We’re on the home stretch of our Thames Path journey now with just four stages to go. We headed out today for a double header taking us even closer to our goal.
The problem with two day walks
As we are trying to do the whole length just using public transport we had to make a compromise with where we ended the last leg in Eynsham. This led to a bus-train-bus start to the day followed by a 14 mile walk – the longest of any of the legs so far. However, we did have a very nice breakfast in the Olive Branch Cafe in Oxford to fuel us on our way.
We try to travel light on these trips taking with us the smallest amount possible that will fit into a day pack. The slight issue with a two day trip is that you end up wearing the sweaty clothes you have had on all day to dinner in the pub and then all the next day. Still it does make for a light carry.
The further west that we go the smaller the river gets and the quieter the surroundings are. Today, on 14 miles of bucolic countryside we probably saw less than ten people and it was absolutely silent except for the sound of wind in the trees. The weather was also very kind to us with lots of early autumn sunshine, well, until it rained!
Our overnight stop was at the very nice pub, The Trout at Tadpole Bridge, where we also had an excellent meal which we felt we’d deserved after 14 miles along a very rutted path. Tomorrow another ten miles awaits.
To Date
Day: 18
Start: Eynsham
End: Tadpole Bridge
Distance: 13.83 miles
Cumulative: 154.58 miles
To go: 32 miles