From
the Air Force Memorial we retrace our way down the lane. When you
come to the path you climbed, keep going down the lane as it gently
descends.
In about 10 minutes the lane makes a turn to the right, just before
on your left the land opens up and you can see a small lake below.
There is a gate giving access down the hill to the lake, take it.
Make you way to the water below. The water is called Langham Pond.
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Langham
Pond, an area of contrasting marsh and open water.
The pond is the remnant of an old oxbow lake, formed when a meander
of the River Thames was cut off and subsequently by-passed by the
river. A fine example of a lowland wetland habitat, it is a feeding
ground for herons and kingfishers.
Follow the left bank of the pond. After a while you enter a small
clump of woodland and the path becomes a boardwalk. The boardwalk
turns and crosses the northern tip of Langham Pond.
On the other side of the pond, our route is indistinct. If you've
good sight you may see our goal, a style by a footpath sign over by
the road in the far distance.
If not, set off at about an angle of 20 degrees to straight ahead
across the meadow - the sign and style will eventually come into view.
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On reaching the road cross over to the other side and the River
Thames. Turning left follow the riverside path all the way back
to the Bells of Ouzeley.
Looking up left you'll see where you walked earlier and gazed down
upon the meadow you are now walking.
The meadow was a once a racecourse, a three-day event every autumn.
The races were attended by King George IV in 1828 and by King William
IV in 1836. In 1886 a last minute refusal by the London police to
supply the necessary men to keep the pickpockets at bay, led to
the races being cancelled. Moved to their present site at Kempton
Park they were never reinstated.
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