Good pictures here of the path between the Thames Source and the Tunnel House recently featured in the Telegraph; see below.
Category: Updates
Kingston Rowing Rector
This Saturday 26 June Jonathan Wilkes will be at Tower Bridge at 9am ready to row upstream to Kingston-upon-Thames where he is the Rector.
He is being sponsored to help the funding for a visitor centre at All Saints Church near the river. Coffee and cake is already served in the church every weekday morning.
His supporters will be waiting at Richmond and some plan to jog along the towpath with him.
The Rector might reflect that in past times the Bishop of Winchester had a house near London Bridge and would be rowed by a team from there to Kingston where he continued by road to Winchester.
See pages 64 and 65.
There has been much comment and delight at Matthew Norman’s review in The Telegraph of the Waterside Inn at Bray.
Fortunately the Thames Path is on the opposite bank and the ferry has long ceased to operate so one is not tempted to drop in for lunch. But walkers often wonder what it is like there. Bray is delightful even if the former pub is expensive.
Take a picnic when walking from Windsor to Maidenhead and enjoy it sitting on the seat opposite Bray and the former Greoge Inn.
See page 97.
Greenwich: More path confusion
The confusion about which stretches of path are open on the west side of the Greenwich Peninsula continues.
I have found Delta Wharf open but here is the latest view from campaigning locals.
See pages 15 and 16.
Directions to Tunnel House Inn
Having posted earlier today about the Tunnel House Inn here are some directions for the mile walk to pub from the Thames Source.
From the stone at the Thames Source continue ahead below the bank (right).
Go through the gateway with a stile ahead to follow the field boundary (right) to a second gate where there is a ladderstile. After a third gate and ladderstile, the way is enclosed. On reaching a bridge over a dry canal do not cross but go left along the towpath.
Soon after running under the Kemble- Gloucester railway line, the path passes a round house. Follow the path under a road bridge to the Sapperton Tunnel.
The towpath ends in front of the Tunnel House Inn.
Tunnel House Inn
If you have spare time having arrived at the source I recommend walking ahead and left along the former canal to the Tunnel House Inn.
Christopher Middleton has rightly given it a rave review in today’s Daily Telegraph.
I don’t mention it in the Thames Path guide although maybe a I should in future. The route from the source features in Pub Walks Along the Thames Path (Countryside Books) if you can still find a copy.
See page 213.
Lechlade Market for a morning
Lechlade’s market square has a real market on Thursday 17 June.
It’s always worth turning into the town over Halfpenny Bridge but for once there
will be “fresh local food” immediately ahead from 8.30am to 1pm.
See page 194.
Shillingford Bridge repairs
The summer issue of Thames Guardian, the River Thames Society‘s magazine, has a
reminder that Shillingford Bridge is being restored this summer.
The Thames Path runs up the side of the bridge when it leaves the towpath to pass
through the hamlet.
Stonemasons are working on the bridge’s arches and attractive parapet which means that
pontoons and scaffolding are being used.
The bridge was completed in 1827 to succeed several timber crossings on the line of
the old Shilling ford.
Greenwich diversion map
The confusion over the path closure just downstream of Greenwich continues.
As I reported earlier, some of the path is sometimes open and the diversion is not signposted.
Walk London has posted a diversion map which may help.
Surrey Docks Farm: New cafe and path
Yesterday Surrey Docks Farm opened its new cafe offering full meals and light refreshments. The operating hours are Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm.
The very welcome cafe launch comes just ahead of the Spring Fair this Saturday 22 May. Open from 10am to 5pm.
There are lots of attractions planned but the big event of the day is the opening of the Thames Path within the farm. New gates at the east end will also be formally opened.
The path is to be available for use Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm at first but eventually it will be open daily during daylight hours at least.
On Saturday the new farm manager Barry Mason will be there to welcome both walkers and cyclists.
See page 21.