Day One - Home to Source to Cricklade - Friday 28th July
Distance: 13 miles (probably more given the number of times we managed to get lost... believe me it's harder to follow a stream than you'd think.)
Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Walking partner: Trish Lorenz (hardy Aussie used to the great wild outback but struggles with left and right apparently....)
Accommodation: The Old Bear Inn, Cricklade
Just getting to the source of the Thames was a logistical challenge. Eventually we left Trish's sturdy Clio in a carpark in Lechlade and caught a cab, (driven by someone who might have been Jeremy Clarkson's brother once he'd expounded his many and various opinions to us), to the nearest road to the source of the Thames. We then had to tramp across a by now steaming field (it was getting on for 11am on a hot old day) to eventually find a pile of rocks and a dedication plaque telling us that this was the start of the Thames though you wouldn't know it. We didn't actually see H20 until a good hour into the walk when this slight trickle in a ditch announced itself as the first sign of the Thames.
Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Walking partner: Trish Lorenz (hardy Aussie used to the great wild outback but struggles with left and right apparently....)
Accommodation: The Old Bear Inn, Cricklade
Just getting to the source of the Thames was a logistical challenge. Eventually we left Trish's sturdy Clio in a carpark in Lechlade and caught a cab, (driven by someone who might have been Jeremy Clarkson's brother once he'd expounded his many and various opinions to us), to the nearest road to the source of the Thames. We then had to tramp across a by now steaming field (it was getting on for 11am on a hot old day) to eventually find a pile of rocks and a dedication plaque telling us that this was the start of the Thames though you wouldn't know it. We didn't actually see H20 until a good hour into the walk when this slight trickle in a ditch announced itself as the first sign of the Thames.
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Where's the water?
Main issues to report:
Back pack a nightmare, even with only 6kgs. OK, I'm probably a wimp but my back had gone into spasm by the time we reached Cricklade.
Multiple encounters with animals of several species including large cows and very large bulls. Trish seemed to want to befriend every living one of them.
Swimming not that appetising as muddy, shallow and leachy all the way.... so no bonus sponsorship earned yet!
The upper reaches of the Thames are a pure delight. Shady sylvan corridors, exquisite villages, verdent meadows. Highly recommended.
posted by Valerie @ 9:51 AM
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