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| Urban Sketchers London in Totally Thames 2022 This will be the throwdown location for 2023 Photo by Sam Mills |
In September we return to the Thames riverside around Chiswick Pier as part of Totally Thames 2023 organised by the Thames Festival Trust.
[Helen Hayhoe writes]
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The Pier House, our meeting point Photo by Sam Mills |
There are varied opportunities for sketching. Chiswick Pier is the location of several interesting houseboats. The view up and down the river is broad and breathtaking. A five-minute walk takes you to Dukes Meadows, a bio-diverse mix of riverside towpath, woodland and open meadow. At its heart is the Dukes Meadows Bandstand which provides both an interesting subject and shelter if needed. The whole area has terracing that provides convenient seating.
The day is free of charge. You can book your free ticket here or here, which will allow you to receive urban sketching support information via email.
The day is led by Helen Hayhoe and Sasala Wickramasinghe.
If this is your first sketchwalk with us, welcome
to Urban Sketchers London!
Every sketchwalk has a leader, a meeting point at the
beginning, a gathering place in the middle and another
one at the end, when we ‘throw down’ our sketchbooks and
pose for a group photo. Sketchwalk leaders know the
area and are there to help you feel at ease and give you
some ideas about what to sketch. Please note there is no
tuition during the sketchwalks. We all draw what we
wish, following the Urban Sketchers manifesto and sharing our drawings at the end.
We look forward to seeing you!
Key times and meeting points
11 AM
We will meet at The Pier House, Corney Reach Way, Chiswick, London W4 2UG.
This is situated on the towpath next to Chiswick Pier. The Pier House is about 15 minutes' walk from Barnes Bridge and Chiswick Stations. A large room will be available to us, with light refreshments and loos available. You will spot the RNLI lifeboat station above the building; our entrance is on the ground floor. We will meet outside if the weather is fine.
Details of the location and how to get there are at the end of this post.
1 PM
Meet again at The Pier House for a group photo and throwdown. This year we will place our work on the steps by the pier, as seen in the group photo above. If wet, we can have our throwdown inside Pier House.
3.30 PM
Meet at the same place for the final throwdown.
Afterwards
For those who would like to stay on for a drink and chat (and sketch!) the Barnes Riverside offers several pubs, including The White Hart, just over the railway bridge by Barnes Bridge Station.
Pre-visit activities
One of the aims of the collaboration with Thames Festival Trust is to engage people with the riverside, and sketching is a wonderful way to do this. Together we aim to provide people with information about urban sketching and how to start. When you register for a free ticket, you will be sent resources to support you in joining the Urban Sketchers London group on a ‘sketchwalk’.
Options for drawing
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The view from Chiswick Pier Sketch by Joyce Smith |
- The riverside at Chiswick Pier - The location at Chiswick Pier provides a wealth of variety. The pier itself hosts colourful houseboats and from here you can see panoramic views of the river towards Hammersmith in one direction and Mortlake in the other.
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Victory Sketch by Sasala Wickramasinghe |
- Chiswick Church Street - A pretty village-like street with a few crooked old buildings. It's hard to imagine that the monstrous Hogarth Roundabout and the A4 are just one block north of that location! The original village of Chiswick grew around St Nicholas Church on the river, St Nicholas being the patron saint of sailors and fishermen.
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Chiswick Church Street Sketch by Jimmy Lu |
- Dukes Meadows - A five minute walk takes you to Dukes Meadows, a mix of riverside towpath, woodland and open meadow. The Dukes Meadows Trust led the regeneration of the meadows to create a beautiful riverside park. Starting in 2000 the trust has raised over £1 million to create fabulous play areas and has planted hedgerows, wildflower meadows and an orchard to increase the bio-diversity of the park. Hailed as a model of sustainability, the trust has established successful social enterprises that generate revenue to maintain the improvements made. Volunteers run the trust and help maintain the park. At its heart is The Dukes Meadow Bandstand, which provides both an interesting subject and shelter if needed. The whole area has terracing that provides convenient seating overlooking the riverside.
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| Dukes Meadows Photo by Helen Hayhoe |
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The Bandstand Sketch and photo by Sam Mills |
- Barnes Bridge - A 15 minute walk away on the other side of Dukes Meadows. Architecturally splendid, it also boasts some great graffiti and a fabulous view. There are some distinctive houses across the river, and a walk across the bridge provides you with another stunning perspective.
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Graffiti on Barnes Bridge Photo by Helen Hayhoe |
Practical information
The location of this sketchwalk is Chiswick Pier Trust, The Pier House, Corney Reach Way, Chiswick, London W4 2UG -- away from the bustle, but not inaccessible.
Getting there
By public transport
Chiswick and Barnes Bridge railway stations are each about a 15 minute walk
from The Pier House. The stations are on the Hounslow/Weybridge to Waterloo
line. For departure and arrival times please visit
South Western Railway.
The E3 and 190 buses stop close by on the A316. For their routes, locations of bus stops and real-time bus locations, please visit 190 and E3.
By car
The E3 and 190 buses stop close by on the A316. For their routes, locations of bus stops and real-time bus locations, please visit 190 and E3.
By car
Chiswick Pier and The Pier House are in Corney Reach Way, off the
roundabout at the end of Corney Road and Edensor Road, Chiswick. The Pier
House entrance faces onto the riverside piazza. The site of what used to be
Pissarro’s restaurant is immediately next door upstream, along the riverside
walkway.
There is little parking at The Pier House, but there is free parking on Pumping Station Road, and some parking bays at Dukes Meadows on Riverside Drive. There are also parking bays opposite the riverfront on The Promenade.
Food and drink and conveniences
The splendid Coffee-bike has been invited to serve our needs. It is situated near the Pier House until 4pm, serving organic coffee specialties as well as tea, mocha and hot chocolate.
There is little parking at The Pier House, but there is free parking on Pumping Station Road, and some parking bays at Dukes Meadows on Riverside Drive. There are also parking bays opposite the riverfront on The Promenade.
Food and drink and conveniences
The splendid Coffee-bike has been invited to serve our needs. It is situated near the Pier House until 4pm, serving organic coffee specialties as well as tea, mocha and hot chocolate.
On the riverside towards Dukes Meadows there is a little cafe, and the pubs and cafes of Barnes are over the railway bridge.
Toilets are available at The Pier House.
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The Coffee-bike Sketch by Helen Hayhoe |
Accessibility
Please let us know if you will need accessibility support on the
day. The area is flat and has good paths throughout. Barnes Rail Bridge is only
accessible via steps, The Pie House is a 15 minute riverside walk downstream
(towards Hammersmith Bridge) from here.
For information on accessibility across London Underground, there is a
downloadable Transport for London Step-free Tube Guide.
Health and safety
Urban Sketchers London follow current health and safety
guidelines, and we count on all our sketchers to do the same. As always,
we keep an eye on developments concerning Covid, and even though
restrictions have been lifted, we think it's sensible to do everything
we can to keep ourselves and fellow sketchers safe when we're together.
The risk of infection for outdoor events is low, but basic guidance
still applies:
- Please do not attend if you feel unwell
- Wear a face covering when you're close to others
- Give people space
- Practise good hand hygiene.
Hashtags
Remember to tag us when you post your sketches on social media! And do
be polite when posting online. We may be biased, but we think
kindness comes naturally to urban sketchers -- so don't be shy, show
your social media politesse at its best.
Urban Sketchers London follow current health and safety guidelines, and we count on all our sketchers to do the same. As always, we keep an eye on developments concerning Covid, and even though restrictions have been lifted, we think it's sensible to do everything we can to keep ourselves and fellow sketchers safe when we're together. The risk of infection for outdoor events is low, but basic guidance still applies:
- Please do not attend if you feel unwell
- Wear a face covering when you're close to others
- Give people space
- Practise good hand hygiene.
#urbansketcherslondon #usklondon
Location map
See you at Chiswick Riverside!
Let's draw London in 2023 -- Find our
full programme here
London by Urban Sketchers - Our 10 Year Anniversary Book
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