Day 15: Goring to Cholsey

An overcast day, but as it was not raining we decided to add on a few more miles - a short hop of just 4 miles today. We started from the Goring to Streatley bridge at midday.


The path skirted around the side of the village - and at first sight it looked ominous... flooded fields. Would the Thames Path be passable?

All was fine and before long we were walking along the quiet meadows, with red kites wheeling overhead, and nobody else around.

We passed windswept coppices, marshes and stands of reedmace in the margins.

After a couple of miles, we spotted what looked like a marble commemoration stone ahead, and went to investigate. But it was just a plastic box covering some water pumping equipment!

As we entered Mouslford, there were several houses and villas facing the river, including this bizarre multicoloured one....

Then the Thames Path takes a detour away from the river, through the village of Moulsford. Until recently this was a long detour, moaned about in all the guide books. But now the detour is shorter, and hooks back towards the river as soon as it has passed the school.

And another half a mile and the familiar arches of Cholsey railway bridge came into view....

...before a short stroll through Cholsey Meadows Nature Reserve and the end of today's section.

Looking at the map later, we found out that today was a landmark. Although we know that have probably walked well over 120 miles since the Thames Barrier, including detours, our 'official' mileage covered on the Thames Path passed the 100 mile mark today. So it is, we think, about 103 miles covered, and 80 more to go.

Day 14: Pangbourne to Goring

Back to Pangourne on the train to do a few more miles while the sun is shining. First, the Thames Path crosses to the other bank, over the old Goring to Whitchurch Toll Bridge (free for walkers), going from Berkshire into Oxfordshire.

Then the path leaves the river bank entirely - this is one of the longest diversions away from the river itself. First, it wends through - or rather up - the village of Whitchurch, and then along a country lane. Here we passed the edge of several farms, and had the privilege of seeing a fox - in broad daylight - saunter through a field, then into the meadow right next to us, and trot along in full view for another 200 metres, passing 15 metres from us. Can you see it out in this photo?

The path then gradually merges into the woodland at the edge of the Chilterns.

The woodland walk follows parallel to the Thames, flowing swiftly just below - and fortunately the path had the sun (it was still icy on the far bank). Pity there were so many mountain bikers though!

After the long detour, we finally made it back to the riverbank.

And enter the famous 'Goring Gap' ....

... before eventually reaching the weirs and lock between Streatley and Goring. End of our walk for today, and another 4.5 or 5 miles covered. Our shortest walk so far, but a few steps further towards home!

Day 13: Reading to Pangbourne

2nd January 2011 - a bright blue sky, but quite cold! Time to head back to the river. So far we have reached Reading on our walk from London, so today's plan is Reading to Pangbourne - another 6.5 miles. No trains running due to engineering works, so its the infamous 'replacement bus service' - but it worked well and we got to Reading with no problems. Setting off from Reading Bridge, we passed through areas of Reading we had never seen before - surprising in a town we know quite well. On the island in the photo below, just before Caversham, there was even a sign for a bowls club on a small island in the river!





The next section of the walk follows the river between Tilehurst (to the south) and Caversham (to the north). We expected (and had read) that this was a dreary section - but it was far from it. In fact, with the sun shining, the river glassy smooth and parkland on both banks - plus grebes and even a kingfisher - it was one of the best parts of the walk so far.





After about 3 miles the Thames Path takes a detour, leaving the river.....




......crossing the railway track, and heading through the village of Purley.

After Purley the path headed back to the river at Mapledurham Lock.

Time for lunch, shared with hundreds of ducks, swans, geese and dive-bombing gulls that would catch pieces of bread and prawn crisps in mid-air.

And then 3 more miles of a big bend in the river, passing Hardwick Hall on the far bank - inspiration for Toad Hall in Wind in the Willows.

And finally, as the cold was setting in (and feeling was being lost to fingers), we reached Pangbourne.