Bridge barriers

The Ham end of Teddington Footbridge has had barriers firmly installed on both sides. 

My guess is that this is to stop people from jumping off though there are already spikes to do that and there are no barriers on the more dangerous Teddington end where I have seen people jumping in to the river from in the recent heatwave.

Footway (Still) Closed

The bridge connecting Douglas Footpath to the towpath has been out of action for several months with no sign of that about to change. While I miss being able to use the bridge I also appreciate the scene it makes with the barriers, sign and rain.

Worn out bridge

Earlier this year I noted that the bridge connecting Douglas Footpath to the towpath, constructed in 2008, was starting to show its age, other people noticed too and now it is being repaired. At least I hope it is and it is not just going to be closed for ages because it is unsafe.

Worn bridge

The bridge connecting Douglas Footpath to the towpath was constructed in 2008 and is starting to show its age with part of the surface sloping slightly. It is not yet unsafe or impassable but its days are clearly numbered.

Ugly spikes

Sadly the refurbishment of Teddington Footbridge has included the addition of spikes in this section. 

They are the sort of spikes used to keep pigeons off but here the target is children who like to jump off the bridge here into the river on hot days. Of course the spikes will not work, either they will find a way to remove or block them or they will find somewhere else, possibly more dangerous, to jump from.

Best view of the bridge

The simpler of the two spans of the Teddington Footbridge is still very pretty, especially when recently repainted and viewed from the lower path on the upstream side. 

The upper path has the better surface and so is much busier and while its height improves the views across the river these are sometimes blocked by trees in which case the lower path is a better place to be. 

Bright bridges

It looks as though the work on the two bridges to Teddington is almost finished and, as hoped, the grey paint applied earlier was just an undercoat and the original blue is returning.

 

While the sides of the bridges look bright the decking is unchanged and would benefit from some TLC too, not least to improve the grip and to remove the unevenness.

More grey paint

I am still quite confused by the ongoing works at Teddington Lock Footbridge.

There are always about a dozen people busy on the bridge whenever I cross but there is relatively little to show for their efforts. On this occasion some sections of the bridge that were blue were being painted grey, though not in a way that looks like a final coat, e.g. there are several patches of blue still showing.

There are also blue sections that have not been touched and other places where the corrosion means that there is no metal left to paint, so it is not clear what the endgame is.

I will keep crossing and watching.

From gold to silver

While the main structure of the bridge looks unchanged (so far) by the major maintenance project a few changes are clearly visible and the changing of the colour of the main cables is one of these.

High water

There was a time, admittedly about twenty years ago, when I used to seek out high tides 

 and so kept a close eye on the tide tables. These days high tides like this are a surprise to me, as they are to most people trying to move around the area.

This is the footbridge that connected Douglas Footpath with the the tow path and it is sitting just above the water level.
 

As I have said before, the problem with the bridge is that it gets you over one flood only to confront another.

This is the path towards Ham House and while the water level is falling, you can see it streaming across the path, it was still to high for me in my normal street shoes.

  

The other way, towards Richmond was even worse.

I know when I am beaten so I headed back the way that came and took another direction.

Bridge repaired

On my previous walk around Ham House the bridge giving access to the tow path was firmly closed for repairs and those repairs have now been completed. The new sections of wood do look new but I think they'll soon darken with the heavy footfall that this route gets.

Broken bridge

The bridge leading off the towpath by Ham House has been showing signs or wear for sometime and now it has been firmly closed off, forcing me to take a long detour around Ham Polo. I hope that the bridge's closure is not just to stop people usng it but also to allow it to be repaired.

Red bridge

I have been trying to take a picture of this bridge for many years but had been thwarted many times by railings and vegetation, until this day.

The bridge is at the far end of the garden at the far end of Cedar Heights and I first discovered it many years ago when it was included in Petersham Open Gardens and I was able to walk over it. That garden is no longer included in the Open Gardens so I have had to admire the bridge from the distant pavement.

Chinese bridge

I have wanted to show this bridge for several years but every time I had trekked to the far end of Cedar Heights there has been something preventing me, usually the light, and so I was pleased to get this one. It is not perfect by any means but it will do.

Unfortunately the bridge goes nowhere and Cedar Heights is a frustrating no-through-road. Bute Avenue lies just beyond the bridge and it would be lovely to connect those two roads.

Crossing the bridge to Ham

The prettiest way to enter Ham is via the footbridge at Teddington. The first section is low as only small boats pass underneath and so it is gentle rise up to the first of the two magnificent towers.

The weir usually provides a welcoming chorus of sound as the water tumbles down the steep drop but when the tide is high the incoming water just about climbs to the top and hides the fall. Then the machinery of the weir looks lost and out of place.

The moorings that run under the footbridge provide a little colour and a lot of interest.

The bridge's second span from the artificial island to Ham is high to let the pleasure cruisers pass beneath and the elevated view south-east towards Kingston is always worth pausing for.

Moving further along the bridge and looking south-east again reveals more of the curving river and the full sweep of the weir.

Large bridge to a small path

Douglas Footpath takes a circuitous route from the towpath to Petersham Avenue as it navigates past the scouts and the German School. For most of this journey it is a narrow path over uneven ground but the entrance from the towpath belies this modesty with a wide sturdy bridge that helps you cross the sometimes wet ditch.

Under the bridge

The recentish additions to Teddington Footbridge try to blend in with the nearby trees in Ham Lands but the rustic look is somewhat spoilt by the crude nature of the construction which is exposed as you walk underneath it. The bridge is functional but with little beauty, like most film music.

Teddington Lock Footbridge

Not only does Teddington Lock Footbridge provide the only pedestrian access to Ham from the West but it is also a very charming structure in its own right.

The bridge has two spans and this is the one that connects Teddington to the small island. Here we are looking towards Teddington with glimpses of The Anglers to the left of the bridge and of the slipway and boathouse to the right.


Looking back the other way from Teddington towards the island we can see that it is not as far above the river as the other span as only small boats, such as those shown, need access to the moorings just below the weir.

Ramps on Teddington Footbridge

There are steep steps on the island to connect the two spans of the footbridge at Teddington Lock but a few years ago a long wooden ramp was added to give easier access to buggies and bikes etc. A similar ramp gives access to the bridge on the Ham side.

Arch

The first span of the footbridge at Teddington Lock has to be high to allow boats to access the lock. The brick support on the island has an arch in it that gives access to the southern end of the island.