Our 2012 project to walk the stretch of The Thames from the source to Windsor got carried over to 2013 because of poor weather. We were left with the stretch between the source and Wolvercote, just West of Oxford - over 50 miles. This was too far for even a three-day weekend, so we pulled together a plan to get as far as we could from the source.
Having left planning until we'd seen that the weather would be dry, the logistics were difficult to pull together. This meant having to park at Bampton Recreational Ground (over 1.5 miles North of the river) and get a taxi as close as we could to the source near Kemble. We were dropped at the Thames Head Inn at around 10:15 and had to negotiate a field of cows to get to the source, which was dry but marked with a stone, a signpost and some pebbles on the ground.
As we followed the route of the river, we encountered a few groups of walkers heading towards the source, presumably all having been on the same train to Kemble. It wasn't long before we came across some water. We followed the river as it skirted Kemble (more cows) and then headed towards and then South of Ewen. We made good progress towards Somerfield Keynes, and decided that time was right for lunch, so diverted towards the Bakers Arms. passing some lovely Cotswold buildings.
What more could you want from a country pub than to have local Gloucestershire pork pie and a pint from a local brewery? Another pint from a different local brewery of course. Well, if I must.
The chips were excellent, but really not needed. More salad and a bit of bread would have been better, with pickle or mustard rather than the salsa-like chutney.
The route back to the path was not in our book, so we followed my nose and emerged very close to a sign for the path. Unfortunately, we didn't see it and headed away from it for a while before realising our mistake.
The next stage was through a series of gravel pits. It was surprising that the river retained its identity through this area, typically running alongside a narrow path between two big lakes. This took us to the outskirts of Ashton Keynes, where there were signs of a shop. We hadn't brought any 'hiking chocolate' (traditionally Cadbury's Whole Nut), so diverted to pick some up. As it happened, the shop sold local ice cream, which we didn't resist.
More gravel pits followed, and it got sunnier and warmer. We had plenty of time, had had a good lunch and were getting a little tired, so a rest was in order. We found a spot on the edge of Manorbrook Lake, and had a short nap.
The route diverged from the river a little then rejoined it near North Meadow National Nature Reserve. Just before we got there, from one place we heard and then saw a small (wren-sized) and noisy bird that we could not identify. We thought it was a Tree Creeper, but decided against that after reviewing the books on getting back. From the same spot, we also saw a Water Vole swimming along the river.
We were soon at Cricklade with weary feet (and blisters in my case). Oh dear - the past few decades have not been kind to this town. The main street has a lot of buildings with peeling paintwork, a closed pub and a set of shops that seem to be in a 1950s time warp. I'd booked the White Hart as it was the only place with availability. It was part of that time warp - a once-handsome building housing a jaded pub with even more jaded rooms.
The outlook for dinner wasn't promising. Only Rosie was hungry, and she chose the Jicsaw Thai restaurant. This was a great choice - tasty food (and a small enough portion for me), at a very good price and with charming service. It's not often that the people in the kitchen call out to wish you well as you leave.
As live music was advertised in the nearby Legends bar, we decided to have a drink there rather than spend too much time in our room. This was full of locals of all ages, most watching the Champions League final. I ordered a pint of Doombar and Rosie a glass of Pino Grigio. I think this was 2011 PG - 2011 being the year the bottle was opened. My beer wasn't any better. What a difference from lunchtime!
Having left planning until we'd seen that the weather would be dry, the logistics were difficult to pull together. This meant having to park at Bampton Recreational Ground (over 1.5 miles North of the river) and get a taxi as close as we could to the source near Kemble. We were dropped at the Thames Head Inn at around 10:15 and had to negotiate a field of cows to get to the source, which was dry but marked with a stone, a signpost and some pebbles on the ground.
The chips were excellent, but really not needed. More salad and a bit of bread would have been better, with pickle or mustard rather than the salsa-like chutney.
The route back to the path was not in our book, so we followed my nose and emerged very close to a sign for the path. Unfortunately, we didn't see it and headed away from it for a while before realising our mistake.
The next stage was through a series of gravel pits. It was surprising that the river retained its identity through this area, typically running alongside a narrow path between two big lakes. This took us to the outskirts of Ashton Keynes, where there were signs of a shop. We hadn't brought any 'hiking chocolate' (traditionally Cadbury's Whole Nut), so diverted to pick some up. As it happened, the shop sold local ice cream, which we didn't resist.
More gravel pits followed, and it got sunnier and warmer. We had plenty of time, had had a good lunch and were getting a little tired, so a rest was in order. We found a spot on the edge of Manorbrook Lake, and had a short nap.
The route diverged from the river a little then rejoined it near North Meadow National Nature Reserve. Just before we got there, from one place we heard and then saw a small (wren-sized) and noisy bird that we could not identify. We thought it was a Tree Creeper, but decided against that after reviewing the books on getting back. From the same spot, we also saw a Water Vole swimming along the river.
We were soon at Cricklade with weary feet (and blisters in my case). Oh dear - the past few decades have not been kind to this town. The main street has a lot of buildings with peeling paintwork, a closed pub and a set of shops that seem to be in a 1950s time warp. I'd booked the White Hart as it was the only place with availability. It was part of that time warp - a once-handsome building housing a jaded pub with even more jaded rooms.
The outlook for dinner wasn't promising. Only Rosie was hungry, and she chose the Jicsaw Thai restaurant. This was a great choice - tasty food (and a small enough portion for me), at a very good price and with charming service. It's not often that the people in the kitchen call out to wish you well as you leave.
As live music was advertised in the nearby Legends bar, we decided to have a drink there rather than spend too much time in our room. This was full of locals of all ages, most watching the Champions League final. I ordered a pint of Doombar and Rosie a glass of Pino Grigio. I think this was 2011 PG - 2011 being the year the bottle was opened. My beer wasn't any better. What a difference from lunchtime!
View Source of The Thames to Cricklade full in a larger map
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