Today we rightfully commemorate the arrival of the Empire Windrush on this day in 1948. But did you know that the ship was named after a tributary of the Thames? Rising in the Cotswolds, the River Windrush flows for about 40 miles through towns and villages including Witney, before joining the Thames at Newbridge, between Lechlade and Oxford. The increased volume of water coming into the Thames at Newbridge does seem to be a source of local flooding in winter.
Dating from the 13th century, Newbridge is believed to be the 2nd oldest bridge across the Thames – other older bridges having since been replaced. The Rose Revived offers accommodation and refreshments. It is said that Oliver Cromwell drank here whilst on his campaigns. He ordered an extra tankard of ale and placed in it a drooping rose that he had been wearing. The rose revived! Another pub, the Maybush, is currently going through alterations.
Beale Park re-opens from today. The park is visible across the Thames as you climb up a steep hill between Goring and Whitchurch, the highest point on the Thames Path. The park is a popular children’s destination with a small menagerie and some aviaries as well as a collection of model boats.
As lock down starts to lift we will inevitably see cries for help in managing social distancing. One such appeal is from the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University’s museum of art and archaeology. They are looking for volunteers to inform visitors about new safety measures. The museum includes relics from Ancient Egypt through to more recent works by Goya and Turner.
The Runnymede Hotel have announced they will re-open on July 20. This bold statement is, however, qualified on their website with the words “government permitting”. We must wait and see.
Reading Museum have published a blog entitled “The Absolute Beginners Guide to the Birds of Reading’s Rivers”. It’s an easy to use guide for anyone walking the Thames Path through Reading. The Museum is in the town centre, a short walk from the Thames, and is free.
The National Gallery is providing the opportunity to download some of their paintings onto your video call screen. The Gallery is just a short walk from the left bank of the river and is free. So why not stop there once it’s open and rest in front of a beautiful painting.
On our Twitter feed we retweeted a photo of seals spotted near Rotherhithe (between Tower Bridge and Greenwich). It’s not unusual to see seals but the photos were quite exceptional. We retweet or “like” a number of nature photos up and down the Thames so if you want to see more why not follow us on Twitter. Other sightings on our feed include red-crested Pochards in the Cotswold Water Park and teasels (plants) near Shiplake.
Not a nice story but one that dog owners should be aware of: there was a horrific attack by a dog on a swan in Putney, south London. Although this incident did not happen on the Thames, it nonetheless serves as a reminder to keep a close eye on your dog where swans are present.
Thames Path National Trail are looking for volunteers to look after a section of the Path between the source and Oxford. Volunteers are allocated a 2-3 mile section of the Trail, walk it once every 3 months and report back any problems such as overhanging branches, bank erosion, encroaching vegetation, etc.
The largest container ship in the world docked at the London Gateway, a few miles downstream from the Thames Barrier. The Algeciras is an incredible 400m long.
We hope to release some enhancements to our website this week. This will include our long-awaited route plans that show distances, accommodation, transport links and points of interest
Mind how you go!
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