Nordic Walking The Thames Path: Leg 5

Leg Five: Oxford to Abingdon-on-Thames

When: Monday 8th September 2025

Miles walked: 11.61

Steps taken: 23,646

Moving Time: 3:29:33

Elevation Gain: 50ft

Today I set off to complete a more solo mission for the rest of the Thames Path, my husband Steve dropped me off near the Railway Station in Oxford to begin the next Leg of The Thames Path, he’ll be meeting me later and we’ll be camping in Wallingford for the next few nights. Starting on the same street where we picked up the bus on the last leg I cross Botley Road and head across a tributary on a girder bridge and along the grass in front of some riverside cottages. It is sunny and the glinting river is goading me on past willow trees and splendid buildings on the opposite bank.

I pass by Osney Lock and Marina and the first ever community-owned hydroelectric power station on the River Thames, it uses an Archimedes screw to generate electricity from the river flowing through it! After Osney Lock I pass under the railway line, here the path is tree-lined and the shade is welcome today, there’s some interesting graffiti art under the bridges! I reach an interesting castle-looking building just before I have to go up to the road to cross a bridge. It turns out to be a folly and the bridge is named after it - Folly Bridge!

Once on the bridge, I turn left rather than cross over because I need to get a stamp for my passport from a café called the Paper Boat Café…unfortunately it does not open on Mondays! Across the road is a pub called The Head of the River, not because it is at the head of the river Thames, but because it is situated near the finishing line of the Oxford University Eights, a prestigious rowing event and the lead boat wins by reaching the head of the river! I cross over and head down the path. The stone I passed is opposite the college boathouses and is in memory of Colin Cox, it reads THE FINISH STONE TORPIDS AND EIGHTS, In memory of COLIN COX, 1943-1999, Oarsman and Boatman dedicated to club and college rowing, EN OPTIME FACIET!

Just by the diversion signs there is a sinking boat, which makes me a bit sad, because once upon a time this would have been someone’s pride and joy. Following the short diversion leads quickly back onto the path and on the opposite bank are the Oxford college boathouses, but no-one was rowing on the reach today. The stone featured in this gallery is a boundary stone from 1786, which is still standing where it stood according to the second series OS map made over 100 years ago, it marks the point along the Thames where the city’s liberties were taken to end at at the time.

I pass a bright orange ex lifeboat which according to the poster on its side is going to be used on an expedition from Oxford to Russia to Iran (overland) by Boating Europe, you can find them on YouTube! Next we pass Iffley Lock which has an exquisite old stone footbridge, but was also the location of the very first Pound Lock on the River Thames, built here in the 1630’s.

Continuing along the path I head under a railway bridge passing some talented graffiti art and on the other side some paddleboarders float by some graffiti art depicting a fat cat slob in sunglasses wearing Thames Water pants and smoking a cigar. I love a bit of political or satirical art! The weather really is hotting up and the path is quiet when I pass through this unique kissing gate with a shoal of fish swimming across it. There is no information on why it is there or who created it! In the field beyond the fishy gate there is a huge block of stone with an inscription on it, I want to know why a couple in Devon bought a field in Oxfordshire?

On the opposite bank there is a stunning riverside property which is looking gorgeous in today’s sunshine! I encounter another diversion, a bridge is shut and so I have to follow the cycle path to Sandford, there are no helpful markers telling me where I need to go though! The cycle path runs alongside the railway track and when I reach a lane I need to turn down it to reach the river again!

I reach Sandford-on-Thames and once I’ve worked out how to get across the lock , I meet Steve at the Kings Arms Pub for lunch. After a well-earned rest and lunch I retrace my steps back across the lock, admire the lock-keepers cottage and walk on towards Radley.

The next stretch of the walk is through fields with the odd shaded spot, there is loads of Himalayan Balsam growing along the water’s edge (it’s highly invasive and I know in other areas they are working hard with volunteer groups to try and eradicate it)

Eventually I come across the Radley College Boathouse and notice all of their boats feature a distinctive red cross patee from their coat of arms. Not far from here on the opposite bank is the grand looking Nuneham House, an 18th century villa in the Palladian style, currently owned by Oxford University, but used by the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University as a retreat centre, it has a very distinctive boathouse. I also spot a very decent area of bank erosion repair!

I pass through a wonderfully shaded path which crosses in front of this rather magnificent looking bungalow. and on the opposite bank is what looks like a dirt-bike track, but it is blissfully quiet today. I pass under another railway bridge (no graffiti this time) and am beginning to flag a little.

I am happy to pass a sign reading 1/2 mile to Abingdon Lock, but am not sure how much further it is to Abingdon itself! I’m crossing boardwalks so this area must get very wet at certain times of the year. I reach Abingdon Lock and traverse the long wier bridge with the gushing sound if the river beneath my feet. Abingdon was the location where the UTP was formed in 1939. The Upper Thames Patrol was a water-borne unit on the river Thames created to patrol and protect the Thames from Lechlade to Teddington against the very real threat of invasion, attack and sabotage. At its height the UTP had 6000 members and they were the first to recruit women!

Finally I reach Abingdon, it used to be the county town of Berkshire. Abingdon is a charming riverside town with many fine buildings. The town was once dominated by the Abbey and the town centre’s narrow streets still converge on the Abbey gateway, one of the few remains of what once was a vast complex of buildings.

Some of the fine buildings I encountered on my brief wander into Abingdon, including the old Gaol (now apartments) I met Steve in the main square by the Town Hall.

On our way back to Clara we were beckoned into the free garden at St Ethelwold’s as we passed, it was stunning and had a great riverside location. The fellowship of St Ethelwold and the use of St Ethelwold’s House as a spiritual centre were the vision of Dorothea Pickering (1906–1997).  The Fellowship was named after the 10th century Abbot of Abingdon Abbey; Dorothea longed for the return of Benedictine monks to Abingdon and had a vision that her house might house a community to allow this to happen.  Dorothea wanted her house and garden to be a place where people could come together for prayer, meditation, times of quiet reflection and interfaith encounter. It was founded within the Christian tradition to be a place of interfaith dialogue and encounter embracing people of all faiths and spiritual paths.

Now onto Wallingford to set up camp!

Nordic Walking The Thames Path: Leg 4

Leg Four - Newbridge to Oxford

When: Sunday 17th August 2025

Miles Walked: 15.1

Steps Taken: 31,748

Moving Time: 4:56:03

Elevation Gain: 31 ft

On Sunday 17th August three of us met at Oxford’s Seacourt Park & Ride car park, off Botley Road on the outskirts of Oxford. From there we drove one car to Newbridge and parked outside the Rose Revived Pub/Hotel and set off in glorious sunshine back towards Oxford. Passing through the riverside terrace of the pub (which looks like a lovely location for a riverside breakfast in the sunshine) we soon pick up the path again beyond the lawn. We are back on wide grassy paths through meadows with the sun shining brightly above us.

There’s a little permissive footpath around a conifer hedge as apparently the footpath gets very muddy (not sure that would be a problem this summer) and then we are back in meadows. We pass a beautiful wooden footbridge which is known as Hart’s Weir Footbridge as in years gone by there used to be a weir here, but it does seem weird in the middle of nowhere!

Back on the riverside it’s peaceful, tranquil even for a while before we hit Northmoor Lock. There is an abundance of wild flowers along the river, mostly Purple Loosestrife and Common Fleabane.

We carry on walking beside the river and stop in a lonesome shady area to have a drink and a big group of ramblers pass by. Soon we come into yet another wide open space as we approach Bablock Hythe, there’s quite a few folk milling about at the other end of the green space, I think some fishing may be occurring! Bablock Hythe is one of the most well-known river crossings on the Thames and has been since the Romans forded the great river here. In the II World War there was a vehicle chain ferry here, sadly the only Ferryman now is the pub. Unfortunately I cannot claim my stamp for my Walk The Thames Passport because the Ferryman is not open. Here the path leaves the riverside for a while, presumably to allow the vast Caravan Park at Thameside Court some premium riverside pitches! So we turn up the approach road passing the site and onto a road before eventually turning right to go several fields of sheep mostly all clamouring for the same strips of shade! Eventually we return to the riverside.

A few more twists and turns of the river and we are approaching Pinkhill Lock and cross over the ugly metal weir bridge to reach it.

After Pinkhill Lock the path diverts up to the B4044 due to the original path being eroded away, a short walk alongside this busy B-road passing a few houses, one called Wooden Shoes ( I wonder if they are Dutch) and the turning down the approach road to Oxford Cruisers boatyard (pretty bee garden here) and back onto the path by the river. Following the meandering riverside for a while before reaching Swinford.

Swinford Bridge is one of just two remaining Toll Bridges on the Thames. This one was built for the Earl of Abingdon around 1770. It’s free for pedestrians! However we walk under one of it’s magnificent arches and continue on our way.

Beyond Swinford Bridge is Eynsham Lock, another pretty well-cared for lock. Sarah had a chat with a boater who we have been seeing regularly on our walk today - they were impressed by our speed! Eynsham Lock also had picnic benches IN THE SHADE! Norbert decide we were definitely stopping here for our packed lunches! We all enjoyed not having to get down on the floor! After a good rest and fuel-up we set off to complete the journey to Oxford passing a large herd of cattle enjoying cooling-off in the shallows of the river on the opposite bank. Then a long stretch of isolation through meadows.

We did enjoy some shaded paths as we passed the edge of Wytham Great Wood, a 1000 acre wildlife haven bequeathed to Oxford University in 1942, an SSI. Eventually we reach King’s Lock which is apparently the northernmost point on the Thames Path and also has a low-carbon visitor centre built in 2007/8 and this experimental project looks to be carbon-neutral and serve as an example for further projects along the Thames waterways.

A twisty-turny path now leads us under the 1960’s built A34 by-pass bridge (not very pretty) and after undergoing stability monitoring since 2019, is now undergoing a project to strengthen the structure to the outer supporting legs. We continue on passing what looks like a Shepherds’ Hut on a floating pontoon (here starts the weird and wonderful range of ‘boats’ on the Thames!) and under Godstow Bridge.

We are all puzzled by the round bale of hay floating by the channel stream before the bridge, how? who? why? We pass the remains of Godstow Abbey which was a nunnery established in 1133 and where young girls of the nobility were often sent for ‘finishing’. Henry II met Rosamund Clifford here. Only the outer walls and ruins of the abbess’s chapel now remain. In 1541 most of the building were destroyed during the dissolution, those that remained were put to use when the Royalists used them during the English Civil War a century later. No metal detecting is allowed at this site! At Godstow the path became noticeably busier.

As we walk on towards Oxford the river becomes much broader and across the river is Port Meadow which is thought to have been grazed for over 4000 years and remains unchanged since King Alfred gifted the 120ha to the Freemen of Oxford as a reward for defending the Kingdom against the marauding Danes. The collective right to graze their animals free of charge was documented in the Domesday Book and has been exercised ever since. Lots of people were either on, in or near the water on this stunningly sunny Sunday in August, sailing, swimming, paddleboarding, sunbathing, dog-walking, cycling, kayaking to name but a few. There was a real buzz about the area.

Here we see a sign for ‘The Perch’ and decide to follow the queue of people under the willow-arched footpath that leads to the pub. Enjoying a lovely cold drink and the shade of the delightful ancient willow tree in the garden gives us much need oomph for the final foray into Oxford. Then it’s back to the path and over a footbridge to the other side of the river.

After crossing the river we spot another missed café opportunity! This is The Medley, a locally-owned seasonal bar (April to September) Pizza, pints and cocktails beer garden! Only accessed on foot! We continue down the dusty path towards Oxford.

Now, here is where, dear reader, we went wrong.

We ended up going too far along the river and past the silver footbridge (even though I stopped to take a picture of it) and ended up by the Rewley Road Swing Bridge, which is now a scheduled monument. I couldn’t make sense of where we had gone wrong and so we back-tracked. Karen went over the previously passed footbridge and discovered Thames Path signage ON THE OTHER SIDE!!! There were no signs on the side we were on! So duly relieved to have figured out how we ended up in the wrong place we travelled across the footbridge to join Karen and headed along a cute gravel path alongside the river at the back of some houses (riverside needs trimming) until a Footpath Closed sign stopped us in our tracks. Following the diversion brought us onto a road parallel with the Thames Path and I spied a number 400 bus ahead. Knowing this was the bus we needed to return to the Park & Ride, but not knowing where the bus stop was due to the ongoing works around Oxford Railway Station affecting the top of Botley Road, I waved my arms at the driver and opening the doors, I asked where we could get the bus and he said jump on and so we did! Delivered hot & sweaty by the ‘even hotter than outside’ bus to the P&R we completed our post-walk stretches by my car (which was cooling) and returned to Newbridge so Karen could collect her car. We had reached Oxford! Now according to the guide book Kemble to Oxford is 54 miles, but according to my Strava we have walked 58.94 miles, or 126,136 steps!!

Nordic walking the Thames Path Leg 3: part two

Leg Four - Newbridge to Oxford

When: Sunday 17th August 2025

Miles Walked: 15.1

Steps Taken: 31,748

Moving Time: 4:56:03

Elevation Gain: 31 ft

On Sunday 17th August three of us met at Oxford’s Seacourt Park & Ride car park, off Botley Road on the outskirts of Oxford. From there we drove one car to Newbridge and parked outside the Rose Revived Pub/Hotel and shortly before 9.30am set off in glorious sunshine back towards Oxford. We head through the terrace outside of the pub on the riverside to reach the towpath alongside the river, it looks like a great spot for breakfast in the sunshine! We are soon back onto lovely grassy paths with clear stretches of river alongside us. We continue following the meandering contours of the river through slightly shaded paths and open countryside.

Great wide expanses of grass are fantastic for Nordic walking and we stride on pass a lovely wooden footbridge that would take you over the river to Fyfield, but we are heading for Northmoor Lock.

Before reaching Northmoor we pass a big house on the opposite bank with a massive boathouse, I reckon I could live just in the boathouse! There is a lot of Purple Loosestrife and Common Fleabane on the river banks on this stretch, the insects love them!

We come to a wide expanse of grass that has quite a few people milling about on it, we are approaching Bablock Hythe, a hamlet that up until 1959 had a hand-propelled ferry to take cars and passengers across the Thames, this is apparently one of the best known crossings of the Thames since the Romans forded here, the pub is called The Ferryman and I’m supposed to get a stamp in my passport, but sadly it is not open yet, a photo will have to do. The Thames Path diverts away from the river here presumably because the caravan site here owns the next mile of riverside frontage! A long yomp out past the caravans and further along a road before turning right into fields and endless fields of sheep before finally we see the river once again.

After crossing the very ugly weir bridge we reach Pinkhill Lock, which has some beautiful flower borders.

Not long after Pinkhill Lock the Thames Path leaves the riverside again, this time due to erosion and the towpath being destroyed, so a small diversion up to the B4044, along for 250 yards before taking us down through Oxford Cruisers boatyard and back to the river. Then we are back following the twists and turns of the river all the way to Swinford,

Swinford Bridge has a toll to cross it (not for pedestrians), one of only two

Nordic Walking the Thames Path Leg 3: part one

Leg Three: Lechlade on Thames to Tadpole bridge

When: Saturday 9th August, 9am

Miles walked: 11.85 miles

Steps taken: 25,136

Moving time: 3:51:11

Elevation gain: 22 ft

Today we met at Tadpole Bridge on Buckland Road, Faringdon at 9am, parking one car in a handy lay-by across the river from The Trout at Tadpole Bridge (there’s a few with the same Trout name!) We headed the 20 minutes drive back to Lechlade-on-Thames and parked in the same side street as the last leg walking the 5 minutes back to the river. The weather is currently 16 degrees and cloudy, but with the promise of warming up I’m in shorts and a vest top, it’s a bit chilly right now! As we were walking towards Ha’penny Bridge I spotted this unusual feature on the wall as we were waiting to cross.

After some research I discovered this charming ceramic plaque is on the side of the old Red Lion Pub which used to be an Arkell’s pub (local brewery in Swindon) This is a brewery plaque or ‘house mark’ manufactured by Doulton and in production from 1952. It’s not just a boat, of course, but an ark, for this is a rebus: Ark + L = Arkell. It bears the date of the brewery’s foundation, the idea came from one of Arkell’s directors.

Crossing Ha’penny Bridge we head down the steps and go under the towpath arch, gated at both ends. This leads on to the riverside path that twists and bends it’s way along passing moored cruisers and narrowboats including one from canalministries.org.uk hosting the Waterways Chaplain.

This section between Lechlade and Newbridge is described as the ‘most splendidly isolated’ of the whole Thames Path. It is also the longest which is why we have split it in two! Going out of Lechlade the path is on the edge of a wide grassy bank and makes for nice easy Nordic walking, there are only a couple of swans or passing dog walkers for company.

We soon reach St John’s Lock, the first of many locks and weirs along the Thames. In front of the lock house stands the statue of Old Father Thames (made by Italian sculptor Rafaelle Monti), first commissioned in 1854 to adorn the fountains of Crystal Palace, but after the fire in 1936, it was bought by one of the Thames Conservators and originally placed at the Trewsbury Mead (source of the Thames) in 1958. Sadly after suffering some vandalism he was moved here in 1974 and is now under the watchful eye of the lockkeeper!

Traveling onwards following the twists and turns of the river, we cross over a footbridge to walk along the other side and pass a robust looking concrete pillbox, a World War II relic.

I’m now the proud holder of a Walk The Thames Passport and need to get it stamped at various locations to get my certificate at the end, so when we reach Buscot Lock (the smallest on the Thames), we cross the upper lock gates and the old weir, taking the small diversion into Buscot village and the lovely tearoom. Their stamp was lost and so I was given a sticker instead! We took advantage of the facilities and may have purchased a small treat to enjoy later! Returning back to the Thames by the same route passing some swimmers this time following the lock edge and through a gate before crossing a big concrete bridge back to the riverside again.

The river continues to meander passing pill boxes, cattle grazing (well there’s no grass, so they are being given supplementary feed) and quiet banks and we continue walking under cloudy skies with occasional blue sky periods. We decide to pause at one of the pill boxes to enjoy our treats and sort out a sock issue.

We pass the rustic wooden footbridge at Eaton which once led to the Anchor Inn (burnt down some years ago) and the old weir keepers cottage, there are some beautiful river views along this stretch as well as some really old willow trees that would have some stories to tell I’m sure! Typically we pass a lovely new-looking bench just after we had perched rather uncomfortably on the pill box, this has been provided by the villagers of Kelmscott. Around the corner we come to a wide track, left leads to Kelmscott Manor, the house William Morris called home for over 25 years. However we are turning right and continuing on the broad track. This comes to a kissing-gate and leads to open meadows again.

Whilst meandering around the river we pass two strange looking contraptions on the edge of the riverbank, sometimes it is very useful to be walking with a water expert! Apparently they are pasture pumps, designed to draw water from the river for cattle, horses or calves. This pump is nose operated as the animal drinks from the pump bowl they push against a lever, which in turn operates a piston and a diaphragm pumps water from the river! One will set you back more than £450!

We continue walking on to Grafton Lock, spotting the National Trail symbol wherever we can! There are a few boats are waiting to travel through the lock, the volunteers are working hard! This lock is well cared for with pretty flowers and picnic benches, I can’t believe they have to put a sign up to stop people urinating in their compost heap!

We pass moored boats that seem to have little gardens on the riverbank - nobody is aboard today though, it feels as if we are getting near to civilisation again as the path is very well worn and the vegetation here is neatly trimmed! We indeed turn the corner and can see Radcot Bridge! Parts of Radcot Bridge date from the 12th century and the river divides here with boats diverted through a newer bridge to the left. Radcot Bridge is the oldest bridge on the Thames and remains well preserved due to boats being diverted. Apparently the three gothic arches are ribbed beneath like a cathedral roof! There is evidence that there has been a bridge here as early as the 10th century. Radcot was an important crossing point between the Saxon Kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia as well as being the site of several Military actions in the 14th and 17th centuries including a civil war siege involving Oliver Cromwell.

We headed up steps by the newer bridge to the road and pause at Ye Olde Swan for a well-deserved lunch. After a delicious basket meal (I had scampi, Karen had halloumi) we returned to the bridge crossing it to continue on the Thames path. Passing a camping ground with tipis and an old pillbox as a campsite office/shop and then crossing a dilapidated old footbridge which had a sign requesting no large groups!

We passed a stunning herd of cattle looking very relaxed in the sunshine and admired a couple of beautiful boats before enjoying a good Nordic stretch of our legs on a nice grassy path, before we knew it we had reached Radcot Lock. A very pretty, well looked after lock with a gorgeous lockeeper’s cottage.

The next stretch includes some resistance training where we feel we are wading through the cut grass awaiting bailing! A few more minutes walking round the bends and we come to Rushey Lock, this lock has a rare example of a paddle-and-rhymer weir, which uses paddles (pictured by the fingerpost sign) dropped into place between the heavier posts with handles, the rhymers, to hold the water back. In order for river traffic to pass, some of these paddles were drawn out and after the initial flash of water the boats would go through the gap.

We cross over the weir and after initially going down the wrong path to a dead end, we find the lock access road which leads us to Tadpole Bridge , our destination for today! This remote bridge was built to carry the turnpike road to Bampton. One of the places to get a stamp today was also the Trout at Tadpole Bridge, so after completing our stretches I pop in to receive my stamp and Norbert gets to share the glory of another leg done.

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

The second leg of Nordic walking the Thames Path didn’t get off to the best of starts. When planning dates for these legs I hadn’t realised that today was the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford and that would have a serious impact on traffic and travel times getting to Lechlade or rather back to Cricklade from Lechlade! So we decided to meet at 8am and hopefully not be snarled up too much, however the delaying factor ended up being meeting at the Riverside car park in Lechlade. Karen arrived to find the only way to pay is via the Ringo App (no coin or card options) and she had no signal…to avoid a fine (hopefully) she left the car park to go and park in a side street, but had no way of letting us know this as again, no signal on her mobile. So we arrived to no Karen and no idea where she was, so no option but to wait! Eventually Karen arrived soaked to the skin having walked along the main road to return to the car park, at least she was safe and sound if a bit bedraggled. I paid for an hours parking via the app (I had signal, thankfully) so as not to incur a fine - there are ANPR cameras at the entrance and I had been there more than ten minutes so didn’t chance it. We set off for Cricklade following Google maps, we were held up slightly by traffic queuing for Fairford on the A419, but it wasn’t too bad in the end. We eventually set off at 8.54am and it wasn’t raining in Cricklade…to start with!

Walking back down Cricklade High Street we picked up where we left off and turn right into Abingdon Court Lane, the Thames Path takes a left turn as the lane bends the other way and we’re soon crossing a stone slab stile into a field bordered on the left by the Thames. This area was once known as Hatchetts Green, it was an historic crossing point on the Thames where once stood a wooden footbridge spanning the river allowing barges to pass underneath, it existed until the 1930’s. In the late 19th century the river at Hatchetts Ford was used by local Baptists for baptisms, while the congregation watched from the banks and the bridge.

It is also an area once famous for cheese making, Abingdon Court Farm had a cheese house constructed in 1841. This cheese was mentioned in Jane Austen’s Emma, The North Wiltshire Cheese! Young cheese was sent by wagon, older cheese was sent down the Thames to London by barge! Abingdon Court Farm was the 17th century farmhouse of the Manor of Abingdon Court, one of the earliest manors of Cricklade having been created in 1008 by Aethelread!

We continue on beside the river and soon come to a standing stone marking the Millennium Wood, a community woodland planted as part of the Millennium celebrations. Here the path turns left and heads under the A419 bridge where we can see cars queueing for RIAT! We pass a pipeline bridge and after a little while we cross over a wooden footbridge to the other side of the Thames river, and the rain has started to fall heavier, so I relent and put my waterproof on! We’re following the curvy nature of the river until we cross the river once more. There are cattle in the distance, but thankfully they are unbothered by our existence.

The fields are soggy (makes a change) and we’re all getting wet shoes (and feet in some cases), wearing shorts means every bit of longer damp grass is making my legs wet and I’ll need to check for ticks later. There are pretty wild flowers growing along the path and various footbridges where presumably it floods in the winter months. Now there are patches of blue sky appearing and it certainly isn’t cold, the rain is easing. The fields are mainly full of crops or for cattle along here and they vary in length, but we are getting more glimpses of stretches of river that are pleasing to the eye! We traverse some of the wooden footbridges with care as in the wet they can be quite slippery. Slowly ticking off the miles to Castle Eaton.

There sadly is evidence of bank erosion along parts of this stretch with strings of barbed wire ready to garrotte you, that’s all that remains of the fences! On the opposite bank we pass Second Chance Touring & Residential Park, a family run holiday park for over forty years apparently! After a succession of double gated footbridges we arrive at Castle Eaton and the plane noise from RIAT is making itself known! Walking through the residential streets we pass the pretty Lych-gate of St Mary’s Church and turn right walking all the way down Blackford Lane until we reach Forty Acre Farm and Blackford Farm. I spot a couple of these cast iron lions head water fountains from the 1900’s in Castle Eaton, but can’t find any information about them. We are now halfway on our journey today!

We pause for a snack stop and to watch the noisy plane!

From Castle Eaton the river is more visible and there has clearly been some work done to replace old footbridges very recently, with lovely new composite ones, which are excellent! The paths have been cleared along here too which makes for very easy Nordic walking! The coats have come off too, it is quite humid now.

At Hannington Bridge we turn right onto a lane and are faced with some RIAT traffic speeding along this tiny lane (it’s one of the official routes we think) thankfully we soon turn off onto another track that leads to a bridlepath to Inglesham, here we are no longer alongside the river, it’s a couple of fields away to our left and we are alongside a ditch until we reach a field with a private airstrip (and some sheep) here there is quite a good sized stretch of river (looks good for a dip, but not today!) The path here was diverted to a riverside path in 2017, it used to run alongside the busy A361 road! We hug the riverside all the way to Inglesham!

As the river widens, we pass a group of kayakers (or are they canoes?) setting up for a riverside picnic.

At Inglesham we pass the church of St John the Baptist which looks shut, but the grounds have been strimmed recently and a sign on the door reveals it is a temporary door, we don’t stop and take a look, but on further research I wish we had! This church was saved by Victorian designer William Morris, who lived nearby at Kelmscott, in the 19th century ensuring it kept it’s medieval identity. It is described as a exquisitely beautiful and fascinating thirteenth-century church by the Churches Conservation Trust who now look after it. Apparently it has an amazing series of wall paintings from the thirteenth to the nineteenth century, often with one painted over another, sometimes seven layers thick and an unusual Saxon stone carving of the Madonna and Child set in the south wall. It remains much as it would have in Oliver Cromwell’s time, I shall have to go back!

We pass The Round House, which was one of five former lengthsmen’s cottages built along the Thames and Severn Canal in the 1790’s, built during the construction of the canal, which aimed to connect the River Thames with the River Severn. Lengthsmen were responsible for maintaining the canal. It is now part of a private residence and marks the start of the navigable River Thames downstream from this point. The canal closed in 1933, but parts are under restoration and the Lechlade end is now owned by The Cotswold Canals Trust. We pause on a bench by a wooden footbridge watching the birds ducking and diving under the bridge, none of us has any energy!

The river and riverside are noticeably busier the closer we get to Lechlade, with boats and barges moored up, even a swan pedalo passes by! The riverside is full of picnickers and the pub on the wharf opposite is full!

Before the Thames and Severn Canal was opened in 1789 Lechlade was the highest point on the Thames that laden barges could reach. The riverside was a busy wharf with boats being loaded with salt from Cheshire, wool and cheese from the Cotswolds destined for Oxford and London markets and Taynton stone from nearby Burford was shipped from here and used in iconic buildings such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Windsor Castle.

The Ha’penny Bridge has spanned the river here since 1782 and is one of 106 navigable bridges between here and London, the tiny old toll house is all that remains from the time when it would cost you a halfpenny to cross the bridge! Locals rebelled and the charge was dropped in 1839.

Norbert had to wait until the end of the walk today to get his five minutes of fame! We walk back to Karen’s car, complete our post-walk stretches and drive back to Cricklade (via RIAT thanks to Google maps!) where we decide to get lunch at The Wild Fig - highly recommended!

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!