Waterway to the known world

How times have changed. Looking over the Thames today from the deck of this houseboat in Putney as pleasure boats cruise by, it’s hard to imagine that until a few years ago the river was thick with ships and black with soot.

The Thames was the artery of the British Empire. From here, London ruled the high seas. Ships laden with goods set sail for everywhere from India to the West Indies. This was the nation’s busiest trading hub and waterway to the known world.

All aboard the floating unhotel

All that industry is a far cry from Lighterman’s Walk, where immediately adjoining the wistful wilds of Wandsworth Park, you’ll find this serene promontory of houseboats, nuzzling up to the banks of the river.

And for those who have never had the pleasure, houseboats have also moved with the times. This one has underfloor heating, a power shower, and more than enough space to swing a ship’s cat – not to mention two bathrooms, a roof terrace, fore and aft decks, and three bedrooms. Or should that be cabins.

The whole waterworks

If it’s a romantic escape you’re after, the master bedroom here has a beautiful four-poster bed. A kid’s bedroom with two bunks, and one further double room, means this is also a perfect fit for a family. The top deck kitchen and living area is open plan and the host loves to cook so you’ll find an impressively equipped kitchen and large dining area.

When kids do stay, we’ll supply pirate outfits, naturally. And with the children’s playground in Wandsworth Park just along the gangplank, there’s no chance they’ll go stir crazy in close quarters.

For tired tigers, the boat has a plethora of children’s classics—including many first editions. Where better to while away your time at high tide with the Thames lapping against the bows than curled up with Robinson Crusoe or Gulliver’s Travels for company?

Messing about on the river

Putney has always been London’s backyard, and as such it’s steeped in history. Queen Elizabeth I visited regularly, often staying days at a stretch. In 1679 philosopher John Locke wrote, “at Putney [a curious stranger] may see several persons of quality bowling two or three times a week”. While in the colder London of Charles Dickens, the river would become a giant skating arena every winter.

Today, if you stay during the Spring, you'll be close to the action for the famous Oxford and Cambridge boat race. You can hop up the river for the Royal Regatta at Henley-on-Thames. And when you crave an urban adventure, it’s a 40 minute boat ride from here to Embankment. (Or you can of course take the bus.)

Go with the flow

Living on a boat is the quite the thing these days. Even Keira Knightley is on board, having recently bought a boat in Chelsea.

Lighterman’s Walk certainly plays host to a who’s who of larger-than-life characters – a Hollywood scriptwriter, an art collector, and an international polo player numbering among them. The host is no exception: by turns academic, opera singer, artist and physicist, the boat bears her inimitable stamp.

Perhaps the most distinctive onefinestay property, and benefiting as ever from our guarantee of extraordinary comfort, there’s never been a better time to set sail.