Penton Hook Island

At this point the natural course of the River Thames forms naturally almost a complete loop, a hook shape of a peninsula which is attached to the towpath (here, northerly) bank in the form of walk-over, relatively wide, lock gates. The long hook or spit of land forms today a series of three weir-divided islands in the river, adjacent to Penton Hook Lock. It has been since at least the medieval period the southern extremity of Staines upon Thames. Across the river it neighbours Penton Hook Marina, Penton Hook Yacht Club and riverside homes of Thorpe, Surrey, to the west and similar homes along Laleham Reach, Chertsey to the south and east, the latter being the most distant part of Chertsey from the town itself.

In administrative geography the area forms the southern extreme of the ancient (and current as of 2015) ecclesiastical parish of Staines.^[1] Its low-lying periodic winter flood-meadow status has deterred habitation. It is more robustly protected from initiatives to construct on greenfield sites by being part of the Metropolitan Green Belt settled national planning policy.^[2]

The three sluice-controlled barrages allow control of the river at its highest by the construction of the large weir at the apex of the long loop and further weirs along the narrow north section.^[3]

The uninhabited island in public ownership is fairly wooded and is used for nature conservation and appreciation. The west has a backwater dug out to provide a fish refuge when the stream is strong and a fish spawning stream constructed in 1999. The island has many paths laid out for viewing its trees, squirrels, nesting birds, fish and waterfowl. These particularly cater for angling; for the Thames two permits are issued by the Environment Agency that can be bought online or in post offices.