Thames Path Day 1 Source to Cricklade 07-01-12

Now I've decided to walk the Thames Path, to be shortened to "TP" from now, I've also decided to keep a blog log of the walk. Just a bit late uploading legs one and two as these are now complete.

So back to leg one, the second walk of 2012, this started at a bus stop in Cricklade, the target destination of the days 24km walk. Here, a bus to Swindon and a quick hop to the rail station and train to Kemble delivered me 2 miles short of the source of the Thames. Having left the station on the wrong side, not a good start, I corrected the error, crossed the tracks, via bridge and set off, only to be confused 100m later by the car park access road.

First sight of water

The Source

First sight of the Thames was quite a well established flow, just a km away from the source. The walk back to the source crossing the Fosse Way, saw the water dry up, with the source identified by the finger post and commemorative stone with illegible script, with no water in sight.



The days walk saw the river gain size rapidly with it routing thro the various lakes of the Cotswold Water Park. Alarmingly, walking of the path was identified as risky due to quick sand (fenced and wet)



Lake Thames



Get the message



Two miles from the destination at Cricklade, following a sharp bend, I appreciated what a flood plain looked like, as the field ahead was immersed in water, spilt over from the banks. Rounding Lake Thames, was not an option. As the end was in sight with a pair of shoes stowed in the car boot, I opted for ploughing straight thro the water, knee deep with boots on. This scene was repeated in the next field, only this time I had the option to walk around. In doing so, I completely missed the path exiting the field and soon found myself off course. The necessary correction was needed, however this delivered me into Cricklade the incorrect way. This would have to be corrected on Day 2.

Thames Path Start

After a small delay over December I am now looking to start my assault on the Thames Path, starting this Saturday. The path has now been divided into 13 individual walks, may come down to 12 if I choose to combine the last 3 into 2, but the biggest choice now is whether to cover the E2 portion from Oxford down to Weybridge first or start at the beginning.

After much uming and arhing, I have decided to do the later, starting at the source this Saturday. When I completed the Severn Way, I tended to jump around completing different areas at different time and also sometime walking with the flow and sometime against, depending on which was the best for transport. I've decided this one is in order, with the flow. Just hope with all the rain and winds the path is going to be walkable, otherwise it might turn into an aquathon (run/swim minus the run bit)

Aim is to complete it this year with a visit/stay? at my uncles in London at the end, covering the last 2 legs on a weekend trip down London. Other than that, its commuting down south and back, that's where having a 60 mpg car will help.

So Saturday its a drive to Cricklade, a bus to Swindon, a train to Kemble and a 2 mile walk to the source, the start for real, with a 20km walk back to Cricklade.(6.7% of the Path)

Arden Way

A 29 mile walk through the local Warwickshire Countryside

Thirlmere Way

A 130 mile, not very well known or waymarked walk.
Following the route that Manchester's water supply flows from Thirlmere Lake, in the Lake District to Manchester (Heaton Park)

Photo's flow against the tide

2011, A Good Year

Walks since last entry, have now arrived on the edge of Cannock Chase following two walks on the Staffordshire Way from Uttoxeter, split at Abbots Bromley. Additionally, in order to complete some walking without too much travelling over the Christmas Holiday we have started the Arden Way, probably the closest LDW to home, which shares some off it distance with the Heart of England Way. We are 2/3's the way through with the final leg planned for Monday 2nd, the first walk of 2012.

To begin to regain the mountain legs I have completed walks along the Clywdian Hills (memories of Offa's Dyke), the Roaches, with a visit to Lud's Church (Photos) and a walk over Win Hill (Ladybowers Res.) following cancelling a walk up ton the Yorkshire 3 peaks due to wind. Both the Clywdian's walk and the Win Hill walk where completed with a good dosing of the wet stuff.

I now find myself at Abington on the treadmill JOGLE simulated walk.

Adding up the mileage for this year both in the real world (majority) and the treadmill (minority) I have totalled a sum of 932miles, not back considering the ankle injury mid year.

Looking forward to next year, I have added additional days to the Pennine Way plan, now to include the St Oswald Way from Hadrain's Way to the North Sea Coast. As I am in the neighbourhood, and need to complete this walk as part of walking from the Lizard to Berwick, I have decided to extend the walk 3 days, now to 21 days. Don't know whether I'll think its a good idea as I approach Kirk Yetholm (God Willing).

I am adding two UK maps with the LDW completed to day (not including any previous mountain adventures) and the planned walks for the next two years. (Click on maps to expand) These focusing on E2 (including the Thames Way), Lizard to Berwick (SW 2 NE) and finally finishing of the B'ham to Aber (a must for next year)

Focus back on E2

Have now with a further 2 walks got the B'ham to Aber Walk upto 90% complete, not without a few encounters with cows. The final walk to complete, the walk into Aber. itself, I have postponed until next year. The reasons being it being a lenghty walk and the light available getting less by the day and also my means of getting to the start of the walk, the Vale of Rheidol Railway, has stopped for the winter. So the plan is I make a weekend of it next year including an assault on Plynlimon, a summit which has been missed on a few occasions.

Focus has now switched back to the E2 European Walk.

Along with my wife I am now 40% the way down the Staffordshire Way, having yesterday walked into Uttoxeter with muddy boots, Must admit quite enjoying it so far, with Cannock Chase not too far of.

Additional I have started across the Oxfordshire Way, having left Bourton on the Water.Tomorrow I plan to meet up with the Oxford Canal before turning South to Oxford itself. (Another day off from work walking)From there I'll be joining the Thames Way, I have planned seven walks to end up south of Weybridge and the meeting with the North Downs Way. These seven are the next walks planned on my own, before then concentrating attention to getting from the Staffs Way to the Pennine Way. May chose to continue and complete the Thames Way - be ashame not to.

So all being well by next year I'll have covered Melrose to South London. With the North Downs and Southern Upland Way left. That's as long as there are no twisted ankles.... en route.

Latest on the virtual JOGLE I'm doing on the treadmill, I have just walked into Glasgow, having covered the distance from John O Groats, via the A9, Great Glen and West Highlands Way on the treadmill in the last year and a quarter. Next target the border.

Harder than Snowdon!

First off, things back to normal with the weather, another rain free walk.
A planned walk up Snowdon, ended up being another leg of the B'ham to Aber Walk completed. After finding out no-one else wanted to climb mountains I changed the plan to walk from Knighton and take the walk tally upto 80% complete. Funny fact was I walk over 1000m's of ascent on the rolling hills in mid Wales, greater than I would have if I'd climbed to the tallest mountain in Wales, added to which the distance was greater with the walk totalling 28km.

All the way down, just to go back up

I've noticed reading other blogs the fashionable walk this year is cross the country, I have been reading with interest numerous accounts of east the west and west to east walks. Upon entering yesterday's walk onto the mapping software I suddenly realised, that I to was in pursuit of this walk. On finishing the B'ham to Aber, starting at the coast of Wales and ending in Gas Street Basin (Birmingham), and adding to it a walk that I am I am also partially complete in,  walking the lenght of the Grand Union Canal ending in London. Put together that counts as a wonky east to west (or East to South West!!)