Walk 21: Kingston upon Thames to Richmond – 17th April 2026

Despite this being walk number 21, it felt different again. We had the biggest number of people joining us at 16, plus Jonathan and me. Yet it was one of the shorter walks, just 5 miles. I was also accompanied on the way down by my friend from Chester, who came to Walk 15 in October when we walked from Purley to Sonning.

It was finally a light morning when we set off at about 5:45am and it was lovely to have company on the drive. We picked Jonathan up en route too, to save on congestion in the city, and headed to John Lewis’ café in Kingston for a quick comfort break and refuel before meeting the others just outside on the Thames Path.

We had a good mix of new joiners and familiar faces, despite a few people having to cancel at the last minute. Once I was confident that everyone who should have been joining us was there, we started with our usual orientation and check-in. As we had a big group, this walk’s check-in question was more brief than normal:

“This is a shorter walk than usual, so how are you arriving today and what would feel most helpful for you as we walk?”

This walk felt like the arrival of spring. The blue skies and injection of colour in the shrubbery and plants gave a feeling of lightness that I hadn’t realised I was missing on our walks recently. As someone who doesn’t live in a large city, I was surprised by how much I was noticing the nature along the way and how surprised I was by this realisation. Living in the countryside, I suppose I take the nature on my doorstep somewhat for granted but seeing so much nature in the city felt like a contrast, which was such a delight. From the bluebell patches growing under the shade of trees just off the path, to the vivid yellow of flowers alongside the river, the forget-me-nots delicately decorating boundary walls, and the blossom in all its various forms brightening up the buildings we passed.

There were more people on the path too, with plenty of other walkers, cyclists, and even someone who seemed to be a dog walker with at least eight dogs down by the water’s edge. The dogs were having the time of their lives fetching sticks thrown into the river, barking to their hearts’ content.

I had a wonderful 1:1 coaching conversation with one of the participants as we walked and there was so much in nature we were drawn to. At one point there was such symmetry between the topic she was sharing and a pair of great crested grebes, who were bobbing together on the river beside us one minute and then disappeared under the water, somewhat elusively, as we waited patiently to see where they would reappear. Leaving us to wonder what we were chasing rather than letting it happen naturally.

We also passed a group of forest school children who were doing water-based activities along the river on the other side, in a protected area. Children were climbing rope ladders to get out of the water or jumping in, mirroring the joy the dogs had been showing earlier.

It felt like the walk finished shortly after it began. We didn’t have time to switch walking partners or include a silent stretch on this section, and we gathered at the end under a beautiful blossom tree to check out. Those who could stay shared lunch there too. It’s always such a privilege to hear how others have experienced the space on these walks and what they have taken from it.

I was staying with friends in St Albans that evening and was giving Jonathan a lift back to his car, so we stayed for about 30 minutes before getting the bus back to Kingston and then driving on to our respective destinations. It was quite a treat for me not to have to spend 4 hours in the car driving home!

As I reflected on this walk, there were a few things I noticed. One is that I was that I didn't feel grounded. I felt an internal energy that was a bit frantic and rushed, and not at all present. It was probably down to a combination of factors including the fact that I didn’t get time to myself before the walk to prepare for the experience of leading. I would normally get that time either in the car on the drive down or when I arrive early and have a few quiet moments before others join.

I was also conscious that some people had places to be afterwards and I internalised that deadline, making assumptions which caused me to rush through parts I would have preferred to move through more intentionally. The shorter distance added to that, creating a sense that I had to fit everything in, which brought an internal feeling of scarcity.

I then internalised that further and found myself feeling like the walk wasn’t good enough, that I hadn’t delivered on its promise, and that, in turn, meant that I wasn’t good enough.

And yet, when people shared their reflections later, one person said it was their favourite walk yet. It's a reminder for me to let go of some of the responsibility I take on and to take more of a cue from nature and the river - letting things flow without trying to force them.

We only have 3 walks left until we reach the barrier, so if you'd like to join us on our Source to Sea journey, you can find the latest schedule and link to book here.