Crane walk, final- # 08/138

Rain clouds pass, the spring sunshine appears. The River Crane presents a classic curving shot for the camera.

River Crane magic- # 08/137

Rain drops on the lens, sunlight breaking through, bright shining, fast flowing water, muddy bank. Wilderness within the boundary of the mega-city.

Small river, powerful river, moment for reflection - # 08/136

The crystal clear waters of the Crane are powerful enough to drive water wheels. Depending on where you stand the waters catch the light to throw different and pleasing patterns.

River Crane image - # 08/135

When the ice cap that covered Britain melted (it stopped a few miles north of what is now London) it poured out a load of gravel that is now the flat land of Heathrow LHR airport and it also blessed us with a number of small, clear fast-flowing rivers. You have seen something of the Brent which became part of the Grand Junction Canal, so now I'll show you something of the tiny, but delightful River Crane. I urge locals and tourists to discover it and walk along the Crane valley.

This image was taken on a very wet day in March.....I had a delightful walk, the sun came out, and the frequent bus back to Kingston came within 5 minutes when I reached the Hanwell Rd.

"I met with a singularly clear rivulet" - # 161

Karl's letter is tantalizingly detailed and yet also frustratingly lacking in necessary precision. So, this might be THAT rivulet, or perhaps he is referring to "another one further on".

This is the delightfully fast flowing, crystal clear River Crane at Cranford (Crane Ford) just beyond Hounslow. The extremely narrow old bridge carries a tiny road that could be the remains of the old road.

On the far side of the bridge, hidden by the trees, is the bridge carrying the fast express A4 Great West Rd built in the 1930s. I have driven over the 1930s bridge many times in the past 40 years and never even knew it was a bridge, or that just behind the trees, the tiny river existed.

So let's dream and imagine this as the exact spot where Karl refreshed himself. It could be.

..........."As far as Hounslow the way was very pleasant; afterwards I thought it not quite so good. It lay across a common, which was of a considerable extent, and bare and naked, excepting that here and there I saw sheep feeding............

.......It now began to grow hot. On the left hand, almost close to the high road, I met with a singularly clear rivulet. In this I bathed, and was much refreshed, and afterwards, with fresh alacrity, continued my journey."