Norbiton to Hammersmith or Putney Walk

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Walk Map

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Walk Options ( M+Long | M+Short | Shorter )

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13. Main Walk, to Hammersmith (16¾ km)

1. Longer Walk, to Putney Bridge (19¾ km)
2. Shorter Walk, to Chiswick (14¾ km)
61. Shorter Walk, to Turnham Green (15½ km)
16. Park Walk, from Norbiton to Barnes Bridge (10½ km)
18. Riverside Walk, from Barnes to Putney Bridge (10¾ km)

Walk Directions

If you are doing the Riverside Walk (from Barnes), start at [?] in §D.

1. Norbiton Station to Isabella Plantation (3¼ km)

⬅ North (map rotated 90°)

1. Arriving from London via Wimbledon, go down the ramp and under the subway to leave the station via Platform 1. Go straight across the small car park and over Coombe Lane at the pedestrian crossing. Continue along Wolverton Avenue, just off to the right.
2. Go all the way along this residential street, passing the back of Kingston Hospital. At the far end cross the A308 (Kingston Hill) at the pedestrian lights and veer right and left to continue on the B351 (Queen's Road). At the far end go through Kingston Gate into Richmond Park.

   There are many grassy paths and tracks through this large deer park and it is easy to go astray. The directions sketch out a possible route to Roehampton Gate via the Isabella Plantation and Pen Ponds but you might prefer to keep an eye on the map and take any convenient path in the direction you should be heading.

3. For the suggested route, go past the lodge and turn half-right onto a path through the trees. Continue past Kingston Gate car park off to your left, but just before a footbridge over a small stream veer left onto a narrow path which goes up to the perimeter road via the car park exit.
4. Cross the road carefully and bear right onto a grassy path towards a tree-covered mound. Follow the path up a flight of steps and continue along the left-hand edge of a large open area, with a wooded depression down to your left.
5. After passing a small enclosure of pine trees (King's Clump) keep ahead across the grassland towards a lightly wooded area (Coronation Plantation), parallel to the perimeter road off to your right and with a large house (Thatched House Lodge) away to your left.

   Thatched House Lodge was originally built as two park keepers' houses, then enlarged and joined together in 1771. It is currently a privately owned royal residence, leased from the Crown Estate.

6. Inside the plantation the path swings left in front of a large fenced enclosure containing Dann's Pond. Join a track heading away from Thatched House Lodge and continue in the same direction at subsequent path junctions, going up a small slope and through a lightly-wooded area.
7. The path gradually curves left and approaches a large rhododendron-ringed enclosure, the Isabella Plantation. Bear right onto a broad path running parallel to its perimeter fence, then turn left through the first gate you come to (High Wood Gate, though not marked as such).

   There are many possible routes through the Isabella Plantation to Peg's Pond Gate on the far side. A simple route past all three ponds is described, together with a suggested longer exploration: this is well worth doing in spring when the garden is at its most colourful.

8. Inside High Wood Gate, bear left off the main path (which swings right past a small toilet block) and go down to a clump of rhododendrons and camellias. Take one of the paths ahead into these bushes and follow it round a few bends to find the azalea-lined Still Pond.

   The interconnecting ponds and streams in the plantation are fed by water pumped up from Pen Ponds, in the centre of the park.

9. Follow the surfaced path down alongside Small Stream. In 150m the path bends left to go alongside Main Stream. Turn right at the first junction to cross the stream on a wooden bridge and go straight across a parallel path on the other side. This side path leads to another attractive spot, Thomson's Pond.

   George Thomson was the Park Superintendent who developed the Garden layout in the late 1940s. The Plantation was opened to the public in 1953.

10. Turn left at the pond and follow either of the paths going gently downhill alongside Thomson's Stream. In 75m there is a small Bog Garden on the left which you can detour through. The paths curve round to the left to return to the main pair of paths alongside Main Stream. Unless you want to do an extended loop through the plantation, turn right at this junction.
    

11. Extended tour of the Isabella Plantation (up to 1 km)

1. For the optional extension turn left onto either of the paths alongside Main Stream. In 150m you cross over the route you took earlier (leading to Thomson's Pond).
2. In a further 200m turn right at a major path crossing onto Camellia Walk, which brings you back to the area between High Wood Gate and Still Pond.
3. Unless you want to repeat your earlier route, follow the path past the back of the azalea-lined pond and round to the right. Follow this meandering path through a wooded part of the plantation.
4. The woodland path eventually swings right and returns to the main pair of paths alongside Main Stream. Turn left to rejoin the main route.
12. Follow the main path through the Heather Garden. Keep to the left of Peg's Pond to come to a large toilet block and information panels by Peg's Pond Gate.
2. Isabella Plantation to Roehampton Gate (3¼ km)
1. Leave the plantation and turn right to go through the car park, where there are several paths out into a lightly wooded area. Take the second path on the right (ie. to the left of the one alongside the perimeter fence). Follow this through the trees into a large open area and up to a lane.
2. Cross over the lane and a sandy horse ride to continue on a grassy path, with a large rhododendron-ringed enclosure (Pond Plantation) ahead on your right. At a path junction bear left onto a broad track and follow this up a slope and round to the right.
3. Keep right at path junctions to go around the large enclosure, which you will soon see is at the end of a lake (the upper Pen Pond). At the end of the lake keep ahead at a path crossing to go past the smaller lower pond, down to your right.

   Pen Ponds were created in the 18^thC to drain a boggy area, then enlarged when gravel was extracted for local building.

4. Continue in much the same direction past a large wood on your left, Jubilee Plantation. Go straight across a broad avenue leading to White Lodge, 500m away to the right in Duchess Wood.

   White Lodge was built as a hunting lodge for George Ⅱ in 1730. Since 1956 it has been the home of the Royal Ballet School.

5. Keep ahead across a large open plain on a faint grassy path, aiming for the left-hand side of a small wood behind a road junction (Sheen Cross), 750m away.

   Towards the far side of this plain you pass a noticeboard saying that the flying of Model Aircraft and Drones is permitted in this area.

6. The path leads to the perimeter road, a little way to the left of Sheen Cross. Cross the road carefully and turn right to go up to the junction. Cross over the side road and turn left to go alongside Sheen Cross Wood for about 100m. Immediately after passing a small fenced area turn right onto an inconspicuous path through this wood.
7. On the far side of the wood keep ahead on a grassy path leading to a substantial footbridge 400m away (not the one alongside the perimeter road, 125m away to the right). Cross the footbridge over Beverley Brook.

   Beverley Brook is a short river, flowing from Worcester Park into the River Thames between Hammersmith and Putney, with an attractive tree-lined stretch through Richmond Park. In medieval times there were beavers in the river and the name means ‘beaver-meadow stream’.

8. Follow the path back to the road, meeting it in front of Roehampton Gate. Go through the gate to leave Richmond Park.
3. Roehampton Gate to Barnes Station (2½ km)
1. Outside the park immediately turn left onto an enclosed footpath running alongside its boundary wall, joining the Beverley Brook Walk (BBW). After crossing the river turn right onto the riverside path (or walk along the edge of the adjacent Palewell Common & Fields).

   The Beverley Brook Walk runs for 11½ km from New Malden station to the River Thames.

2. In 400m ignore a footbridge over the river and follow the path round to the left. At a Y-junction fork right to stay alongside the river. After passing another footbridge the path swings left and goes out between allotments to a residential street (Hertford Avenue).
3. Turn right onto the road and go all the way along it, passing a school on the left. At the far end turn right onto the A205 (the South Circular Road). Cross over this main road at the first or second set of pedestrian lights and then fork left into Priests Bridge. Where this side street swings right in front of Cafe Loris fork left into White Hart Lane, leaving the BBW.
   • Alternatively you could follow Priests Bridge back to the A205 for a further 200m along the main road, then just after traffic lights bear left onto a tarmac path across Barnes Common to the station. The suggested route is quieter and only marginally longer.
4. On the suggested route turn right off White Hart Lane into Treen Avenue. At the far end turn right into Rosslyn Avenue and go past vehicle barriers onto a footbridge over Beverley Brook. Continue along a broad tree-lined street (Woodlands Road), then go straight across Vine Road onto a signposted footpath across part of Barnes Common.

   Barnes Common has become dissected by roads and the railway. The 100-acre site of rough grassland and woodland was designated as a Local Nature Reserve in 1992.

5. In 150m turn half-left at a path junction (onto the path from the main road) and follow this tarmac path to Barnes station. Go up the steps by Platform 4 to cross the tracks on a footbridge, with a road (Rocks Lane) on your right.
4. Barnes Station to Barnes Bridge Station (1½ km)

1. Starting from Barnes Station

1. Arriving from London on Platform 3 or 4, go up steps onto the footbridge and head towards the station building, with a road (Rocks Lane) on your right.
2. On the north side of the station go down to the small forecourt in front of the main entrance and take the path into the trees between the two arms of Station Road. After passing a Barnes Common Nature Reserve information panel continue through a lightly-wooded area for 50m and take the central path ahead into the undergrowth, heading N.
3. Keep ahead through a mix of woodland and rough grassland, where a group of houses come into view. Make for the left-hand end of a high wooden fence surrounding them and join a lane alongside them out to the B349 (Mill Hill Road).
4. Cross the road carefully onto a short link path and then turn left onto a long straight tarmac path leading to the far corner of Barnes Common. At the end cross a footbridge over Beverley Brook onto Barnes Green.
5. Take either of the two paths ahead (the left-hand path is slightly more direct), leading to opposite sides of the village pond. The Sun Inn is behind the pond on the other side of Church Road; Barnes High Street is ahead on the left.
6. For other refreshment places or to continue the walk, go up Barnes High Street. The choices here include a Pizza Express, a Caffè Nero and the Coach & Horses pub (all on the left-hand side). At the end of the High Street the Watermans Arms and the Bulls Head pubs are on the right, overlooking the River Thames.
7. Turn left at the mini-roundabout and go along The Terrace's pavement (or the raised walkway overlooking the river) to the railway bridge, with Barnes Bridge station on the left.

   There is a blue plaque at #12 to the composer Gustav Holst (1874-1934), best known for his orchestral suite “The Planets”.

8. Finishing at Barnes Bridge Station

1. To complete the Park Walk go up the steps on this side of the railway bridge, signposted to Platform 1 for trains to Waterloo.
5. Barnes Bridge Stn to Chiswick House • Stns (3¼ • 4¼ • 5 km)
1. Go up the steps on this side of Barnes Railway Bridge, but halfway up turn sharp right to cross the river on a footway alongside the tracks.

   The three spans of wrought iron girders were constructed in the 1890s to replace a cast iron bridge. Doubts had been raised about the stability of those structures after several had collapsed, including one on the Brighton main line in 1891. Part of the original 1849 bridge was left in place (on the other side of the tracks); there are plans to convert it into a garden walkway.

2. On the far side of the bridge go down steps and keep ahead on a path towards a boathouse, joining the signposted Thames Path at the eastern end of Dukes Meadows Footbridge.

   This walkway under the railway bridge was opened in January 2023. Previously the Thames Path had to divert 300m inland to a foot tunnel under the railway.

3. Go straight across the slipway in front of the boathouse and up onto the Promenade. Continue along this terraced embankment for 750m, with Dukes Meadows on the left and passing a Bandstand along the way.

   Chiswick Council acquired a large area of land between the river and Chiswick House from the Duke of Devonshire in the 1920s and developed it into a recreation area, including constructing this embankment. At the end of Dukes Meadows the Fantastic Herons sculpture was created from recycled materials.

4. Continue on a permissive path in front of the Corney Reach estate to reach an information panel about Chiswick Pier and the collection of Historic Houseboats moored at its pontoons.
   • If you want to skip the part of the walk through Chiswick House & Gardens, carry on along the permissive path to Church Wharf and the start of Chiswick Mall by St Nicholas church. If you take this short cut, resume the directions at [?] in §F.
5. For the main route turn left, going past an octagonal pavilion (access is permitted through the private estate to Pumping Station Road). At the end of the estate make your way across a large roundabout to continue on Grantham Road opposite.
6. At the end of Grantham Road cross the A316 carefully and go through the Great Chertsey Road Gate into the grounds of Chiswick House, with the house itself directly ahead. Go up the avenue to the forecourt entrance, guarded by a pair of sphinxes.

   Lord Burlington modelled Chiswick House on Palladio's Villa Capra “La Rotonda” near Vicenza, but also included elements from the architect's drawings of other classical buildings.

7. Go through the forecourt towards the house and continue around its left-hand side. At the back turn right onto a broad avenue leading to the Inigo Jones Gateway.

   This 17^thC gateway had been designed by Inigo Jones for Beaufort House in Chelsea. It was acquired by Lord Burlington in 1738.

   • If you want to skip (or postpone) the suggested tour of the gardens, you can veer right in front of the gateway to go directly to the Café.

8. Suggested tour of the Gardens

This is a slightly shorter version (in the reverse direction) of the garden trail shown on the Chiswick House & Gardens Trust's Visitor Guide.


1. Go through the gateway and turn left onto a winding path leading to a small pond, with a ha-ha on your left. Bear right at the pond into the semi-circular Italian Garden.

   The garden was laid out in 1812 to provide an elegant setting for the Conservatory.

2. Take any route around the garden; if it is open, you can walk back through the 96m-long Conservatory.

   Completed in 1813, the Conservatory contains the oldest collection of camellias in Britain.

3. Having returned to the pond, bear right onto a path heading towards a small square building at the end of the ha-ha, the Deer House. Go past this into a small rose garden, with a Medici Venus on top of the Doric Column.

   The statue is a modern copy of the Venus de’ Medici in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

4. Turn left in front of the column and follow a path to the Patte d'oie (goose foot). There are several paths radiating off to the right into The Wilderness and the semi-circular Exedra is up ahead, at the end of the broad avenue from the house.

   The Exedra was designed to contain Lord Burlington's sculpture collection.

5. With the house behind you, take the left-hand of the three main paths from the Patte d'oie (unless tempted to explore further by the eye-catchers at the ends of the others). From the left-hand path there is a fine view of the Ionic Temple behind an Obelisk.

   The Ionic Temple is one of the few surviving 18^thC garden buildings, intended to evoke the gardens of ancient Rome.

6. Continue along the broad path (or a parallel one through the shrubs to its right) to come to the Classic Bridge. Either cross over the bridge and turn left, or (for a short extension) continue on a loop around the far end of the lake to the other side of the bridge.

   The long narrow lake was part of the original garden design but the Classic Bridge was a later addition, being designed by James Wyatt in 1774.

7. Go along the path alongside the water, passing the other side of the Ionic Temple. At the end of the path turn left to go past the Cascade.

   William Kent added this combination of waterfall and grotto to the gardens in 1736.

8. Go up to the forecourt entrance and turn left towards the house. Go through a gap by its right-hand corner and round to the right to come to the Café.
   

If you are doing a Shorter Walk and not continuing along the river to Hammersmith or Putney, complete the walk at [?] for trains to Waterloo, or [?] for the District Line.

9. Finishing at Chiswick Station (+1 km)

1. Make your way to Burlington Lane Gate, near the southern corner of the gardens. From the café, retrace your steps past the front of the house to the Cascade. From here you can either keep ahead or go up a flight of steps onto a higher parallel path, the Terrace. Both routes lead to an Obelisk in front of the gate.
   • There are also paths from the Classic Bridge and opposite the Ionic Temple which lead to the Obelisk.
2. Leave the gardens and turn right onto Burlington Lane. The station is 400m past the junction with Staveley Road, on the left at the end of a parade of shops. Platform 1 on the near side is for trains to London.
   • You could also leave the gardens from the Park Road Gate exit (near their north-western corner) and walk along Park Road to the station, but there is no public right of way from the Staveley Road exit through the Chiswick Place estate (which would be the most direct route).

10. Finishing at Turnham Green Station (+1¾ km)


1. Make your way to Duke's Avenue Gate, in the northern corner of the gardens. From the café, go past the Italian Garden and turn left onto a broad tree-lined avenue. Towards the end veer right across the grass to leave through a pedestrian gate in the wall, with the A4 (Great West Road) ahead.
   • A detour along the A4 to the right would bring you to Hogarth House in 150m.
2. Go down the ramp outside the pedestrian gate to the subway. On the other side of the A4 continue along Duke's Avenue, directly away from the main road.
3. At the end of this long road turn right at the T-junction with the A315 (Chiswick High Road). Cross over this busy main road as soon as possible and in 75m turn left into Fisher's Lane.
   • Alternatively, simply continue along the A315 for a further 300m and turn left at the traffic lights onto the B409 (which leads directly to Turnham Green station).
4. On the suggested route you go across Chiswick Common Road in 175m and turn right onto a path across Chiswick Back Common, gradually approaching the underground tracks on the embankment off to your left.

   The common was the site of the battle of Turnham Green (1642) in the English Civil War. Parliamentarian forces under the Earl of Essex held off the royalist army, which never again attempted to march on London.

5. On the far side of the common cross over the B409 and go under the railway bridge to find the entrance to Turnham Green station.
   
6. Chiswick House to Hammersmith Bridge • Stn (2¼ • 3 km)
1. To continue the walk, make your way to Corney Road Gate, in the eastern corner of the gardens. From the café the shortest route is to take the path leading away from the front of the café (with the house off to your right) and turn left at a T-junction, away from the house. Where this path swings left in the corner of the grounds, veer right to find the gate.
   • Alternatively you could go past the Conservatory and turn right onto a broad tree-lined avenue, which leads to the gate.
2. Leave the gardens and turn left onto the A316. Cross this main road at the pedestrian lights and continue along it for a further 75m, then turn right into the signposted Powell's Walk, which leads to a cemetery and St Nicholas church.

   There has been a parish church on this site since the 12^thC but most of the former building was demolished and rebuilt in 1882-84.

3. Go around the right-hand side of the church. Near the end of the path you pass an information panel in front of the Tomb-Monument to William Hogarth, with an epitaph by his friend David Garrick, the actor.
4. Leave the churchyard to rejoin the Thames Path along Chiswick Mall, passing a series of grand houses on the left and their private riverside gardens on the right.
5. After passing Chiswick Eyot (a small island) the road bears slightly left, away from the river. Continue along Hammersmith Terrace.

   There are blue plaques on this terrace to AP Herbert, a humorist best remembered for his satirical pieces “Misleading Cases” on the English legal system; and Emery Walker, a typographer whose home has been described as “the last authentic Arts and Crafts interior in England”.

6. At the end of this street veer right in front of the Black Lion (the first of a string of pubs on this stretch of the walk) to return to the riverfront.
7. After passing through a small open space and the Old Ship pub the path leads into Upper Mall. On the left is the London Corinthian Sailing Club, followed by more grand houses.

   In a side road on the left (Weltje Road) there is a blue plaque on the first house to Eric Ravilious (1903-1942), an English artist noted for his South Downs watercolours. Towards the end of Upper Mall you pass a small museum run by the William Morris Society: the champion of the Arts and Crafts movement lived at #26 and some of the engraving of his designs was carried out at the nearby Sussex House.

8. At the end of Upper Mall the Thames Path continues along a short passageway where you pass the Dove tavern on the right.

   This small pub (originally a coffee house) boasts numerous historical connections, eg. that James Thompson wrote the words to “Rule, Britannia!” in an upstairs room.

9. The passage comes out into Furnivall Gardens where you can veer right to return to the riverfront.

   This area was once the mouth of Hammersmith Creek, used by barges until the early 20^thC. The outlet was later channelled into an underground culvert and the gardens built over the area in 1951.

10. Continue along Lower Mall, another set of grand houses (of varied designs). In the final stretch to Hammersmith Bridge you pass two more pubs, the Rutland Arms and the Blue Anchor.

If you are not doing the extension to Putney, complete the walk at [?].

11. Finishing at Hammersmith Station (+¾ km)

1. To avoid having to cross the A306, follow the Thames Path under Hammersmith Bridge and immediately turn left up a ramp, passing the Old City Arms pub at the top. Continue alongside the main road.
2. After going under Hammersmith Flyover bear right across a small green, passing St Paul's church off to the right.
3. Cross over the A219 at the traffic lights ahead and turn left to find the main entrance to Hammersmith Broadway (for the District & Piccadilly lines) just round the next corner. The other underground station (for the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines) is directly opposite.
7. Hammersmith Bridge to Putney Stations (3¾ • 4½ km)

⬅ North (map rotated 90°)

1. There is a branch of the Thames Path on both sides of the river. The directions in this section are for the north bank, which ends with a stretch through a riverside park and the opportunity to visit Fulham Palace.

   • Unless Hammersmith Bridge is closed to pedestrians you could cross over to the south bank. This alternative route – popular with cyclists as well as walkers – is completely straightforward all the way to Putney Bridge, along a broad tree-lined path and then Putney Embankment.
2. For the route along the north bank, follow the Thames Path under Hammersmith Bridge and around a small inlet to go past the front of the new Riverside Studios development. Continue alongside the river for 700m.

   On this stretch there is a bronze statue of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown (“Father of the English Landscape Garden”) and the imposing Figurehead sculpture for the Fulham Reach development. On the far bank you pass Harrod's Furniture Depository (a famous Boat Race landmark), a warehouse which was converted into luxury apartments in 2000.

3. After the path swings left by an old wharf the signposted Thames Path goes past the Crabtree pub and a building on the right before returning to the river via Adam Walk, but you could also take a narrow path around the front of the building.

   On the far bank of the river you might be able to see a stone obelisk marking the distance from the start of the Boat Race, the Mile Post. Behind it is the London Wetland Centre, a large urban nature reserve created in 2000 from four disused Victorian reservoirs.

4. Carry on alongside the river for a further 700m to Fulham's football ground, Craven Cottage. Until the stadium redevelopment is complete you have to detour off to the left to go past it on Stevenage Road.

   At the far end of the stadium there is a statue of Johnny Haynes (1934-2005), the club's finest player (from 1952-70, his entire professional career).

5. After passing the stadium turn right into Bishop's Park. The suggested route is to go back towards the river and walk along the tree-lined avenue, although a shorter continuation is the path running parallel to Stevenage Road.
6. In 250m you pass some ornamental ponds and a playground. Make your way to the left-hand side of the park (away from the river), where there is an entrance into the grounds of Fulham Palace just past the playground.

The suggested continuation is through the Palace grounds, but if they are closed simply continue along the Thames Path (or through Bishop's Meadow alongside it).

7. Suggested tour of the Palace Grounds


1. Go past the gatehouse and along the path to the main building, where there is an entrance into the Tudor Courtyard.

   The building is essentially a Tudor manor house with Georgian additions and a Victorian chapel.

2. A simple route is to take the path around the right-hand side of the building to the terrace at the back, with the Drawing Room Café inside.
   • If the Palace is open you have the option of going through the courtyard and visiting the Great Hall, Chapel and Museum rooms. The café is at the back of the building.
3. Go across the lawn behind the building towards the Walled Garden on the far side.

   There are several magnificent trees in this part of the grounds, including a 500-year-old Holm Oak near the far right-hand corner. In the brick wall facing the lawn there are three Tudor bee boles (alcoves for beehives).

4. If the Walled Garden is open, enter through its Tudor Gate and make your way to an exit on the far side. The garden is divided into four quarters, with a Knot Garden (replanted in its original 1830s design) in front of the glasshouses on the left.
   • Alternatively, take one of the paths around the outside of the Walled Garden.
5. Leave the Palace grounds through a gate in the far right-hand corner of the grounds, returning to Bishop's Park.
   

Near the exit from the Palace grounds there is a small ornamental garden with a memorial to the local people who volunteered for the International Brigade and died while fighting on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War.

8. Make your way towards Putney Bridge and go through the underpass to the other side of the A219.
   • Alternatively, there are pedestrian lights on the main road at the end of the lane past All Saints church, where Gonville Street opposite leads directly to the underground station.

Complete the walk at [?] for the District Line, or [?] for trains to Waterloo.

9. Finishing at Putney Bridge Station


1. Continue along a short street (Willow Bank), then veer left and right into Ranelagh Gardens (with the Eight Bells pub just off to the left). Turn left in front of the railway bridge to find the entrance to the underground station.

10. Finishing at Putney Station (+¾ km)

1. Go up a flight of steps on the eastern side of the bridge and cross over the river. On the riverside terrace to the left the Putney Pantry is in the grounds of St Mary's church, with The Rocket and The Boathouse pubs just beyond it.
2. To complete the walk, keep ahead up Putney High Street. The entrance to the main line station is on the left-hand side of this traffic-clogged main road, just before the major junction with the South Circular Road.
   

» Last updated: October 7, 2024

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