Walk August.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 11:10 Page 2
THE | WALK
carry on along the towpath with the railway below you on the left. The footbridge crossing the line 350m along marks the site of Hampton Row Halt. After another 50m, turn left down a path. A spring running under the path, 200m on, marks the eastern boundary of Cremorne Pleasure Gardens, which stood on the right-hand side of the path. All that now survives are bits of masonry and steps leading into the undergrowth. Turn left under the railway and, after crossing the river, turn left, go through a gate and turn left down steps to the riverside path. Grosvenor Pleasure Gardens covered the whole of the area, stretching the length of Grosvenor Place, the Georgian terrace over to your right. After 200m,
you pass the site of the swimming pool which stood at the western end of the gardens, its site now marked by willows and nettles. A little further on, look out for Cleveland Pools – the curved building with a row of doorways, largely hidden by horse chestnuts, on the opposite bank. Just past it is the Boating Station, after which, when the path forks, you need to bear right to head up to Kensington Meadows. As you bear diagonally left to follow a faint path across the grass, you will see Kensington Chapel – now converted to housing – in the row of buildings to your left. Go through a gap in the fence to the right of some gates, bear left, head up to the London Road and turn left to return to the city centre. n
FACT FILE ■ Length of walk: four miles ■ Approximate time: 2 hours ■ For more on canal and river: Queen of Waters by Kirsten Elliott, published by Akeman Press, Cleveland Pools: clevelandpools.org.uk. Water Space Study: bathnes.gov.uk/riverandcanal
■ Level of challenge: some steps, but otherwise straightforward
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AUGUST 2016
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