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Whitchurch, Oxfordshire |
We have been away for much of February so have been following the flood updates from a distance. In the short amount of time that we have been back we have checked some stretches of the Thames Path. It’s clear that the Path is un-walkable at the moment – at least as far as Cookham. Most of the Thames Path downstream of Cookham is likely to be ok.
It’s not just the Thames Path that’s impacted. There are stretches of the St James’ Way, the Kennet & Avon Canal and The Ridgeway that are flooded. See each section for more details. In fact, the only Path we support that is probably completely dry is the Chiltern Way.
“I’m walking this season. Should I be worried?” Not yet. We have seen worse. In fact, using our own Purley on Thames neighbourhood as a litmus test, there has been minimal residential flooding this season. Whilst we’ve received regular flood warnings from the Environment Agency, our flood wardens have not been called out to do their duty of rescuing people and pets from homes. The start of the season rather depends on how the weather performs between now and April. There’s plenty of time for the paths to dry out.
However, with “an abundance of caution” , it’s worth for April walkers to be prepared for dealing with flood spots. That means taking walking poles and also walking sandals so that you can safely walk through flooded waters without getting your socks wet. And, if you’re committed to a multi-day walk, get a copy of our guide “No Wellies Required”. This will help you find the best alternative dry routes – of which there are many. For those on a package with us, you don’t need to worry as we will guide you round those sections too difficult to walk.
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Winter Webinars
Last month we mentioned that we might run a couple of “open” webinars and you can now put these in your diaries. This will be an opportunity to ask any questions you might have – be it getting there; which way to walk; what footwear to bring; what the best time of year to walk is, etc.
We will have two webinars, one for the Thames Path and one for all our our Walking.Holiday walks (Ridgeway, St James’ Way, Kennet & Avon, Chiltern Way), each with two sittings. They are:
Thames Path Wednesday 4 March 8pm & Thursday 5 March 10am. Register here.
Walking.Holiday Thursday 5 March 8pm & Friday 6 March 10am. Register here.
You will need to register beforehand to attend the webinar. There’s no requirement to have watched any of the online webinars (which you can still subscribe to) athough we may refer to some of the materials during the discussion.
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The Chilterns
The Chiltern Society have posted Platform to Path: 8 Station Walks. As the name suggests these are eight walks accessible from train stations: Watford, Cookham, Great Missenden, Tring, Goring, Berkhamsted, High Wycombe & Aylesbury. All the walks are short being around 4-6 miles.
If you’re looking for longer multi-day walks then check out our website for the Chiltern Way (South) and the Chiltern Ramble. The Chilterns is one of the most unspoilt parts of southern England despite being easily accessible from London.
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Tring Park |
Ridgeway News
Withymead Nature Reserve sits alongside The Ridgeway between Goring and South Stoke. This 13 acre reserve is a haven for plants and wildlife. A new boardwalk is being installed across the reedbeds. It’s being funded by Mend the Gap, an organisation funded by Network Rail to mitigate the impact of electrification of the Great Western Railway.
Work has been completed on the walk down to Wendover from Coombe Hill Monument through Bacombe Hill. The path has been resurfaced and a new handrail installed. A big THANKYOU to all volunteers who did this work.
We reported some months ago that The Swan at East Ilsley was under new management but that no breakfasts were being offered.. We’re happy to report that breakfasts are back on the menu. Meanwhile the Perch and Pike at South Stoke is back open but, unfortunately, not offering rooms.
However, and this may be of interest to Thames Path walkers too, we recently learned that the Beetle and Wedge at Moulsford, directly across the Thames from South Stoke, will come and collect you by boat should you wish to dine or sleep there. Now that’s an offer you can’t refuse!
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Beetle & Wedge, Moulsford from South Stoke |
Kennet & Avon Canal Walk
As you might expect, the canal is not immune from flooding, particularly between Reading and Hungerford where it’s a “navigation” – a series of cuts and locks straightening and levelling the Kennet where it’s impassable. In the central sections (Hungerford to Bath) the canal sits away and above the river so less prone to flooding.
One of the worst sections is between the Cunning Man at Burghfield and the M4 underpass where the river is spilling out into the adjoining fields. Here the canal walk shares the path with the St James’ Way and you can see the impact from Peter at Walking the Camino.
We were a little further along the canal a few days later when we met a group of birdwatchers. They had spotted Kingfishers, Oyster catchers and a Peregrine Falcon. The canal walk is ideal for birdwatchers.
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Garston Lock between Reading and Newbury |
And now for something completely practical…E-Sims
For those arriving from overseas and worried about roaming, the solution has always been to buy a sim at the airport. For many it’s the last thing you want to do. You’ve just landed. You’re tired. You still have to get to your destination. And where do you buy one? And then there’s the problem of opening the phone up (especially if an i-phone) and storing your old sim safely without losing it.
Whilst travelling in Asia (Japan to be specific) we decided to purchase an e-Sim for the first time. We subscribed to an app from Saily and purchased 5GB of data – the cheapest plan available. It cost around £10. We did all this before we left for Japan. On arrival we connected to the free wifi at the airport and the e-sim immediately activated which meant we could use data without needing wifi. The data was enough for an 8 day trip despite using google maps to navigate the streets of Kyoto and Tokyo.
Something you should be aware of: you don’t get a phone number! So it’s good to have What’sApp before you go – registered to your normal phone. Then you can make a call on WhatsApp using data from your e-sim.
We try to stay in touch with all our walkers either by text or WhatsApp messaging them daily once their bags have been delivered. If you follow our recommendation you won’t be out of reach.
And finally....
Bringing a couple of stories in this newsletter together: a deer found itself marooned on an island in the Thames near Hurley. It took firemen more than two hours to rescue it.
That’s all folks. Mind how you go!
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