Events Along the Thames Path

I S S U E 9 NEWSLETTER SPRING 2018 Events along the Thames Path

In this newsletter we are featuring three events which took place on the Trail last year. These events are organised to raise money for charities News for all who and in doing so they are also raising money for the upkeep of the Trail enjoy the through the contribution made by participants of these events. Thames Path During the past few INSIDE THIS years there has been an ISSUE: increase in organised charity events along the Thames Path and other Events along the 1 National Trails. Trail Not surprisingly the Trail Overview 6 Thames Path is popular as it provides an easily Volunteer Task 7 accessible, iconic loca- Diary tion and beautiful Trail Along the Trail 8 most of which lies within reach of good transport Circular Walk 9 links. We have been End notes 10 working closely with some of the organisers of these events to ensure that the Trail re- mains is looked after and indeed benefits from Helen & Douglas House Riverside Stomp such events.

Although some events take place during the winter months, most events take place throughout spring, summer and autumn.

This quarterly newsletter goes out to our volunteers, to parishes & businesses along the Thames. To subscribe to our newsletter or to advertise in the next follow @ntthames newsletter, contact us at thames.path@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Thames Path National Trail Office, Speedwell House, Oxford, OX1 1NE Information:[email protected] T:01865 810224 Volunteers [email protected] T: 01865 810211 W www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thames-path/ P A G E 2 Helen and Douglas Riverside Stomp

Helen & Douglas House care for terminally ill children, young adults and their

families through exceptional hospice care. Helen & Douglas House provide medi- cal, emotional and practical support, helping families deal with the implications of living with a child who will die prematurely, so they can make the most of their time together. The hospice relies on people giving donations and getting involved in events like the Riverside Stomp! Per year it costs over £5million to run Helen & Douglas House and 88p in every £1 needs to be fundraised.

Trail Event

Baby Martha with parents Ed and Sophie

The Riverside Stomp uses the Thames Path from Wallingford to Oxford. The Thames Path is a par- ticularly special event location for the hospice as Sophie on Martha’s bench, Radley College Boat House on route, at Radley College Boat House, there is a memorial bench to Martha Tolputt. Martha was born in 2015 in a critical condi- tion and passed away in her mother’s arms at five-days-old. Her parents, Sophie and Ed, came to Helen House with Martha to say goodbye and receive support to come to terms with her short life. Ed and Sophie stayed in one of the family flats at Helen House and were given bereavement support by Helen & Douglas House after they went home.

Ed said: “One day unexpectedly you might get knocked over by a wave and you won’t see it coming and when you do you will be so grateful that there is a place like Helen & Douglas House. So it has given me nothing but happy memories of my time with Martha. We will forever treasure the extra time we were able to spend with Martha thanks to this wonderful place.”

The couple took part in the Riverside Stomp in both 2016 and 2017, passing by Martha’s bench. In 2017 the event raised over £15,000!

Riverside Stomp Key Information for 2017 event: 22 miles, starting at Wallingford Event Trail 9 miles, starting at Abingdon Cricket Club 12:30 Finish: Oxford City Rowing Club 120 participants Total amount raised in 2017: £15,000

Visit: www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/

The Sunrise Walk

Now in its sixth year, the Sunrise Walk has so far attracted over 1,400 walkers who have raised an impressive £250,000. By taking part in the Sunrise Walk 2018 you can help us reach our target of £90,000 so we can continue providing a lifeline for parents, siblings and other family members who are coping with the devastating loss of a child.

Our main 20km route will remain the same as previous years, and we now have a brand new 10km route taking you through the beautiful Richmond Park, which is ideal for families with young children. The routes will take you past some stunning sights including Richmond Park, Rich- mond Hill, The Thames, Ham Common, Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace – what a way to start a Sunday morning!

To register visit www.shootingstarchase.org.uk/sunrisewalk/

Sunrise Walk 2018 When: Sunday 3rd June 2018 at 4:30am Where: Riverside Pitches, Ham House, Richmond TW10 7RS Distance: 10km or 20km

Thames Trot 2018

Trail Event Trail

What a tough day for a very tough on most parts By its very nature run- race! After the sun- of the course, the occa- ning 50 miles is not easy shine of 2017, runners sional tarmac sections and given the amount of had cold and rain to giving welcome rest bite mud even more challeng- contend with for the and the beautiful scenery ing but by night fall and tenth Thames Trot was some compensation with the steady rain still race. It was a very spe- for the hard work! coming down our hardy cial day as this was the participants were still Alex Whearity finished 10th running of the race crossing the finish line, first with a time of 6 which is pretty epic. We each with their own sto- hours and 12 minutes, had participants who had ry to tell and everyone second place runner Da- completed all 10 and one having achieved a finish vid I’Anson; Third place was even wearing his in a tough ultra- went to Matthew Black- original T shirt! At the marathon, every medal burn with a great time of start the weather clearly and t shirt hard fought. 06:34 only 12 minutes hadn’t dampened the Amazingly some still behind his second place runners enthusiasm for managed a sprint finish! rival. Anna Troup took their journey along the the first place win but Thames Path National also first in the 45+ cate- Trail. gory. It was the closest of This doesn’t mean that it finishes with only 11 sec- was plain sailing to the onds separating second finish line for them on and third places, Leanne the Thames Trot. Ex- Rive just pipping Rebecca Simon Hollis tremely muddy condi- Ash to the post to grab www.gobeyondsport.co.uk tions made the going 2nd place.

CALENDAR OF KNOWN EVENTS ALONG THE THAMES PATH 2018 Date Organisation Event Start End Website

May Events the along Trail Centurion Richmond New www.centurionrunning.com 5 & 6th Running Thames Path 100 Waterfront Oxford /

British Heart London to Oxford Oxpens Bhf.org.uk/l20trek 12&13th Foundation Trek Spelthorne,Staines meadow Wallingford Crowmarsh

20th Thames Run 2018 Crowmarsh Gifford Gifford www.thamesrun.co.uk June Kingston Shooting Star Ham House, Bridge –

3rd Chase Sunrise Walk Teddington Lock Ham House Sunrise Walk

Macmillan- organised by Remenham 9th Threshold Sports Mighty Hike Windsor racecourse farm macmillan.org.uk Royal Wind- Global Adventure Thames Valley Trek sor Race- www.globaladventurechalle 16th Challenges (26 or 13 miles) Hambleden lock course nges.com St Barnabas 17th Run Jericho Run Jericho Primary School Run Jericho Jul NO EVENTS CONFIRMED Aug NO EVENTS CONFIRMED Sept Thames Path Chal- 8 &9th Action Challenge lenge Putney and Henley Thames Path Challenge - Walk for Parkin- SP50302 www.parkinsons.org.uk/ 23rd Parkinsons UK sons Oxford 06681 walkoxford

Oct

Centurion Run- www.centurionrunning.com 13&14th ning Autumn 100 Goring /races/autumn-100-2018

27th Go Beyond Sport Thames Trot Iffley, Oxford Henley Go Beyond Sport

Nov potential event 12th TBC Dec

Created for the public to enjoy the beautiful landscape with its rich wildlife, flora and fauna, the 184mile long Thames Path National Trail is unique. It is the only long distance path to follow a river for most of its length and it's the iconic River Thames which gives the Trail its char- acter and creates the countryside through which you walk. Starting in the Cotswolds as a track

Trail Overview Trail across water meadows and fields beside the infant River Thames, the Trail passes through vil-

lages in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, on surfaced pavements through historic cities …until finally it passes through the capital, London, to the Thames Barrier in Greenwich. The Thames Path provides a walk alongside the ‘liquid history’ of a wonderful River. The Thames Path Partnership is responsible for the management, development and promo- tion of The Thames Path National Trail to ensure a great trail experience for all. It involves a wide range of organisations and dedicated Trail volunteers help to maintain the route and keep it to a good standard for all who use it.

Plan your day visit or holiday to The Thames Path using our interactive online map: www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thamespath. Why rush? Pace yourself to the meandering river - if you like you can plan to walk the Trail a section at a time (there are 15 sections ranging from 9-15 miles, see map above)—and take days, weeks or even years to complete it!

Practical work is carried out along The Thames Path and The Ridgeway to ensure walkers enjoy using it. Work is carried out by the National Trail Team, volunteers, local highway authorities, landowners and contractors. Volunteers are welcome to help maintain the Thames Path by joining the task team led by the National Trail Team. The location and Volunteering activities for the next 3 months are shown below. Please ensure that you book early as the practical tasks are popular. Locations for tasks may change and volunteer numbers can be limited due to type of task.

Volunteer to help with a task by contacting the National Trail Team.

Book in advance and as soon as possible. E: [email protected] T: 01865 810211 Task Locations for Ridgeway and Thames Path

5 3 14 2 Check 4 7 1 the map

10 13 for a task 6 12 location 8 11 9 near to

you.

KEY Task Dates G = Gate S = Signage M = mowing TBC = To be confirmed

April May June th st 4 RW Compton S 6 1 RW Idstone M 10 4th RW Tring S 5 th nd 9 TP Lechlade/Buscot S 4 2 TP Cricklade 7 Ashton Keynes M 4 5th Workshop S 2 th th 10 TP Ashton Keynes G 7 8 TP Lechlade + Kelmscot M 4 6th RW Tring S 5 th th 11 Workshop 2 9 Ogbourne M 8 7th Workshop 2 th th 16 TP Lechlade G 4 10 TP Castle Eaton &Up.Inglesham M 4 11th TP Newbridge M 4 th th 17 Workshop 2 14 RW Princes Ris M 14 12th RW Uffington M 10 rd th 23 TP Chimney M 4 15 TP Oxford Fiddlers M3 13th TP Chimney M 2 th th 24 RW Snap M 8 16 TP Grafton M 14th Workshop 2 * ALSO Swinford M2 th th 25 TP (TBC) 17 TP Oxford Osney M3 18th TP Sonning ST 12 th rd 26 Workshop 23 Workshop 2 19th RW Blowingstone M 10 th th 30 TP Marlow M 12 29 RW Ashbury M 10 20th Workshop 2* ALSO Wallingford & th 30 RW Hackpen M 9 Shillingford M13 st 31 TP Fiddlers & Kennington M 3 21st T Little Witt & Shillingford M2 25th RW South Stoke M 2 NOTE: * There are 3 dates in June th Whether reporting by phone 26 RW Watlington M 1 when there is both workshop task 27th Workshop 2 ALSO Shiplake M or by email, please add a grid and outdoors task running on same 28th TP Marlow 12 M day. If you are interested in booking reference and a photo is also onto one of these tasks please state very useful! Thameswhich Path National task you Trail would Office, like. Speedwell Thanks. House, Oxford, OX1 1NE Information:[email protected] T:01865 810224 Volunteers [email protected] T: 01865 810211 W www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thames-path/

Thames Path National Trails Team E: [email protected] and [email protected] P A G E 8

Along The Trail And welcome to a rather wet spring/early summer newsletter. I’m afraid when I start- ed writing this (beginning April) I had to once again this year upload the flooding news item onto our website. Some of our farmers are telling me that this is the worse sus- tained saturated land they have experienced in 50 years! Climate change deniers please take note. On the website we also link through to

Along the Trail Along the the government up to date flooding information line https://flood-warning- information.service.gov.uk/warnings The interactive map on the site gives a good indication of the full extent of alluvial flooding. For all our monitors out there, and only when it’s safe to do so, i.e when the floods have subsided, please do check your reaches and let us know of any bank erosion, surface damage and bridge damage in particular.

On a more positive note our strategic signing project for Ashton Keynes is now complete and the signposts look great, they’ve now been shipped out to Wiltshire for installation by the council, the signs point people to the last surviving Pub and Community Shop as well as other facili- ties Ashton Keynes has to offer. A big thank you to all our volunteers who helped make these fantastic signs, which, in sustainable oak, will look very much in keeping with this lovely Cots- wold Stone village.

We have a hectic year ahead with lots of access improvement works planned and I had hoped that the larger contractor works would begin literally from the start of this financial year. Unfor- tunately the weather was against us, but we’re planning on finishing the Oxford City surfacing, installing new surfaces and repairing surfacing in Streatley, Marlow, Hurley, and Richmond, installing new recycled plastic boardwalks in Moulsford and Purley as well as the ubiquitous bridge repairs and river bank revetments.

Working closely with our Chairman Councillor Steve Good we have finally secured our official Thames Path Trail ale and I understand bottling goes into production next week. The ale is being produced by Tom at the Hop Kettle Brewery who also owns the Red Lion Pub in Cricklade https://www.theredlioncricklade.co.uk/ The Trail runs next to the pub and the beer is currently available on tap for a limited period know as The Source – the name will change when we offi- cially launch our trail ale. In a move away from the American hops and IPAs our ale is brewed from three types of English Hops and has a distinctive dry refreshing taste…. How could we use American hops for an Ale that represents the Thames!

And finally many thanks to all our volunteers who have been working hard to service and repair our mowers and brush cutters ahead of the mowing season, cutter bars and oils have been changed along with many other repair jobs needed, all are fully functioning and waiting for the season to change. Please do look at the task diary and book onto the crucial summer mowing tasks that help keep our trail open for all to enjoy those lovely walks along the Thames during the summer… if it ever stops raining! Steve Tabbitt

A Springtime Walk at Cricklade the Along Trail

Amongst my favourite Thames-side walks is around North Meadow at Cricklade in April and May when the snakeshead fritillaries are in bloom. It is a wonderful sight – thousands of delicate flowers creating a purple haze on the meadow. (http://www.crickladeinbloom.co.uk/cricklade_north_meadow_walks.html)

There are several ways to approach North Meadow. The closest is the main entrance by Weavers Bridge on the minor road that contin- ues Cricklade High Street to- ward the A419 (SU 100 945), where there is a small car park. I like to park in the more spacious car-park (SU 10 5936) by the Fairview recreation field on the east of the town, beside the B4040 which goes from the Cricklade slip road off the A419. From this car park, walk across the recreation field to the Thames, and follow the Thames Path through the northern side of Cricklade until you reach North Meadow (about 1 mile). Passing the Red Lion, think about a glass of the Thames Trail Ale before or after the walk.

In North Meadow, follow the path around the edge, which is the Thames Path until it leaves the meadow. Often the skylarks are singing, a curlew is calling and all is well with the world. Staying in the meadow, the path goes round the fritillaries to reed beds beside the River Churn, and bends round to the entrance at Weavers Bridge. From this point, a network of paths lead back to Cricklade, meeting the Thames Path on the way. There is so much to see that it usually takes about 90 minutes to get round the Meadow although the distance is only 2 miles. The walk is now included in the circular walks part of the Thames Path website (https:// www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thames-path/route/north-meadow-cricklade). If you have a favourite circular walk that includes the Thames Path, please send it in to us at [email protected].

North Meadow and a longer (8 miles) circular walk is featured in our book “Exploring the Thames Wilderness: a guide to the natural Thames” which describes the nature reserves along the Thames.

Dick Mayon-White

NATIONAL TRAILS OFFICE ADDRESS Speedwell House, Oxford, OX1 1NE

Information 01865 810224 Volunteers 01865 810211 End Notes E: [email protected] W:www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thamespath NATIONAL TRAILS WORKSHOP

Signal Court, Station Road, Eynsham, OX29 4TL E: [email protected]

National Trails Office, Speedwell House, Oxford, OX1 1NE

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Spot any problems on the Trail? Uneven or muddy surface? Broken gate or sign? Over- grown path? Please note the location with a grid reference, take a photo… then please let us know! Email: [email protected] or call 01865 810211

Thames Path National Trail Office, Speedwell House, Oxford, OX1 1NE Information:[email protected] T:01865 810224 Volunteers [email protected] T: 01865 810211 W www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thames-path/