Day 19: Abingdon to Iffley

Going upstream from Abingdon, there are a few options for where to finish - either Radley (just a few miles), Sandford (5 or 6 miles), Iffley (~7 or 8 miles) or Oxford (9 miles). We opted to head for Iffley village, now of course well within the Oxford ringroad and really part of the city of Oxford. Once again, we had company..... Hey - look how far we have walked so far!!! The stretch of river upstream of Abingdon, heading towards Lower Radley, was perhaps the most beautiful we have walked so far. The weather was also perfect. The river surface was glassy smoth, the trees and woodlands cast wonderful refelctions, and there was hardly anyone else around. We passed what seemed to be an entire Thames island that had toppled over, leaving its trees horizontal and a huge mass of roots hanging above the water. And then a long strech from Radley towards Sandford.... ... where we took advantage of the lockside pub for refreshments. And then onto a stretch of the river we know well - around Sandford 'lasher' and Kennington island, and past Rose Isle on the far bank. Then finally we passed underneath the Oxford ringroad, pausing to admire the graffiti.... ... and on to Iffley lock.

Day 18: Clifton Hampden to Abingdon

A bright, sunny early spring day. Frost on the grass in the morning, but blue skies and no breeze. After a busy morning, we decided to use the afternoon to carry on with the walk - Clifton Hampden to Abingdon (5.5 miles). This time - for the first time on our Thames walk so far - we had company....


The bridge of Clifdon Hampden in the sun..


... and a little further along, an old barge with its own semi-aquatic ecosystem fluorishing inside.

The river here follows a huge bend (shaped very like a duck on the map), so today we were walking from the 'feet' of the duck to its 'head'. And for much of its 'body' the horizon was characterised by Didcot Power Station.

After 3 miles we reached Culham Lock - but no tea room, pub or ice cream in sight.

And then another couple of miles until the town of Abingdon appeared beyond the meadows.

And finally to Abingdon - for the long-awaited ice-creams.

Day 17: Shillingford to Clifton Hampden

The cold weather has returned, but with blue skies (occasionally!) and snowdrops, daffodills and even the first brimstone butterfly, it feels as though spring is in the air. So, off to the river, to continue our marathon walk along the River Thames. Just 5 or 5.5 miles planned today, picking the path up at Shillingford. Here the Thames Path takes a boring detour along the A4074 road, but only for a few hundred metres, before heading down a path to the river. There was a lone angler where we met the river, and he had just landed a nice bream. We helped him to weigh it (5lb 12 oz - pretty good for these parts!) and return it safely to the river.

From here the path skirts along a large water meadow, with Dorchester Abbey in the distance.

Across the river, the trees had still not come into leaf.

The next landmark is where the diminutive River Thame flows into the mighty River Thames.

And then after another half a mile, we reached Day's Lock near little Wittenham. Here the Thames Path crosses over the river.....

... and on to a giant bend in the river. From the map, this looked featureless and the warbing signs adviving 'Beware of the bull' didn't do much to help! But in fact it was a series of many fields and meadows, each with a different character. Some with tightly grazed grass, others rich in clover....

... some with boggy reedbeds, some with clumps of sedge.

The largest - towards the end - was Clifton Meadows.....

And finally we arrived at Clifton Hampden, with its impressive mansion on the hill. (The speck in the sky is a red kite circling overhead).