Easy hikes and walks around the London Borough Of Hammersmith And Fulham

Fullham FC home.

This very prettily overgrown stinkpipe is a reminder of the year 1858, "the Great Stink". The air in London was so polluted by sewage that even Parliament fled to Oxford. People held perfumed handkerchiefs to their noses when they went out. In this situation, the stinkpipes were invented. Methane, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia were vented high into the air through these chimneys. It helped! You still often see the now defunct pipes in London - many mistake them for lampposts, however. They could be removed, but that would be expensive and they don't really get in the way. On the contrary, they are a pretty reminder of other times and make us grateful for modern toilets and sewage systems.

The Hammersmith Ghost First seen in 1803, reports quickly piled up of a ghost, all in white, with horns and glowing red eyes, which not only scared residents at night but also physically attacked them. Hysteria grew as the first people suffered shock after "ghost encounters" and allegedly even died from it. People no longer dared to go out on the street at night. In this situation, an armed vigilante group formed, which patrolled at dusk + dark. Their goal: To kill the ghost. On January 3, 1804, the bricklayer Thomas Milwood was late coming home from work. He was still wearing the white clothing of his trade. Near the Black Lion pub, he encountered the ghost hunter Francis Smith, who promptly shot him. In the January twilight, the poor white-clad bricklayer was quite obviously in the wrong place at the wrong time. The shooter went to court and was initially sentenced to death, later the sentence was commuted to 1 year of hard labor.

The friendly traditional pub is located pretty much halfway between Chiswick and Hammersmith. The beer garden is pleasingly large! They serve pizza and have a bowling alley, all of which is very nice. Next to the ruins by the beer garden, there is a pretty Victorian street sign with "W" instead of W6, meaning it must have been put up before 1917. Nearby is also a Victorian stinkpipe.

No wonder so many pubs in Chiswick are Fuller's pubs... Here, near the Thames, is the brewery. Guided tours (advance booking only!) last approx. 100 minutes and not only show the brewing process, but the guides also tell many anecdotes from history. Of course, there is also a tasting! Where the lager beer London Pride got its name: After the "Blitz", the small flowers Saxifraga urbium, called "London Pride", were the first to grow in the bombed ruins. They became a symbol of the resilience of London and Londoners - and the then Griffin Brewery adopted the name for the lager.

The ancient Riverside pub "Dove" is known for having the smallest bar in England. It is idyllic and totally beautiful, but a bit of a victim of its reputation. Completely overcrowded, food is almost only possible with advance booking, staff accordingly stressed. If it's not packed (I have experienced this😄), go in, it's quaint and the terrace by the river is awesome.

The Oxford v Cambridge rowing course leads along here, starting at high tide. This is about "halfway"

Even at "normal" flood levels, the water sometimes washes onto the road 😄 Residents have to cross the road to reach their gardens. In return, they have a nice view of Chiswick Eyot, an island in the Thames. This is the oldest part of Chiswick with some very, very fine houses