Thames Walk 2016

Reflections on my Thames Trail Walk

Reflections on my Thames Trail Walk

  Reflections on my walk .. three months later Walking backwards? The day before I set off on the Thames Trail, I wondered if it had been such a smart decision to walk it backwards. After all, I hadn’t come across a single other person who had walked upstream...

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Day Thirteen. Lechlade to Cricklade. 11 miles.

Day Thirteen. Lechlade to Cricklade. 11 miles.

During the night it poured and poured with rain. It didn't bother to pause as dawn broke. The day had clearly arrived for my sister to join me .. it always pours when we walk together, usually forcing us to take tea or resort to retail therapy. It did last year in the...

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Day Twelve. Newbridge to Lechlade. 17 miles.

Day Twelve. Newbridge to Lechlade. 17 miles.

OMG! The skies are grey and there is rain forecast .. I don't remember ordering a wet day, especially for 17 miles by myself! Ah well, the night has been comfortable at The Rose Revived and I feel suitably refreshed and ready to forge on ahead. At breakfast I sit next...

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Day Eleven. Oxford to Newbridge. 12 miles.

Day Eleven. Oxford to Newbridge. 12 miles.

    My rest day in Oxford on Sunday was delicious. There was breakfast with Patrick, Nick and Joanna in the sunny courtyard at Old Bank Hotel, followed by a saunter around the Covered Market, a long nap .. and then a light but exquisite dinner with Anne,...

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Day Ten. Clifton Hampden to Oxford. 16 miles.

Day Ten. Clifton Hampden to Oxford. 16 miles.

The day started with delicious porridge, courtesy of the Flanagans. Great to see them, especially with the added bonus of catching up with Anne and the gorgeous Teddy. After juggling cars we arrived back at the Barley Mow in Clifton Hampden, where we'd had dinner the...

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Day Eight. Reading to Streatley. 11 miles.

Day Eight. Reading to Streatley. 11 miles.

Setting out on Day Eight, I could not have been cleaner, better watered and fed nor more pampered and cared for. Cara and Hobey had gone well beyond the call of duty by taking in this weary walker and thoroughly revitalizing her. Thank you both. Cara dropped me at the...

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Day Seven. Hurley to Reading. 14.5 miles.

Day Seven. Hurley to Reading. 14.5 miles.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, the sun was once more shining strongly out of a blue, blue sky when I left Hurley on Thames. The olde Bell had been a lovely stop, with fantastic food and stylish accommodation. The village church is close to the river and like many...

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Day Six. Windsor to Hurley. 16 miles.

Day Six. Windsor to Hurley. 16 miles.

Long day today and I have to admit to my feet protesting a little at being put into walking boots again after their day off! On my day of rest I visited the castle in Windsor with the lovely Hobarts and returned to St George's Chapel there in the evening for evensong,...

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Day Four .. Second Attempt!

Day Four .. Second Attempt!

With a little help from my friends, the blog is now behaving perfectly. I spent day four of the trail with Alex, setting out in sunshine and ending with sunshine. Perfect. Almost as soon as we started out we found the path flooded with runners, coming in droves from...

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Sneaky preview from the air ..

Sneaky preview from the air ..

Flying in on a very delayed Qantas flight yesterday morning, I was treated to aerial views of the Thames wending its way through London. I was as excited as the two miniature Dachshunds, who we could almost hear barking in the hold below! Their anxious owner was...

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Walking the Thames Trail .. backwards

Walking the Thames Trail .. backwards

I'm now on the count down for starting the Thames Trail! I've bought my boots and broken them in, the itinerary has been created with gorgeous people joining me for days here and there and I've read 'Three Men in a Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog'. I've done some...

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