Thames Walk to the Source: April 2008

This was the twenty sixth Thames walk and the last of 12 walks in the Oxfordshire section of the river. Lechlade, where the walk finished (shown in the photograph on the right) is in Gloucestershire. This was also the first walk not to be completely reliant on public transport. Maggot drove myself and Ray up to Tadpole to begin the walk and we caught a taxi back to the car at the end of the walk. This was fantastic because it meant we didn't need to find a way around Marriage Hill where we had such difficulties two weeks ago. Also by starting on the river, rather than at a bus stop in villages to the south of the river along the main road the distance to be walked was shortened a little, although we did have to walk the section from Tadpole Bridge to Rushey Lock for a second time. Time pressure was also taken off the end of the walk and we could walk until the sun set, rather than have to rush to catch the last bus from Lechlade.

It was another day of unsettled weather and there was a heavy shower of rain and hail as we passed through Abingdon by car. But by the time we started the walk the sun was out. Although heavy rain clouds continued to pass overhead from time to time these dull period were interspersed with dazzling sunshine that lit up the scenery more brilliantly than if there had been no clouds at all.

Pollarded willow casts an all-round shadow in the midday sun.

Cow drinking in the river

"Come on and have a go if you think you're hard enough" - for the second walk running aggressive looking bullocks threatened to drive us into the river.

Fluffy white clouds over the river.

The Swan at Radcot Bridge where we had lunch and drinks.

Radcot Bridge, which was built in 1200, and is the oldest surviving bridge across the Thames. It is the site of the Battle of Radcot Bridge in 1387 between Henry IV and forces loyal to Richard II. This battle was one of the precursors to the Wars of the Roses in 15th century. At the top of the bridge is a niche where a cross used to be fixed. Baptisms of children were performed on the bridge as late as the early 20th century.

The river above Grafton Lock

Kelmscott Manor which was rented by the English Pre-Raphaelites, William Morris and Gabriel Rosetti, as a summer retreat. It was here that Rosetti had a long-lasting affair with William Morris' wife Jane. The Kelmscott Press was founded by William Morris in Hammersmith in 1891.

Spring flowers on the Thames path.

Birches and reeds.

There was a succession of old wartime pill boxes along the path. It is difficult to imagine what military scenario they could have been placed there for.

Yet more wonderful clouds..

Immediately upstream from Buscott Weir was a remarkable series of meanders.

The Trout at St. John's Bridge was the third pub we had passed since Oxford by that name. We had also passed the site of another pub which used to be called the Trout at Old Man's Bridge.

Close up of the statue of Old Father Thames at St John's Lock. Old Father Thames is the god of the river. His origins are unknown and even Peter Ackroyd can only speculate that he "bears a striking resemblance to the tutelary gods of the Nile and Tiber". With the Isis being the Thames goddess, the river can be said to have both male and female aspects. The statue itself was sculpted by Rafaelle Monti for the Great Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace out of a block of concrete made with Portland cement. It survived the fire that destroyed the Crystal Palace in 1936 and was acquired by the Thames Conservancy in 1958 for erection at the Head of the Thames at Trewsbury Mead where it stood until 1974 when it was moved to its current location.

Water reflections at St John's Lock.

It was sunset by the time we approached Lecklade, its spire visible from many miles away.

Walker's shadows.

The Halfpenny Bridge at Lechlade with tollhouse attached. The toll was actually abolished in 1839 after villagers refused to continue to pay it.

This was the hardest and longest walk so far, nearly twelve and half miles into a strong headwind. The picture above is of the Chimney Marshes which is a nature reserve rich in rare wild flowers and wading birds. We were unlucky on this walk in that we arrived at The Trout at Tadpole at three minutes after two O clock when they stopped serving food. So nought out of ten for the Trout for stopping serving food so early and for refusing to be at all flexible even though they were still serving puddings to people after we arrived. The last few miles of the walk were all the harder for this, especially the ascent of the north face of Marriage Hill. We were being heavily rained upon and having to dig our fingers into bare earth and drag ourselves up the escarpment clinging onto branches. After all that we found ourselves having to walk along a B-road - after another footpath had been fenced off - and deal with incredibly aggressive drivers who tried to force us off the road into the roadside ditch. To cap this we were unable get food at Oxford train station and the so-called fast train crawled along the slow track with a window close to the only available seats jammed open.

After leaving Newbridge we passed to the north of Harrowdown Hill which was the place where the body of Dr David Kelly was found in 2003. His evidence had raised questions about Saddam Hussein's possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction - the official justification for the UK government's decision to invade Iraq. There is some speculation that he was murdered and forensic experts have thrown doubt on the official verdict of suicide. Radiohead's Thom Yorke wrote what he described as the angriest song he had written in his life about Harrowdown Hill. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AS37ZSYOwTA.

Radiohead seem to have an association with hills next the river Thames. They also filmed the video to one of their songs on Wittenham Clumps which we climbed on the Wallingford to Dorchester walk.