Thames Path

OVERVIEW

The River Thames is arguably the most important river in England - and the walk along the tow path is the only riverside National Trail.

Since it follows a river, the trail is exceptionally flat - but can obviously be muddy and waterlogged during periods of bad weather.

But the Thames is actually much longer than you would expect, and the total walk amounts to 185 miles of walking - starting in the Cotswolds and then meandering down to London.

The highlights along the way come at Oxford, Runneymede (site of the Magna Carta), Maidstone, Hampton Court, Richmond and the historic section of London around Tower Bridge.

You can walk the whole thing in one go, but whilst the area around the source is more easily done in one walk - the central and western end of the trail are very easily done in smaller day walks.

PRACTICALITIES

The section between the source and Oxford is the most challenging section to complete - as it heads through a section of countryside where transport and accommodation options are fairly limited. I am yet to do this section, but when I do I plan to make use of the Trout Inn (at Tadpole), and then stay at Cricklade, and Cirencester - before heading home via Kemble.

The trail itself ends a few miles past Kemble - and it is an option to travel straight home from this finishing point, but I figure it will be easier to instead walk slightly further into Cirencester for any overnight and then have a full day to get back to Kemble and head home.

From Oxford down to London though, the trail is incredibly straight-forward for both transport and accommodation.

After Oxford the trail passes a train station at Radley, then reaches the town of Abingdon (bus links), then passing Dorchester (bus links), Benson, Wallingford, Goring (train link), Pangbourne (train link), Purley (train link at Tilehurst) and Reading (train link).

From Reading you have Shiplake (train link), Henley (train link), Marlow (train link), Bourne End (train link), Cookham (train link), Maidenhead (train link), Windsor (train link), Staines (train link), Weybridge (train link) and Byfleet (train link - easiest is West Byfleet on the Basingstoke Canal).

Then there is a bit of a gap to Hampton (train link), Surbiton (train link), Kingston (train link), Teddington (train link), Richmond (train link), Brentford (train link) - and from here you have a continuous provision of transport links through London.

The London sections are the easiest to work out - but it is worth allowing extra time to explore the sights in the area around the Thames through London - for instance St Paul's or Greenwich Park lie slightly off the trail.

STAGES

Thames Barrier to Waterloo (★★★★★)

Heading towards London from the Thames Barrier, the walk starts off with a fairly rough and industrial feel to it - and whilst you get good views of the City of London, the section heading round the Millennium Dome is not that exciting either.

However - having made it round the Dome you soon meet up with the Old Royal Naval College - and here I turned off to go through Greenwich Park and up to the Royal Observatory (site of Greenwich Prime Meridian). This is a very worthwhile diversion - and once back along the river you soon pass the Cutty Sark near Greenwich Pier.

The next section is not particularly noteworthy, except for a few old docks (and newer developments) - but eventually you make it round to Tower Bridge, and here you hit the old part of London. Crossing over you pass Tower Bridge and I crossed back over on Suthwark Bridge and went past the Globe Theatre.

I next crossed back over at Millennium Bridge - which walked south to north leads you straight towards St Paul's Cathedral as you head over the bridge.

This section totaled 15.3 miles, although only 11.0 miles were on the Thames Path - ascent exceeded five hundred feet, but mostly because I went up to the Observatory at Greenwich Park. 

Waterloo to Battersea (★★★★★)

From Waterloo the Thames Path heads past the London Eye and then past Westminster (and here it is best to walk on the opposite side to the Houses of Parliament).

From here you enjoy a nice stretch along the Thames before diverting in at Vauxhall - and then return to the river in a quaint section passing Nine Elms.

Next you have to cut in at Battersea, but can compensated as you head through Battersea Park - and here I continued on through Battersea to finish at Clapham Junction.

This section totaled 7.9 miles (although only 5.4 miles were on the Thames Path), with a couple hundred feet of ascent.

Battersea to Richmond (★★★☆☆)

From Battersea the river initially retains a central London vibe, which starts to fade upon reaching Wandsworth. Here you pass rowing boathouses and the London Wetland Centre as the path heads out across more open countryside.

From here the path heads past Hammersmith and on past Barnes Bridge to Mortlake, which has a lovely historic feel to it. From here the path continues on along a tree-lined section to Kew Bridge - after which it passes Kew Gardens, but with very little to see as you head past (this section is heavily wooded).

On the far side you meet up with the edge of Old Deer Park and head into Richmond via Richmond Lock.

This section totaled 11.2 miles of walking (10.2 miles on the Thames Path) and a couple hundred feet of ascent.

Richmond to Hampton Court (★★★☆☆)

From Richmond the past heads past Ham House, along a very well walked stretch of river, and then passes Eel Pie Island on it's way to Teddington Lock.

From here it heads on past Teddington, before passing through Canbury Gardens, on it's way into Kingston - where we cross over Kingston Bridge.

From here we pass along the edge of Hampton Court Park until we eventually bend round and reach Hampton Court Palace itself.

This section totaled 7.9 miles (7.4 miles on the Thames Path) and about a hundred feet of ascent.

Hampton Court to Weybridge (★★★☆☆)

From Hampton Court, the path heads past Molesey Lock and on along the edge of Hurst Park, before winding on past a number of reservoirs to Sunbury Lock. 

From here the route passes the houses lining the river at Walton-on-Thames and then heads under Walton Bridge and up Desborough Cut. 

From here it is a short walk to Hambaugh Island, where the Wey meets the Thames - and here I continued up the Wey on my walk, but the Thames Path instead crosses over via a ferry.

This section of the Thames Path totals 6.0 miles - although this doesn't include onward travel at Weybridge (you can get a bus to the train station from the High Street). The ascent was a little over a hundred feet.

Weybridge to Maidenhead (★★★★☆)

Coming soon...

Maidenhead to Reading (★★★★☆)

Coming soon...

Reading to Goring (★★★☆☆)

Coming soon...

Goring to Abingdon (★★★★☆)

Coming soon...

Abingdon to Oxford (★★★☆☆)

Coming soon...

Oxford to Tadpole

Planned to be walked in the future...

Tadpole to Crickdale

Planned to be walked in the future...

Crickdale to Source

Planned to be walked in the future...