Travel planner: On a lark side, Thames side

Go for the Thames Beachcombing Walk while in London. Who knows what you may find? (Below) Cologne stoneware Bartmann jug, possibly from 16th century
I often dream of discovering treasure underneath my house, the kind that will let me travel around the world and pay all my bills. It sounds totally plausible. If vaults of mass treasures could be found at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple as recently as last year, then I dream not without cause.And I do live in Mehrauli, one of the seven ancient cities that make up Delhi.
Such fanciful ideas often travel with me. And there are times where I’ve got somewhat lucky. Like finding 20 euros on the road in Split one very early morning that didn’t fall out of my pocket. So when I came across the Thames Beachcombing Walk while on vacation in London, my mind quickly left the realm of reality and I saw myself standing, holding a piece of England’s history that would make headlines.
What is beachcombing you ask? Beachcombing is an activity that consists of an individual ‘combing’ (or searching) the beach and the inter-tidal zone, looking for things of value or interest. I imagined being given one of those metallic, buzzer-type contraptions that we often see in movies. But Dr Fiona Haughley, an inter-tidal archaeologist and archaeological illustrator, who was leading the walk dispelled all such notions. We, as beachcombers, could only pick things from the surface. There was to be no digging. That right is reserved for licenced ‘mudlarks’ – treasure hunters who have permits to scour the Thames foreshore.
My treasure hunting dream started to fade a bit and listening to Fiona talk about the life of Thames, the intense river trading that was conducted on its waters for centuries — and how it impacted the growth of London — distracted me enough to momentarily forget my zealous mission.
What she told us next had me more worried about my safety than any treasure. As she handed out rubber gloves — how considerate I thought so that our hands don’t get dirty — Fiona took great pains to warn us about the dangers of Weil’s Disease. Also known as mud fever, swamp fever, black jaundice. It’s a bacterial infection transmitted through contact with animal urine, usually in contaminated water. “Don’t rub your nose while still wearing the gloves”, is all I remember telling myself.
Why would one want to risk their life to go poke about an old riverbank? For centuries the Thames was the main artery through London, and within its depths and on its shores are hidden incredible stories of the people who lived on and around it for hundreds (well, actually thousands) of years.
We reached the spot of the riverbank just in front of Tate Modern, and Fiona let us amble around on our own — it was low tide and very safe — with the explicit instruction to not dig. You couldn’t even use the tip of your shoe to nudge something out of the surface.
About 15-20 minutes in, she had a crowd collected around her as she looked through people’s loot. The most common bits people find are shards of crockery, animal bones, bits of ship-related metal like nails, and pieces of clay pipes. A lot of people had found these 17th century disposable clay pipes. Some found pieces of crockery from the 18th century while a lot of pieces were just 20th century rubbish that found its way to Southbank. Looking at my motley collection of pieces, I knew I had nothing more than a 100 years old.
Disappointed, but not yet done with my quest, I went back looking with a new eye, armed with insights just passed on by the tidal expert. I quickly recognised pieces of pottery that could have been 19th century and a pretty piece of pottery that had some kind of floral motif on it. Keen to get Fiona’s opinion, I trudged back to her.
Nervously, I put the pieces in front of her. I knew the oyster shell and the few pieces of china that I picked up had no historical value but one piece caught Fiona’s attention – the one with the floral motif. My excitement escalated. She asked if I could spare the piece, for she would like to research it a bit more, and promised to mail it back to me within a month or so. Keen to help Britain discover its history, I acquiesced.
Feeling a wee bit smug about my morning, I headed to the bar on level 6 of the Tate Modern and chomped through a plate of scones with clotted cream and jam, with a pot of tea for company.
A few weeks later I heard from Fiona. She told me that my lovely piece was a part of a Cologne stoneware Bartmann jug, probably from the first half of the 16th century. “Oak leaves and acorns are common on these, but start to go out when the industry moves from Cologne to Frechen in the mid-16th century,” she wrote. Treasure made the headlines a few months later when treasure hunters aka mudlarks dug up a tiny trove of Tudor gold Thames side. I still dream of treasure.
Did you know?
What is beachcombing you ask? Beachcombing is an activity that consists of an individual ‘combing’ (or searching) the beach and the inter-tidal zone, looking for things of value or interest.
Beachcombing tours
London Walks offers Thames Beachcombing Walks through the year. The meeting point is always outside Mansion House tube station. Remember to wear comfortable shoes and always be prepared for the fickle London weather. A London Walk costs £10, equivalent to `1,000 and there’s no need to pre-book. Just land up at the meeting spot at the designated time. Check out www.walks.com for more information.
When to go to London
July and August are peak season but are also packed with long days, the best weather, and the busiest schedule of tourist fun.
Top 5 things to do in London
1) Catch a midnight matinee at Shakespeare’s Globe, especially since 2016 is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth
2) Explore street food in London at Dalston Yard, London’s newest foodie central or at Pop Brixton
3) Go on a Jack The Ripper walk guided by Donald Rumbelow, international recognised as the leading authority on the serial killer. You will not regret it.
4) Ditch Hyde Park for Holland Park. Take a book and spend a few hours in peace at Kyoto Garden, surrounded by peacocks and koi – much more Instagram-friendly.
5) Always stand on the right when on the escalators.
There was to be no digging. That right is reserved for licenced ‘mudlarks’ – treasure hunters who have permits to scour the Thames Foreshore