The River Thames Path walk - Day one 11th May 2009

We had decided that following an evening with friends who wished to start walking on the River Thames path from its source until we get to the end that this was something that the 'Groves' would also like to do. So during the past few weeks with our friends Mike and Pauline O'Sullivan, also from Wey Road, we have been planning this trip down to the nearest inch including where to stop for lunch etc.

The plan was that Noel and Jennifer would take their caravan to a suitable site where it would be convenient to start the walk and so the Caravan Club site at Burford was chosen and although there were nearer sites this was more suitable as it was quiet. It is however located right next door to the Cotswold Wildlife Park, but more of that later. Mike and Pauline were driving to Cricklade where we would meet and drop off one car and then head to the 'Thames Head' pub where we could park the other car and start walking. So we met around ten am as planned and then headed for the pub just outside Kemble and togged up with our walking stuff, rainwear, bottle of brandy and also four huskies and headed across the railway lines in search of the source of old Father Thames. Fifteen minutes later and dodging a few cow pats we found a large stone sign indicating the spot. However there was no water at this point and we had to head across the fields for about a mile before we found the first sign of water.

Photo:- The Thames source

We followed a reasonably signposted path through woods and along the Thames stream, over many little foot bridges and past open fields and passing nearby to a number of very nice riverside houses and also farms with also some excellent conversions. We even got friendly with some cows. After almost four hours walking we had completed about seven miles and were beginning to feel tired and looking forward to a sit down and lunch at the 'Horse and Jockey' pub near Derry Fields which is very close to Ashton Keynes. About three hundred yards from the pub was a welcoming sign saying that the pub was open all day and lunchtime food was available from twelve till two pm. Unfortunately it was now two fifteen pm. Nevertheless we visited the pub and the landlord was very flexible and agreed to provide sandwiches and a large bowl of chips. A couple of pints later and we were ready to tackle the next part of the journey which is about five miles back to Cricklade.

About twenty minutes later we lost the River Thames completely whilst going through the Cotswold Water Park which is a huge area of forty square miles with one hundred and forty lakes where you can do many water sports from fishing to sailing etc. There are also many new expensive waterside housing estates being built where you can park you boat outside your house. So we walked past the many lakes, mostly ex gravel pits, until we were able to find the next bit of the River Thames. At this point we decided to rename our tour to the more suitable name of 'Not quite the River Thames Path walk.' We continued walking past more old houses and through more fields of cows and sheep and stopped a couple of hours later for a rest.

By this time we were all getting a little tired and it was approaching six in the evening and Mike was convinced that the finish was just around the next corner, and if not that one then certainly the one after that. Finally we could see the towers of the church at Cricklade across a large field called North Meadow which is an ancient hay meadow near the village. It is 24.6 hectares in size. Over 250 species of higher plant occur in the meadow, but it is of particular note as it holds by far the largest British population of the Snake's-head Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris). The 500,000 fritillaries which flower each year represent 80% of the British population.

The meadow was notified as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1971. Part of the site has been designated a National Nature Reserve.

Finally the end was in sight as we neared the edge of the field and then found we had to walk further round until we found a suitable exit. So four tired and hungry walkers jumped in to the car and headed off to collect the other car and head back to Burford where we arrived around seven thirty in the evening. Time to open the wine which Mike and Pauline had brought with them which went down very well with the very tasty Cottage Pie also provided by Pauline. By eleven o'clock we were all ready for bed and the caravan rocked to the sound of multiple snoring sounds. Noel awoke in the night to hear some strange animal sounds, Oh yes we were close to the wildlife park where they have many species. Psst' was that a leopard prowling around outside the caravan?? oops or perhaps too much wine.

We had covered over twelve and a half miles during the day, a record for most of us.