Mark your calendar: Monday April 18, 2022. That’s the day that we plan to re-start. It also happens to be Easter Monday. We will have a hard close on 31 October to coincide with the end of British Summer Time.
In the meantime we will be available throughout winter and early spring to take bookings. We hope to restart our webinars in late January/early February. And we will continue to issue newsletters.
Our 2022 calendar is now available. This A-4 sized wall calendar includes 12 seasonal photos as well as key dates: public holidays, events on the Thames, when the clocks change, the solstices and equinoxes, and all the full moons.
The section between Hailstone and Cricklade (just before North Meadow) was impassable last week and is likely still to be. We recommend taking cycle route 45 (the old railway line) into Cricklade.
This is not confirmed but we would guess that the closure at Shifford Lock is no longer in place. The Path had to be closed due to fallen trees.
The Path is currently closed between Leg O’Mutton Nature Reserve and Hammersmith Bridge at Barnes due to felling of dangerous trees. You will need to follow Lonsdale Road which will take you to The Bridge Hotel and then Castelnau to Hammersmith Bridge. Alternatively choose the left bank option. The Path should re-open on November 19.
The National Trails volunteers have been busy this week: New signposts have gone up at Ewen, Aston and Mapledurham. Also busy is the Environment Agency who has been carrying out shoal removal at Eynsham to keep the river navigable.
Work is currently underway to build a walkway under Barnes Railway Bridge on the left bank (Chiswick side). Presently the Thames Path diverts inland resulting in a 1/2 mile detour to get across the railway line. This walkway would eliminate the diversion taking the walker between the river and the bridge. See photos below.
If you are aware of any issues with the Path do join our Facebook Group and let us know.
The gallery at Orleans House is hosting an exhibition called Breaking Ground. The exhibition shares local reflections on sustainable living, investigating the most pressing issues we face. Each artwork on display is original, for sale, and made in the borough of Richmond. The exhibition ends on November 21 and is free. Orleans House can be found on the left bank near Twickenham.
Now that the season is over, we’ve updated our website for 2022’s events calendar. From the University Boat Race to Henley Literary Festival, this may help you plan your next Thames Path walk.
Reminders:
A new exhibition at the Stanley Spencer Gallery opened on November 4 entitled “Mind and Mortality, Stanley Spencer’s Final Portraits”. It focuses on some of his work as the artist approached the end of his life in 1959.
An exhibition of Hogarth’s work has opened at Tate Britain. The gallery is passed if walking on the left bank of the Thames just past Chelsea.
Dorchester Abbey is hosting the OSJ Oxford Voices on November 20 for an evening of Faure, Saint-Saens and Schubert. Tickets can be purchased here.
The Museum of London Docklands, part of the Museum of London, has a new exhibition entitled London: Port City, exploring how the port shaped the city, its people, places and language. The exhibition is free and runs until May 2022. The museum can be found close to Canary Wharf on the left bank of the Thames.
Goring Gap Wildlife are hosting a series of owl photography workshops throughout November and December. The workshops are held in a private garden near Didcot, Oxfordshire and feature Barn, Tawny, Long-Earred and Little Owls.
Accommodation News
We’ve made further updates to our route planner:
Due to significant price increases in Abingdon, Cosenors House has moved from Bronze to Silver, and the Crown and Thistle has moved from Silver to Gold.
We’ve added the Coachmakers at Wallingford as a bronze hotel. This has been very popular with walkers and our most recent guests were very happy staying here.
Also, the George at Dorchester has changed hands. It appears to have been purchased by the Coaching Inn Group which specialises in “beautiful and historic Inns across some of the UK’s best market towns and villages”. It was previously owned by Historic Innz who also own Great Expectations in Reading.
That’s all folks.
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