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Thank you again Susy for such a fascinating and enriching article on the local area. I recently had to go to Harrow and had no idea about the river Crane! Our waterways are so important and vital- too often we’re so caught up in our busy frenetic worlds to notice.

I will definitely go walking more to explore from Petersham. Incidentally, sadly my husband and I will be moving temporarily to Dorset, before we relocate to Italy in October but do plan and hope to still receive your newsletters! Will miss Richmond Park hugely and the river Thames walks. Have a good week!

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Mar 10·edited Mar 10

Amazing walk for you. I have not seen minnows and sticklebacks since jam- jar fishing with a net as a child in the murky muddy waters of the River Frome at Frenchay Bristol . Here in the South Hams of South Devon, our village is above the Avon Valley AONB. I swam last summer there just a mile down the lane until the water quality was deemed too dangerous ( with biblical rain ) that sewage systems / slurry from fields cannot cope. The River Dart is also another favourite and two years ago my friend and I had the long stretch to ourselves at Hembury woods above Buckfast . We were swimming quietly and caught sight of the kingfisher land on the opposite bank . Silently we swam to touching distance and tread water for some ten minutes whispering quietly in awe, for it did not flinch as we were on the same level . For the first time in my life, I felt totally at one with nature- a spiritual experience .

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