It's been two years since I finished the last Thames Path walk towards the source at Kemble. Last year there was too much going on for myself and my friend, who I walk with. We just couldn't sort out a date. So this has been a long time coming. We booked it earlier in the year after my son offered to drive us, drop us off at our starting points and pick us up when we finished. Due to my friend's knee problems, we had to split the walks into smaller sections, but in the end it was just as well, due to to heat. Although it wasn't as hot as London, 26c felt a lot hotter with so little shade.
We based ourselves at Travelodge, Faringdon. This was a short walk into the town, but set on a retail park which had an Aldi, Waitrose, Costa and a Home Bargains store. It was great for sourcing our packed lunches and any little thing we forgot to bring. The market town is quite small, but quaint. The church wasn't open, unfortunately.
Town Hall, Faringdon
We drove to Faringdon on Wednesday of last week, picking up my friend along the way and arrived sometime after 3pm. The next morning we set off for our first walk, beginning at Newbridge where I last ended my walk two years ago. I should mention that we brought Rue with us, though he didn't walk with us (too hot anyway). My son would take him for a short walk (sometimes the first part of our route) and then turn back and maybe stop by the pub for a coffee before going back to the hotel. He also found a park behind the hotel with a lake and some nice shaded walks. He took me there one night and I took some sunset pictures.
Folly Park
The first walk was six miles from Newbridge to Tadpole Bridge, which was very quiet. We hardly saw anyone, walkers or boats, and the countryside was virtually devoid of buildings. The only sounds you could hear were the bees and birds. This is the remotest section of the walk, so it was good to have company. The only landmarks were pill boxes, bridges, a meadow and two locks.
Newbridge
Bad hair day!
One of many pill boxes
Tenfoot Bridge
Coming to Tadpole Bridge
Tadpole Bridge
Shifford Lock could only be seen if you were going down the Thames by boat. We caught a glimpse of the lock keeper's cottage through the trees, but that was all. Tenfoot Bridge is alongside Chimney Meadow, but apart from a few pylons there is nothing else until you come to Tadpole Bridge where The Trout Inn is. There wasn't really anywhere to sit to have lunch. We made do with a tree stump in a bramble infested area! One had to be careful. Once at the pub, we ordered cold drinks, and I texted my son, and he came to pick us up. After not walking so many miles in a while, due to the heat, I really felt it.
Although the walk was remote, it was nevertheless pretty. Wildflowers do well in the heat. They survive when nothing else will. So, there was colour and lots of butterflies, dragonflies and bees. A couple of times I even saw what I thought was a hummingbird moth. It was a moth anyway, and big!
The Trout Inn
The following day we began back at Tadpole Bridge. Our destination was Kelmscott. On this walk we saw a few more people (but still not many) and there was a stopping off point at Radcot to aim for. Six and three-quarter miles was the length of this walk. There were more pill boxes and then we came to Rushey Lock where there was also a camp site. Then there was a lot of meandering until we eventually came to Old Man's Bridge, Radcot Lock and Radcot. It was along here somewhere that we encountered the cows. They were in the field with us, and as soon as they saw us they all turned and headed our way. I'm usually okay with cows, but they had a determined look about them. My friend became quite freaked out about them, but I told her to just keep walking and I made her go in front of me. The cows followed us all the way to the gate, though they were by then a bit behind us. Once we were safely through the gate, I was happy to 'chat' to them. They were just curious and wanted to be friendly, but there were a lot. I'm sure they see a lot of people walking through their field, so they must be used to humans. It's just when they all head your way, you feel a little vulnerable.
Below is a video I took somewhere near Radcot (Oxfordshire) to show how lonely this part of the Thames is. So quiet, no people, and only one small farm building.
At Radcot we found the oldest bridge still remaining on the Thames, and we sat there to enjoy our packed lunch in the shade. Afterwards, we crossed the river to enjoy a cuppa at The Swan Inn.
Rushey Lock
Radcot Lock
Here come the cows
Safelky behind the gate
Radcot Bridge, the oldest bridge remaining over the Thames
The Swan Inn
The bridges on these walks were all narrow with traffic lights either end, as only one set of cars could cross over at a time. The next place of significance was Grafton Lock, but either side there were just fields and pill boxes.
Grafton Lock
Finally, after almost doubling back on ourselves (the river bends so much in places) we came to Kelmscott. We headed for the tearooms at Kelmscott Manor. We had tickets to view the house the following day, but this was the first opportunity to see the outside. There are grounds you can explore for free, and the Radcot Cut, which runs alongside, flows into the River Thames. Kelmscott was the home of William Morris. He and Rossetti took out a lease and William moved his family here (Janey, his wife, and his two daughters). He loved this place, even naming his London home in Hammersmith after it. While William was away in Iceland, he left Rossetti there with his family. Rossetti gave up his part of the lease after about three years, and it was taken on by Frederick Ellis, Morris' publisher. After William Morris died, Janey eventually bought the house and lived there, as did her two daughters, May and Jenny. May Morris eventually inherited the house and when she died in 1938, she left it Oxford University, and it is now owned by The Society of Antiquaries of London.
First glimpse of Kelmscott Manor
The Plough Inn
The Plough Inn
Dining area at The Plough Inn. Note the William Morris wallpaper.
On Saturday we returned to Kelmscott, first to visit William Morris' grave in St George's churchyard. The grave, a family plot, is hidden behind a mature bay tree, and we had trouble finding it. Actually, this is probably as he would have liked it. His wife and two daughters are buried there, and Morris' good friend Philip Webb designed the grave tomb. I left a small pot of roses as my offering to the great man, my hero. We were pleased to find the church open, as the website had no details of opening times and only has a service about once a month. It was an interesting little church and had some faded wall paintings.
My pilgrimage to the grave of William Morris
It was then a slow walk down the Kelmscott Manor. The house is beautifully made in Cotswold stone. As you walk in there is the kitchen on the left, but on the right you come to the main house. The rooms, as you would expect, have William Morris wallpaper and hangings, furniture made by Morris & Co., including some chairs of Rossetti's and a settle designed by Philip Webb. The original hall was used by Morris as a dining room. There are living rooms and a room May Morris used to work in. Upstairs are the bedrooms, and the Tapestry Room room which was used by Rossetti as a studio. It had a tiny adjoining room which he used as a bedroom, known as the Bachelor Bedroom.Everywhere there are painting of Jane Morris and a couple of the girls, all by Rossetti.
Dining Room
Garden Hall
The White Room
The Green Room where May Morris often worked
On the next level are the attics, a huge space, light and airy. Here the girls played and May used to go roof surfing. Once she got stuck and the gardener had to bring the longest ladder to get her down. Servants probably would have slept up here. The house belonged to the Turners, a farming family going back generations.
Jane Morris' bedroom
Around the top of Wikliam Morris' bed, a poem written by him and worked by by him
The Tapestry Room
The attics
Outside was a front garden, and at the back a garden with flower beds and an orchard. There was also an old privy! Surrounding the house were the farm buildings, barns, as well as a brewhouse and laundry room. Most of the outhouses are now offices.
The kitchen
Brewhouse, also used as a laundry
House and orchard
The front of the house
One of the barns, now the entrance with shuttle bus on the left. This runs between the house and St George's Church.
The tearooms and shop (it has a very good shop in which I spent a small fortune!), are old barns, and a new building, in keeping with the rest, has been built to house an education centre.
The last stretch of the Thames for now
More cows!
Buscot Lock
St John's Lock
Lechlade in the distance
Riverside at Lechlade
After our tour around the house, we ate our lunch in the grounds and had tea from the teashop. We then faced a four mile walk to Lechlade. By this time it was quite hot with very little shade. It seemed a long four miles. We were so hot and bothered we walked through St John's Lock and missed the statue of Old Father Thames (my son drove us back the next morning so we could see it and take photos). From the lock it was only about a mile to Lechlade. Crossing the field we could see the church spire, and it reminded me a little of Abingdon. We crossed the bridge at Lechlade and headed for The Riverside (pub) where we had a cold drink before my son picked us up.
That was the end of our Thames Path walk for this time.We have around 24 miles still to go to reach the source. Before we left (after the detour to St John's Lock), we went to look at Uffington White Horse. Sadly, the view from the road isn;t great, and even walking up there you cannot get a good view, but at least we had one more short walk before coming home. I took so many photos, so I've just tried to whittle it down to a few.
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