Grand Junction Isle

Grand Junction Isle is a small, tree-covered island in the River Thames at Sunbury-on-Thames, just downstream of Sunbury Court Island, with six weekend chalets.

Landscape

The low island is lozenge-shaped, about 35 metres long and 15 metres wide, and is linked to the north bank by a footbridge. Its little chalets, the size of summerhouses, each have moorings. Islands in the Thames are called aits or eyots, from the Old English for a small island.

History

The island takes its name from the Grand Junction Waterworks Company, one of the companies that ran the great Hampton waterworks, which still draw water from the Thames here.

Visiting

Grand Junction Isle can be seen from boats on the river and, in places, from the Thames Path. You can collect Grand Junction Isle as a sighting in your Island Passport.

Wildlife and area

The river around the island is home to mute swans, grey herons, kingfishers and great crested grebes, and Daubenton’s bats hunt low over the water at dusk. Nearby islands include Sunbury Court Island, Rivermead Island and Platt’s Eyot.