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After leaving the Natural History Museum its back on the Underground to Hammersmith station. Then a five minute bus trip using the 'Duck Bus' across the river to..... | |
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| WWT The Wetland Centre | |
(Queen Elizabeth's Walk, Barnes, London SW13 9WT) | |
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Created from four Victorian Reservoirs, this is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the presence of the large number of water birds. However our special interest is this crab in the mangrove display at the Discovery Centre..
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Now back to Hammersmith Underground station and take the District Line Westbound to Kew Gardens. | |
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| Royal Botanical Gardens Kew | |
| (Kew, London) | |
On the banks of the River Thames is this vast collection of plants from around the world, an important site of scientific research. However head for the Victorian Palm House and go downstairs to the marine display where you may catch a glimpse of Land Hermit and Fiddler Crabs. | |
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The Princess of Wales Conservatory also has a tank containing some Red Crabs, Sesarma bidens.
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Moving on from Kew during the summer it is possible to take a boat ride down the Thames to the final destination...... | |
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| Hampton Court Palace | |
| (Hampton Court, London) | |
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What better way to end our crustacean celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee than at one of London's Historic Royal Palaces. It is in the Clock Court that this magnificent astronomical clock made for Henry VIII in 1540, by Nicholas Oursian (Devisor of the King's Horologies). It shows the hour, month, day, number of days since the beginning of the year, and the phases of the moon. The sun revolves around the earth as the clock was designed before the discoveries of Galileo and Copernicus. But more importantly in the top right of the clock below the III is a crab!
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So ends this tour of my London, celebrating 50 years of Queen Elizabeth II on the throne. | |
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