To Eel Pie Island where the artists have their studios open to the public this weekend.

Just before the footbridge I was sidetracked by a pair of swans, "photograph usssss" they implored.

Eel Pie Island is a trillion miles from London although confusingly, as I'm sure some of you know, it is in central Twickenham. Not a rugby ball in sight. Once I've crossed the bridge, I'm magically back in West Wales. Ok, so no there aren't any hills. Or sheep. Or tractors (because there are no vehicles on EPI, it is reachable by boat and bridge). Perhaps it is just the spellbinding timelessness and boho vibes, man.

From the footbridge, the path winds past residences, some ramshackle ... some smart ... some twee but all of them interesting and ends up at the gates of a huge and exciting (to me) boat yard. Sparks fly from welding; much restoration work gets done here. Through the boatyard and you find yourself in inspired land: studio after wonderful studio. The kind for which you'd sacrifice your eyeteeth.
My favourite was built by a potter, it juts out over the Thames and houseboats moored to the island. Twenty years ago the Powers That Be ridiculously tore down Richmond Ice Rink; this potter refused to let the rink be forgotten and 'acquired' wood, stone etc from the demolished building to create her studio on EPI.
There are of course negatives. In winter, despite wood burning stoves and electric fires, the studios are apparently freezing. And I'm sure residents of the island sometimes succumb to sense of humour failure when they have to lug over bags of shopping in the pouring rain from the mainland etc.
Nevertheless Eel Pie Island is supremely magical, especially in the context of its history.

Been busy with blipfolio:
More of today's swans
Snaps of Eel Pie Island