The Thames Path

The Thames Path The Thames Path National Trail follows the greatest river in England for 184 miles (294 Km) from its trickling source at a spring in the rural Cotswolds to its vast presence at the Thames Barrier, just a few miles before it meets the sea. This route boasts tranquil water meadows, fabulous wildlife and wildflowers, quaint villages, historic market towns, gothic towers, cities and many locks. This river, once vital to trade, helped grow England’s capital to the size it is. As railways and roads took over, this great trading route started to fall into decline. Discussions started back in the 1930s about how they could put the old Thames tow path to use but it was not until after further discussions, and with the help of many groups of people (including the Ramblers Association and the River Thames Society), that 16 miles of new tow path was built and the Thames Path became a fully opened National Trail in 1996. Why do this walk? Route What’s it like underfoot? You may Kemble to Cricklade • An easy-to-follow gentle walk be walking on an obvious trail, path During summer the start of the route • Historic villages and towns or pavement and occasionally on a often follows a dry river bed but it • Rural landscapes path across a field just visible in the isn’t long until the river in its infancy • No hills! grass. The terrain when dry is often appears. This section is particularly • Beautiful river views compact and easy going however beautiful during spring when the when wet after prolonger rain can fields are full of wild flowers. The be muddy in sections. Essential Info Thames passes beautiful Cotswold Length 4 – 6 nights villages renowned for their golden How much up and down? If you coloured stone which has been Full Route Length 158 miles/ 254 km start at the source the route spends quarried from the areas Jurassic the majority of the walk losing . limestone bedrock. Just after passing Grade height. After you pass through through the hamlet of Ewen you are Goring Gap there is a short climb up surrounded by the Cotswold Water Moderate the chalk hills and steep descent to Park on your route to Cricklade. Over negotiate at Coombe Park before the last 50 years this area set over 40 you reach Pangbourne. Of the National trails we cover, this is one square miles has transformed from of the easiest. It is a gentle trail which is gravel pits to 150 lakes. Providing Signposting: Good signposting, signs water sports and recreational suitable for people with a wide range of are marked with a white acorn to activities along with many wildlife abilities. The route journeys across indicate the National Trail. obvious broad promenades to grassy nature reserves. Keep your eyes out for all sorts of movement from water paths. Navigation: Pretty straightforward, voles, shrews, and otters to dragon keep your map and guidebook to Terrain: Mostly flat with well-defined flies, chiffchaff’s and water rail. hand. paths Cricklade to Lechlade greeted here by the statue ‘Old almost until reaching the city’s edge. Follow the small reed filled river to Father Thames’ which was crafted by As you wind your way along the path Castle Eaton where a lychgate leads Raffaelle Monti in 1851 and has been today you pass through Bablock to a 12th Century church with relocated twice before being re- Hythe, maybe the best known of the Norman and early English gothic style homed in Lechlade in 1974. Continue Thames crossings. A chain hauled along with a very distinctive corbelled on past decaying pillboxes (concrete ferry operated here for over 1000 bellcote which was added by William years but now lies in disrepair after dug-in guard post) once used as a Butterfield in 1861-63. Continue defence line in 1940 and now home floods in 2007. A campaign is along the river to Upper Inglesham, to bats. The path meanders through currently up and running to see it where we advise to skip this short the flat flood plain of the Thames returned to its former glory. Pass busy road section, and continue valley passing another 5 locks, Swinford Bridge, built in 1770 for the enjoying the river slowly growing in Earl of Abingdon and one of two Chimney Meadow nature reserve and size from Inglesham. You might be wonderfully named bridges, such as remaining privately-owned toll interested to visit the simple but Tadpole Bridge, Newbridge (actually bridges on the Thames, before magnificent church at Inglesham 13th century), the Tenfoot bridge passing the edge of Wytham Great which has managed to avoid the (which is wider than 10 feet), along Wood, a 600 acre wood and wildlife Gothic restoration treatment of the haven. Finally finishing through Port with the oldest bridge which is Victorian age before trying to spot located in Radcot and made up of Meadow with stunning skyline views some of the first boats on the Thames three gothic arches made of Taynton of Oxford and its spires, you’ll as you approach the 18th century stone. You may be interested to stop understand why Matthew Arnold bridge into Lechlade called the and see Kelmscott, the home of coined Oxford as the ‘city of dreaming Ha’penny bridge due to the toll once William Morris (check the opening spires’. This area is largely unchanged charged. times). since William the Conqueror gifted the land in return for helping to Lechlade to Newbridge Newbridge to Oxford defend his kingdom from the Danes. Leaving Lechlade you pass St John’s The river continues to grow on your lock the furthest upstream lock on the journey towards Oxford, it is now Oxford to Abingdon Thames and the highest point on the already a respectable size with many The path skirts the edge of the city, Thames that trading barges are able boats negotiating its locks. Although the route is surprisingly green and to reach. This is just the first of 46 today you will be heading towards a after passing Iffley lock and the locks along the Thames path. You’ll be city, this part of the path is very rural, charming Norman Iffley church it continues through its rural setting. Abingdon Abbey was built in the boathouse at Shillingford and the Walking through open meadows you seventh century and gave the town its impressive Benson weir, before pass through Sandford-on-Thames, present name. reaching Wallingford. mentioned in the Doomsday book of 1086 for its milling. Sandford Lock is Abingdon to Wallingford Wallingford to Pangbourne also known for having the largest fall This section starts and ends in A contrasting and attractive section of 2.69 metres and a weir pool named historical towns. Wallingford is home starts in the historic town of the Sandford Lasher renowned for its to the remains of a medieval castle. It Wallingford and passes though Goring strong undercurrents and taking was demolished in 1652 on the orders Gap, a dramatic valley carved through many lives over the years. An Obelisk of Oliver Cromwell. It is described by chalk hills by the river during the ice marks the spot as a reminder. Nicholas Brooks as once being “one of age. Its original route saw the Thames Continue on past Nuneham House the most powerful royal castles of the meeting the North Sea near Ipswich which after Lord Harcourt had it built 12th & 13th century”. Built on the but after its paths were blocked by for him in 1756, also had the original orders of William the Conqueror. Pass sheet ice it carved its way through the village of Nuneham knocked down the ancient hamlet of Culham which is chalk site and took the new route we and the road from Oxford to London virtually surrounded by open fields know today. Today’s section also has re-routed in order to have the and after reaching Clifton lock enjoy one of the few short climbs up the grounds landscaped. Much of this the picture-perfect scene of the red chalk hills and a steep ascent to landscaping didn’t survive the second bricked Clifton Hampden Bridge and negotiate at Coombe Park before you world war. Before reaching Abingdon, the church spire ascending out from reach Pangbourne. you pass an entrance to the Swift behind. Continue on following the Ditch of the back water, originally the sweeping arch of the Thames to Little Pangbourne to Henley faster route on the Thames, and Wittenham the home for the World Skirting the edge of Reading is quieter thought to be dug by monks of Pooh sticks competition and than you might think and is broken by Abingdon abbey. Abingdon claims to Wittenham clumps also known as the Kings Meadow park and the place be the oldest continuously occupied Sinodun Hills which offer magnificent where the Kennet canal enters the settlement in the country with views if you have the energy to climb Thames (a project which linked Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and either of them. A short diversion to Reading with Bath and Bristol in bronze age remains found. Along with Dorchester will allow you to see the 1810). On leaving Reading enjoy the evidence of an Iron age and Middle impressive ancient Abbey in Iron age oppidum (fortified town). Dorchester built around 1140 before 11 different sized archways of passing a delightful thatched Sonning bridge which links the a mini-castle with turrets and counties Oxon and Berkshire. Pass a impressive buildings such as Frogmill beautiful boathouse at Shiplake and Barn and Danesfield castellated battlements, Bourne End; an area probably some boaters out training mansion to Hurley.

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