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THE THAMES

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  • Walk the Thames Path
  • About
    • The Thames Path
    • The River Thames
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      • Source to Oxford – Easy
      • Source to Oxford – Moderate
      • Oxford to Reading – Easy
      • Oxford to Reading – Moderate
      • Reading to Staines – Easy
      • Reading to Staines – Moderate
      • Staines to Woolwich – Easy
      • Staines to Woolwich – Moderate
      • Oxford to Windsor – Easy
      • Source to Woolwich – Easy
      • Source to Woolwich – Budget Option for Solo Walkers
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  • Other walks
    • Camino Ingles
    • Chiltern Ramble: Deep Woods & Rolling Hills
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  • Contact
  • Walk the Thames Path
  • About
    • The Thames Path
    • The River Thames
    • About Us
    • Work with Us
  • Services
    • What We Do
    • Packages
      • Source to Oxford – Easy
      • Source to Oxford – Moderate
      • Oxford to Reading – Easy
      • Oxford to Reading – Moderate
      • Reading to Staines – Easy
      • Reading to Staines – Moderate
      • Staines to Woolwich – Easy
      • Staines to Woolwich – Moderate
      • Oxford to Windsor – Easy
      • Source to Woolwich – Easy
      • Source to Woolwich – Budget Option for Solo Walkers
    • Baggage Service
    • Thames Path Passport
    • Online Events
  • Plan
    • Planning your Thames Path walk
      • When to Go
      • How Long to Take
      • How to Get There
    • Route Planner
    • Map (topological)
    • Distances
    • Suggested Itineraries
    • Suggested Detours
    • Events
    • Further Resources
  • Shop
  • News
    • Route Alerts
    • Weather
    • Newsletters
    • Other blogs
      • About The Thames Path
      • Suggested detours
      • About Walk The Thames
      • Architecture and History
      • Arts and Entertainment
      • Nature
      • Sport and Leisure
      • Transport
  • Other walks
    • Camino Ingles
    • Chiltern Ramble: Deep Woods & Rolling Hills
    • Kennet & Avon Canal Walk
    • The Ridgeway
  • Contact

Thames Path News Round-Up

January 22, 2024
Shillingford Bridge

Since our last newsletter we have had quite some weather. Around two weeks ago a few days of heavy rain fell on some already saturated soils resulting in the river flooding from Cricklade to as far as Hampton Court. 

The speed at which the river rose was quite something. At our base in Purley on Thames, close to Mapledurham Lock, we were unable to reach the river for about a week. Some residents, less fortunate than ourselves, were forced to evacuate their homes. Jim, a flood warden who sometimes helps us move bags, could be seen ferrying people to dry land in his canoe. The Mad Duck Cafe, one of our passport stamping stations, is closed until further notice.

The floods quickly retreated but not before turning some fields into temporary skating rinks as the floods were followed by a week of sub-zero temperatures. The weather has since returned to normal (apart from Storm Isha which brought strong winds but no known destruction as yet) and the frozen ground has thawed out leaving a very muddy path.

For those planning to walk this coming season, do not be alarmed. This is entirely normal.

Thames Path at Mapledurham Lock

Route News

Following the recent floods, we think that most of the Path is now accessible.  However, please note the following:

  • There is a flood alert at Newbridge where the Windrush joins the Thames so likely to still be under water there.
  • We heard recent reports of the Path being under water just past Datchet where it passes under the Albert Bridge
One minor problem we are aware of is that, as you approach Benson, a small bridge over a drainage ditch has been literally picked up and carried ten yards further down the Path. For most people the ditch is jump-able and where the bridge comes to rest has created a marvellous viewing platform for ornithologists.

And, five minutes further downstream at Benson, the ferry looks like it will not be able to operate until March.


Other existing diversions:

The diversion at Benson is set to be in place for a long time, at least for the duration of this year and probably well into 2024. This diversion is in place because the bridge over the weir is deemed to be unsafe. A boat service ferries walkers across the river to Benson Lock thus avoiding the diversion. The ferry has been unable to operate since the start of the year due to river conditions. There are updates posted on their Facebook page.

Diversions remain in place around the closed boardwalk upstream from Marsh Lock, Henley.

A diversion was put in place in June at Temple Lock, just past Hurley. Once again, the bridge has been deemed to be unsafe. So, instead of crossing the river onto the left bank and walking into Marlow, you must follow paths, lanes and then a road on the right bank through Bisham and into Marlow.  It’s possible to cross the river at Hambleden Lock and follow paths on the left bank through Medmenham and all the way to Marlow. It’s a little convoluted but avoids walking on the road through Bisham.

Further details of all these diversions can be seen on our website. We try to keep this page current so, in the absence of a newsletter, please refer to this.

Displaced bridge approaching Benson. The small bridge can be seen where the figure is standing.

Hospitality

The Bull at Streatley (Bronze) has had new owners since December. Ben and Debbie have re-opened rooms and are taking bookings for the season. They are hoping to reintroduce breakfasts which stopped during covid. Pierreponts Cafe, down the hill, provides an excellent substitute.

The French Horn at Sonning (Platinum) is up for sale. Yours for a cool £12 million. In view of the pending changing ownership they are only taking short term bookings.

And we’ve added three new hotels to our journey planner. These are:

  • The White Hart at Eynsham (Bronze): a pub with rooms about a mile from Swinford Bridge
  • The Relais, Henley (Platinum): a boutique hotel next to Henley Bridge
  • The Runnymede (Gold); a business-like hotel that happens to be right on the Thames Path


Finally we received a dramatic photo from Emma who runs the highly recommended Bed and Breakfast at Manor Farm.

 

Manor Farm, Kelmscott

What’s On and Events

Reading Gaol has finally been sold!  The historic site, which once housed Oscar Wilde, has been vacant for a number of years. It has been the wish of the local community that some of it be used as a local arts centre. So much so that even Banksy became involved with a stencil of Wilde climbing down the prison walls with a typewriter. After ten years of being empty the Ministry of Justice has sold it for £7m to a Chinese educational foundation who have said that their plans include “providing services to the local community, including a museum outlining the history of the prison and an exhibition space accessible to the public”.

Living London History have published a blog listing the top ten historic pubs in London. Of these, three are on the Thames Path :

  • The Dove at Hammersmith is considered the Cosiest. It sits next to Kelmscott House where William Morris lived. It was frequented by Ernest Hemingway, Dylan Thomas and Graham Greene.
  • The Prospect of Whitby in Wapping wins Best Riverside Views. It features a noose reminding us that this was close to where pirates were hanged
  • The Grapes at Limehouse was awarded the Best Survivor having narrowly escaped a V1 rocket during the Blitz. The pub was frequented by Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde.
The Mayflower at Rotherhithe, a passport stamping station, gets an honourable mention


Repeated from last newsletter:

The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford is hosting a new exhibition entitled Colour Revolution: Victorian Art, Fashion and Design. The exhibition includes fashion pieces – from Queen Victoria’s monotone mourning dress to the most daringly vivid clothing and accessories – and works by artists including Millais, Ruskin, Rossetti, Turner and Whistler. The exhibition is on until mid-February.

The Grapes, Limehouse

Winter Webinars

Since our last newsletter, the winter webinars have restarted. There was an unfortunate error in the url of our first webinar which prevented some from joining, for which we’re truly sorry. Fortunately that is the one webinar which is to be repeated. So if you missed out you can catch it again on Thursday February 22. The remaining schedule is set out below:

Tuesday January 23: 8pm GMT Thames Path: Oxford to Reading
Tuesday January 30: 8pm GMT Ridgeway Overview
WINTER BREAK
Thursday 22 February: 8pm GMT Thames Path Overview (repeat)
Thursday 29 February: 8pm GMT Thames Path: Reading to Staines
Thursday March 7: 8pm GMT Thames Path Staines to Woolwich
Thursday March 14: NO WEBINAR!
Thursday March 21: 8pm GMT Ridgeway overview (repeat)

All webinars are via Zoom and last for one hour. You don’t need a Zoom account to join! Click on the link here to take you to the registration page.

We’re sometimes asked whether we record the webinars for viewing later. Unfortunately we don’t on account of data privacy issues for those participating.
 
Other Walks from Walking.Holiday

We are just days away from publishing the itineraries of the Camino Ingles, the official Camino route that starts in Reading and ends in Southampton. The 68.5 mile walk can be covered in 4,5,6 or 7 days.

At some point in the not too distant future we will be rebranding this newsletter to be from Walking.Holiday. In the meantime here’s a photo of the walks we cover which explains why we remain a local company!
Walking.Holiday routes

And finally…again!

This is directed at those who use our route planner. The planner is free to use. BUT it costs money and time to maintain. So we are humbly asking for anyone who has found our planner to be useful to donate a small sum, perhaps between £5 and £10, using the donate button below. If you have booked a package with us, or used our baggage transfer service, then we would not expect or ask a donation from you. Thank you!

The link below will take you to a page on our website containing a link to Paypal from where you can make a donation by card. You do not need to have a Paypal account to make a donation.

That’s all folks!

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We do not charge for using the route planner. And, to maintain our impartiality, we do not take any paid advertising from hotels or other establishments marked on the planner. If you feel the planner has been of benefit to you and you would like to contribute to the maintenance and further development of the system, you can contribute here.

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