Old Moaner Travel
I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list
River Thames: Lechlade to Oxford
Section Length: 29.5 miles (47.5 km)
Time Taken: 10 hrs 57 mins
Dates Walked: 29th and 30th August 2017
Logistics: This section of the walk was completed in two parts, including an overnight stopover at Newbridge.
This is a section which has to be walked on two consecutive days, unless you have a chauffeur, as Newbridge isn’t a brilliant location for public transport.
Logistically this was an interesting section.
I drove to Oxford and left my car at Oxford Parkway, Park and Ride. It was then three trains to get to Swindon, via Oxford and Didcot, then two buses from Swindon to Lechlade, via Highworth, a journey from the Parkway to Lechlade of 3½ hours.
I can think of better ways of spending a morning.
Lechlade is considered to be the highest point in the Thames to be considered navigable, although in theory it can be navigable as far as Cricklade, although that tends to be seasonal.
Certainly, at Lechlade, the Thames is very much a recognisable river as opposed to being more like a stream in the previous section.
Heading east from Lechlade Bridge the river becomes very serpentine, with numerous bends and often doubling back on itself.
This section of the river also becomes frustrating as with some of the loops you can see the river less than 100 yards from you but you have to walk maybe a quarter of a mile round the loop because you are forced to keep to the path by electric fences, thus precluding taking a sneaky short-cut.
Indeed, a large length of the Thames walk, especially west of Oxford sees the path bound by electric fences – mainly because livestock is abundant and one is left with the impression some farmers are only grudgingly allowing the path on their land.
It also has to be said the majority of the path in this section is not ideal for walking, either very muddy and churned up or uneven, risking ankles if you are not careful.
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Anyway coming out of Lechlade the vista is decidedly rural and it is only rarely you will see others, usually walkers coming in the opposite direction.
The twisting nature of the path means it takes a relatively long time to reach placed that look reasonably close on a map.
For example, as the crow flies, the village of Radcot is only four miles away but following the path it’s just over six miles and a two hour walk. Once at Radcot The Swan pub is a good place to refuel and the pub seems to be a popular haunt for artists.
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Continuing east from Radcot the river becomes even more twisty and, frankly, this section does become a little boring with little in the way of variable scenery. The only break from the monotony is the occasional field of grazing cattle to negotiate.
The quaintly named Tadpole Bridge is the next landmark, it’s home to a hostelry but it was closed when I arrived there just before four in the afternoon.
It’s easy to lose your sense of direction as the river continues twisting and turning and the poor underfoot conditions do little to revive the spirits.
By the time I reached Shifford lock I was beginning to lose the will to live but still had another three miles before reaching Newbridge.
Eventually Newbridge comes into sight and the Rose Revived, my overnight stop.
The Rose Revived is popular with Thames walkers and they know it ….. it’s only a chain pub but their room rates reflect the fact they have a captive audience. The nearest alternative is Witney, a 15 minute cab ride away. There is a bus service but it is a) infrequent and b) the last bus runs about 18:30 in the evening.
On the plus side the Rose Revived serves a wholesome breakfast, great for the intrepid walker.
The depressing part, however, was the weather which was showery but warm, which would result in constantly changing clothes throughout the day in an attempt to get comfortable. The wet weather also meant damp socks which, in turn, led to the only blister of the walk.
The river is less serpentine coming out of Newbridge although the vista is till decidedly farmland.
At Bablock Hythe there is a change of scenery as the path moves away from the river and you have a couple of miles on country lanes (incidentally along this stretch you will be heading north).
Just north of Farmoor Reservoir, which you cannot see but is there, trust me, the path deviates onto the busy Oxford Road for a short period – thankfully there is a pavement.
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You re-join the river at a boatyard before twisting and turning towards Swinford Bridge. Just after the bridge is Swinford Lock, which has plenty of seating and picnic tables, an ideal spot for a break. The monotony of the scenery was broken shortly after by an old, abandoned, boat now a floating plant container.
Continuing north east you know you are approaching a more built up area as the hum of traffic from the nearby A40 does its best to drown out the birdsong and the 21st century impinges on what had been a quiet idyllic walk.
Eventually you will reach the northernmost section of the river as it assumes the alternate name of The Isis and it wends its way towards Oxford.
Godstow Lock is another place to have a brief rest before the final walk into Oxford.
Passing opposite Port Meadow you forget you are approaching a city, as cattle and horses graze by and drink in the river.
At Fiddlers Island you cross the river and final walk to Osney Bridge just round the corner from Oxford Station.
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