Wednesday 5 May 2010

After a break of more than one-and-a-half years we finally walked the 11 mile 28th stage of the Thames walk from Cricklade in Wiltshire to the highest town on the river Kemble in Gloucestershire.
We began at Cricklade which is the place where the the Roman Road Ermin Street crosses the river. It became a fortified town and site of a royal mint under Alfred the Great defending against the Danes until Canute captured the town and tore down the town walls. The town's North Meadow is home to 80% of Britain's wild Snake's Head Fritillaries.
Chris, Ray and Raja came on the Twenty eighth and penultimate Thames walk.
Crickade High Street
On the bridge at Cricklade
Walking through a field of show jumps
What can I say: mooooo!
Gravel extraction has resulted in flooding in this area and the river flows around and through nearly 150 lakes near Ashton Keynes. The body of Chalky White was dumped in one of these lakes.
The marshlands of the Cotswold Water Park
The path into Ashton Keynes where we had lunch
The Thames as a meandering little stream
Ray pretends to cross the river on a tree trunk
Raja
Spring lambs
Spring lambs by the infant Thames
Kemble station
Chris on the platform at Kemble
The trees seen from the platform at Kemble remind me of looking at photographic film