Ravenscourt Park to Hammersmith walk

Part of the District Line walks.

Ravenscourt Road

I walked out of the station entrance onto Ravenscourt Road – previously called Shaftesbury Road and also the former name for the station.

Cross  King Street at the lights opposite the school and then turn right to reach Weltje Road, a road on the left here.

Weltje Road

Down Weltje Road and find the pedestrian subway by turning left which crosses under the very busy  Great West Road. Louis Weltje was the Prince Regent’s cook who died nearby in 1810.

It’s a fair distance to the underpass and, once under the A4, you retrace the same stops to reacquaint ourselves with Weltje Road. Walk south a very short distance and Weltje Road reaches the River Thames.

Upper Mall

Along Upper Mall, we pass a boat club, Latymer Prep School and the William Morris Society.

Continue along Upper Mall, past the Dove – maybe drop in for a pint (I didn’t) – and into Furnivall Gardens. The gardens covered the former site of a Thames inlet – Hammersmith Creek.

Lower Mall

Both the Rutland Arms and Blue Anchor are classic pubs for watching the annual Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race.

Exit Lower Mall and under Hammersmith Bridge. You’ll see the famous Riverside Studios ahead – turn left before you reach it.

Queen Caroline Street

Up Queen Caroline Street where there’s lots of history. Walk right to the top of the street through the post-wat Caroline Estate which has caused a lot of demolition of old buildings.

The Hammersmith Apollo is a renowned landmark. Originally built in 1932, it showcases an impressive Art Deco architectural style. From 1962 to 1963, it was known as the Hammersmith Odeon and gained significant popularity during this period.

Performers such as the Beatles, Queen, Bob Marley and Neil Young graced its stage during its heyday. However, one of the most iconic moments in the venue’s history occurred in July 1973 when David Bowie, performing as his alter ego Ziggy Stardust, held his final show there. During this concert, Bowie surprised his band, the Spiders from Mars, by announcing their breakup before the last song, leaving them unaware that their time as Bowie’s backing band had come to an end.

Hammersmith

Pass the entrance to the bus station where vehicles drive on the right. Then navigate into Hammersmith station.