This afternoon’s walk with Molly the dog took us in a new direction, following the Thames path in an easterly direction.

Our route took us along Ducks Walk, a footpath running parallel with the river that is the address to an intriguing mix of houses, boat huts and houseboats . Where Number 1 Ducks Walk once stood there is now the Richmond Sea Scouts boat house and a slipway down to the Thames . However this was once home to Commander Charles Herbert Lightoller and his boat building business ‘Richmond Slipways’. Lightoller had been the most senior surviving officer on the Titanic , won naval honours in WW1 and had used his own motor yacht ‘Sundowner’ to rescue 127 men from Dunkirk In 1940.

Our walk took us to the footbridge above Richmond Weir where Molly galloped up the stairs enthusiastically, only to volte-face and trot back down, conveniently absolving me of any decision about which way to go home.