As we slowly ease out of lock-down, many will be wondering just what it is like to be on the Thames Path right now. From our own personal experience, living close to the river, walking along the Path through the woods and fields is no different now to what it has always been. It’s only when you get to the towns and villages that you notice a difference. Whilst pubs, restaurants and hotels are now open, the process of being served is a little different. But not that much! We recently visited the Swan at Pangbourne without calling ahead and were able to walk straight in and had a choice of seating areas. Apart from the hand sanitisers and the occasional visor, it was as if nothing had changed. The view over the river was still the same.
If unsure, why not try a short summer break along the Thames Path? Our bespoke packages can be for as short as 3 nights.
We have now reached all our accommodation partners and the website is fully up-to-date. We have had to delist about a dozen hotels, which represents around 10% of our partners. Most of these were owner-managed b&b’s or small hotels that found the new guidance to be uneconomic. Hopefully they will return when the situation eases.
The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford will re-open from August 10. The museum, which specialises in art and archaeology, will open with a special exhibition entitled Young Rembrandt.
It’s now 30 years since 13 Red Kites were brought over from Spain and reintroduced into the Chilterns when the breed was all but extinct. There are now about 1,800 pairs breeding with a total population of around 10,000. The UK now accounts for around 10% of the global Red Kite population. It is impossible not to see these wonderful creatures when you walk the Thames Path between Oxford and Maidenhead, their size and forked-tails making them stand out. A report on this story can be seen on the BBC website.
The art exhibition, Turner and the Thames, is being extended until 31 October. Turner lived in Twickenham, close to the Thames, and his home, Sandycombe Lodge, is now a museum. The exhibition features five of his paintings of the Thames, loaned from the Tate.
It’s at this time of year that people open their private gardens to the public under the National Garden Scheme. There are many gardens available to visit close to the Thames Path: in Oxford, Dorchester, Marlow and Maidenhead to name but a few. Why not visit our Facebook page, Walk the Thames, to see a clip of one we recently visited – albeit not on the Thames Path.
We were able to check on the reported closure of Northmoor Lock. The entrance to the lock had been closed by the Environment Agency and there was no way to bypass the lock.
We have updated our Thames Path status page accordingly. As far as we know, there are no issues with the route which is clear in all places.
Mind how you go!
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