubborn yellow leaves adorning a tree standing proudly between Ham House and the river.