Nordic walking The Thames Path: Leg One

Leg One: The Source of the River Thames, Trewsbury Mead to Cricklade

When: Sunday 13th July, 8am

Miles walked: 13.96

Steps taken: 30,198

Moving time: 4:37:01

Elevation gain: 56ft

This year I have chosen to Nordic walk another one of our amazing National Trails, The Thames Path, usually I would complete a long-distance trail during annual leave, but as the distance is 185.2 miles, it’s a big ask to complete within 14 days of holiday! As I live close by to the first two legs of the Thames Path I have opened up walking the first four legs of the Thames Path Trail to my Nordic walking group. They can join me from The Source to Oxford before I Nordic walk from Oxford to Woolwich during my holiday in September.

On leg one I am joined by Karen and Sarah from my Nordic walking group. There is no parking whatsoever near to the source of the River Thames and as the weather forecast was set to be very hot, none of us really wanted to add an extra 3km to todays total mileage by walking from the nearest parking in Kemble! So luckily my husband was able to drop us off at The Thames Head Inn (the nearest drop-off point, but only patrons can park here, I did ask) We set off to find the source at around 8.20am.

After a brief stretch walking on the road down towards the railway bridge, we turn left onto the public footpath alongside the railway on a narrow path next to a thin parcel of land. This leads to a crossing over the railway, once across the railway the path opens onto the parched, straw-like meadows leading to Trewsbury Mead where a ring of pebbles lie under the shade of an ancient large tree, the official source of the River Thames. There’s an inscribed stone (which of course our mascot Norbert has to have his picture on!) and a finger-post telling us exactly how far it will be to walk to Woolwich and to the sea.

The stone reads: The Conservators of the River Thames 1857-1974. This stone was placed here to mark the Source of the River Thames.

There is absolutely no water at the source or along most of the first stretch of the path and we pass through dry and hot open meadows until we reach the crossing at the A429. After crossing the road the path becomes much shadier (thank goodness!) as trees flank the path, but there is no water apart from the odd puddle! At this time of the morning the path is very quiet apart from a few dog-walkers and runners. We reach Parker’s Bridge and turn left onto the road to walk through the hamlet of Ewen.

Between the hamlet of Ewen and Neigh Bridge Country Park, the path passes through more Cotswolds meadows then reaches Upper Mill Farm passing an old mill race. The path closely follows the river from here passing Old Mill Farm and Kemble Mill, funny to think that there used to be so many watermills along this stretch of bone dry riverbed!

Traversing a long wooden footbridge we come into Neigh Bridge Country Park, a 21-acre site within the Cotswold Water Park near Somerford Keynes. On this hot and sunny Sunday nearly every bay we pass around the lake is full of groups enjoying the sunshine, or full of rubbish which is dis-heartening. Despite the no fires or BBQ’s rule clearly displayed at every entrance there is clear evidence of both and a large amount of waste has been dumped in the middle of the car park we walk through (that is not even a bin in the picture!) We have also had to navigate being passed by Triathlon runners (mostly polite)

From here we cross the main Spine Road passing more runners and head down the road towards Lower Mill Housing Estate, a luxury lakeside holiday park and nature reserve. We are walking between a very dried up Thames and a lovely full lake! The lakes here were once gravel pits that have been flooded and re-purposed, they are very important for the local flora and fauna as well as beavers and birds. The path continues between lakes until coming out onto the B4696 where we cross straight over to continue towards the village of Ashton Keynes. The riverbed here is so dry and cracked!

Ashton Keynes is an ancient village in North Wiltshire that appeared in the Domesday book, it has 20 bridges throughout the village crossing the Thames as it passes through! It is also unusual in the fact that it still has the remains of four ancient (14c) preaching crosses, they were damaged by Cromwell’s roundheads during the Civil War. Once we have wandered through the village we cross a recreation ground and go across Ashton Keynes Millennium Green - a green space for the village and the local wildlife! From there we walk through a narrow path between two lakes towards Waterhay.

The Thames Path now weaves its way around Manorbrook Lake where you can waterski, paddleboard, kayak and more. The water is very blue in this lake because they add a dye to the water to slow down weed and algae growth (harmeless to fish and humans!) the water quality has an ‘excellent’ rating! I’m tempted for a dip, but no swimming is allowed! The path goes between Manorbrook lake and Cleveland Lakes on a mostly shaded path (phew), it really is hotting up! We come to a wider grassy area in the shade and decide it is time to have a proper stop, sit down and have some lunch, get some air to feet (me) and regain some energy for the final stretch to Cricklade. I think we all found it quite difficult to get going again! The path soon turns away from the lakes and back to the river.

The path also now moves away from the shade and we are thrust into the open meadows leading to Cricklade with the full July sun beating down upon us. Sarah and I once attempted this part of the path from the other direction on another walk and had to turn back due to there being an extra river through the grass blocking the route! It is bone dry today. We come to the old railway line that runs for 6km between Cricklade and South Cerney and we turn right to go along it for a short while before turning left into North Meadow.

North Meadow is a National Nature Reserve, it is one of the finest examples of an old, traditional hay meadow in Europe and covers an area of 108 acres, it is protected as a Special Area of Conservation and a Site of Special Scientific Interest because around 80% of Britain’s Snakeshead Fritillaries grow here. There used to be many meadows like this along the upper Thames, but modern agriculture and gravel extraction destroyed their habitat.

At the other end of North Meadow the path takes us past these unusual small spotted ponies enjoying the shade of a willow tree (lucky them) and then through the edge of a housing estate passing a fingerpost telling us that we have walked 12 miles from the source and there’s still 172 miles to the Thames Barrier! At this point we are all really hot and bothered, I’m sure someone asked if we were nearly there yet! Even the ice-towels are not helping now after being exposed to the full afternoon sun. Finally reaching the High Street in Cricklade we return to our waiting parked car via Tesco Express, as we’re all in need of ice-cold refreshment. Soleros in the shade all round before doing our post walk stretches (giving Sarah’s car time to cool down) and head home.

Soleros in the shade!

Nordic walking The Thames Path: Leg Two

Leg Two: Cricklade to Lechlade on Thames

When: Saturday 19th July, 8am

Miles walked: 11.75 miles

Steps taken: 25,236

Moving time: 3:53:34

Elevation gain: 64 ft

Blog Post Title Three

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Blog Post Title Four

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.