Our 2025 Overseas Trip was always going to be focussed on our London family, the two grandkids, Amelie – now 4.5 – Aiden – now 22 months – and the family’s move from their Shepherds Bush home, to a new home at Teddington, just around a couple of corners from the above picture. Of interest the Teddington Lock pedestrian and cycle bridge shown above is key on the grandkids way to their new School – or Schule – more on that anon.

Lunch at the Tide End Cottage Pub, just by Teddington Lock – good beer, average lunch and a good story relating to the rescue of the BEF Dunkirk
Monument marking the limit of the Port of London Authorities jurisdiction on the Thames
Tidal Thames looking downstream towards Richmond bridge
Bridges can be a bit few and far between away from the city, but here at Ham House/Marble Hill is a weekend ferry -excellent short cut for walkers
The Thames divides at Teddington, part fall over a right angle weir and the rest comes through the Lock
Sunset and peace oat Teddington

Teddington Lock marks the divide between the River Thames and the Tidal Thames, the latter being controlled by the Port of London Authority. The Lock also incorporates a weir that puts a brake on the river flow plus incorporates a convenient pedestrian footbridge that sits between Kingston Bridge 2 miles upstream and Richmond Bridge some 3 miles downstream.

Back in the days of King Henry V111, Cardinal Wolsey had a nice mansion at Hampton Court, which KH8 coveted and acquired. Between that point and the City of London, there grew up a series of stunning properties. We have visited two – Marble Hill and Ham House, but there are very many more, reflecting the influence of the monarchy and the need for those of the Royal Court to set themselves up to be near to the Monarch.

Marble Hill and lawns running down to the Tahmes
Marble Hill rear lawn aka cricket pitch
Ham House – excellent cafe in the Orangerie
Edwardian splendour complete with feature sundial
Mansions, one private road back from the Thames, that at high tide, does flood

The footbridge is vital for our grandchildren’s commute to their new Kindergarten/Nursery at the Richmond German School. By the family’s ECargo bike the trip is about 15 minutes each way (8kms return), undercover for the passengers, easy parking & great parental exercise. The alternative being an hours drive and big parking challenges. Bike wins every time, even in the rain!!

ECargo Bike that can accommodate all four family members
Cargo compartment can take up to 100kg of weight
The German School at Richmond – Polo Club next door and Richmond Park across the road

This part of London is blessed with huge parks, part of the “ Royal Estate”, originally for the nobility to “hunt, shoot, fish and bespoil themselves, in private secure – high walled surroundings “. Nearby to us in Teddington we have Bushy (1100 acres) , Hampton (700 acres) and Richmond (2500 acres) Parks. All wonderful facilities, with differing but excellent children’s play areas, lakes, herds of fallow and red deer – these currently being culled before the rut and breeding season begin.

Hampton Court itself is a wonderful visit, not palatial per se like Buckingham or Blenheim, but still impressive. Lovely gardens that when we visited in mid September after some rain had recovered substantially from the earlier drought conditions. The wrought ironwork gates and fencing are amazing as are equally the 300 year old yew trees, that are topiary beautiful!

Red deer in Bushy Park
Petersham Gate Richmond Park excellent children’s playground
Magic Garden Playground at Hampton Court – voted best no soft play park by two grandkids
Hampton Court “Privy Garden” from the Thames – recreated in 1995 in the William and Mary style – French influence at play here
Stunning gates looking out onto the Thames
Beech Tree Gallery on a timber frame, will look stunning in its autumn glory
Henry V111 Canal and obliging squadron of geese
Beech arch window view of the Palace
300 year old yew trees

Meanwhile down in Sussex, memories of childhood seaside holidays are awakened with a trip on the Bluebell Railway – Sheffield Park to East Grinstead and return – a “choo choo train”!! It was a great trip, enhanced by the smell , noise and sounds of the steam engine and its corridor carriages plus a delay in a tunnel as we returned from East Grinstead due to a number of deer who were loitering in the tunnel. The Guard was then called upon to shoo the deer out of the tunnel!!

We travelled 3rd Class – “we know our place”!!
Our Choo choo – sorry we cannot post videos, the sounds, smell and raw power, just brilliant
Tea Party option
Luggage of the day – we have two trunks like this bottom one, left over from our college days

Sheffield Park, just around two corners from the Bluebell Railway Station, is a National Trust property with stunning gardens and lakes to be wandered through and admired, which we did.

Sheffield Park National Trust
Autumn colours just starting
Copper beech shadow, the water lilies will be very fine in the spring
Big beefy gunnera in the foreground and midlle right, a stunning redwood tree struck by lightening and “smashed” by the impact

To end our day, we headed to Eastbourne and the Devonshire Theatre for a performance of , “The Signalman” by Charles Dickens, continuing our railway theme of the day , and it even starred a tunnel – brilliant live theatre. Intriguingly the Signalman Play focuses on a train crash that had happened previously at “ Staplehurst”, a crash that Dickens was himself involved in, was traumatised by and wrote this play about. Thereafter he avoided train travel. British Provincial theatre offers so much, and in a couple of weeks we are at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, and will report further!!