Thames Path Day 7: Farmoor to Folly Bridge, Oxford, about 8.5 miles, walked on Thursday 19th March 2015

Thames Path Day 7: Farmoor to Folly Bridge, Oxford, about 8.5 miles, walked on Thursday 19th March 2015

 Sue, Jem, Dot, Ann, Jean, Margaret H, John, Julie and ourselves set off from Farmoor in misty and rather cold weather, to go through a boatyard and rejoin the riverbank. Ian soon realised that he had left something behind - the Eccles Cakes, kindly and expertly made by Julie's husband for us all. He doubled back and caught up with us by the fine Georgian Swinford Bridge (one of a few privately owned toll bridges).

We walked around the wooded hillside of Wytham, to our right (owned by Oxford University) and then out across open meadowland (with sheep on). The River Evenlode joins the Thames along here. Further on near to King's lock, we saw boat signage for the Oxford Canal (via the preferred Duke's Cut, rather than the narrow Sheepwash Channel in the centre of Oxford).

 Soon we were passing under the A34, the main trunk road bypassing Oxford on the western side.

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Just a little further along, on the opposite bank through the trees, we could see the well-known and historic Trout Inn at Wolvercote, (of Inspector Morse and Brideshead Revisited fame). Then, the ruins of the hospice, part of Godstow Nunnery, (founded in the 12th century  and destroyed by Cromwell's New Model Army), came into view.

 We stopped for a shortish, chilly time for our lunch by Godstow Lock and watched the geese; active and loud.

Port Meadow, a vast area of unploughed,common land, was across the river to us. Some horses were grazing and a few people walking. It must be unique to have such a vast open area so close to a city centre with stunning views. After passing Bossom's Boatyard  and Medley Sailing Club we crossed to the long narrow Fiddler's Island and past Castle Mill Stream. Willow trees abound along here and swimming is allowed.







 Approaching Sheepwash Channel we saw that a diversion was in place. This led us under the main railway lines and past a railway turntable, rotting and out-of-place, now that flats have been built all around.

We went on, via the railway station, past the Said Business School and Botley Road, to rejoin the Thames Path by Osney Bridge. A 'sensible' car transporter driver was checking the height of the bridge and his load, and just made it through.

In the short distance from Botley Road to Folly Bridge there was much to see. In Osney there are old industrial buildings (power station), a lock, a renovated mill, a boating yard and rows of Victorian terraced houses. Beyond the railway bridge and after the ice rink, on the far bank, many more flats and houses have more recently been built.

We finished our walk by Folly Bridge, a point where there was once a ford and oxen were once driven across the river (Isis) into the city. On the small island is an unusual castellated house with statues. Recently, converted into flats, it is possible to stay, if you wish, in one of the eight chic apartments.

Thames Path Day 6: Newbridge to Farmoor, about 7 miles, walked on Thursday 5th March 2015

Thames Path Day 6: Newbridge to Farmoor, about 7 miles, walked on Thursday 5th March 2015

After a bus ride from Witney, we started out from The Rose Revived to continue along the now straighter Thames.

Here, at Northmoor Lock, we paused for a coffee stop. Some had seen an otter swimming to the far bank (later the lock-keeper advised that it was more likely to be a mink). Above, the older paddle and rymer water control system can be seen. We watched as the lock-keeper inserted and hammered in paddles, while wearing protective clothing and harnessed to a wire.

We continued and still this part of Oxfordshire is remote and very quiet (especially on a coldish March day).

Our lunch stop was by The Ferryman at Bablock Hythe. The ferry no longer runs, but the chain gear that hauled the car ferry and slopes into the water either side, could be seen. A couple of geese amused us by standing on one leg for sometime.

Starting off again, we headed away from the river, by a caravan park and through  fields (some a bit muddy with large piles of willow brash ready for burning).

After the diversion away from the riverside we rejoined the Thames just before Pinkhill Lock and weirs.

It is a bit of a squash now to get us all in a photograph! This is just before the path leads away from the river briefly to Oxford Road, Farmoor and where we departed to the bus stop to return back to our accommodation. After three days of walking we (that is Margaret B., Dot, Sue and Jem, Sue and Peter, Clive, John, Ann, Julie, Jean, Valmai, Margaret H and us) felt a sense of achievement having covered another 23 miles or so of the Thames Path. All went well with the walking and the company was great.

Thames Path Day 5: Radcot to Newbridge, about 9 miles, walked on Wednesday 4th March 2015

Thames Path Day 5: Radcot to Newbridge, about 9 miles (10.5 Jem miles), walked on Wednesday 4th March 2015

Setting out on a slightly brighter day we made good progress to Radcot Lock.

The river still meandered and this is an open, remote and peaceful section of the Thames.

At Rushey Lock we saw the very new gated weirs that are fully automated. At a cost f £2.8M, these have replaced the older paddle and rymer system, after problems with flooding in 2007.

We stopped for a late morning break by Tadpole Bridge.It was built of stone in the eighteen century and by the look of it has had a recent clean. Some of us went into The Trout Inn for coffees.

Tenfoot Bridge was another wooden bridge we passed, but didn't use, as the Thames Path continues on the north side of the river leading to Shifford Lock cut and Chimney Farm.

I believe this is a raft to monitor mink; their footprints are left in a tray of clay inside the tunnel, or maybe they can be trapped inside.

Lunch time by the footbridge half way along Shifford Lock cut in the sunshine and sheltered by nearby trees.

A group (fleet?) of canoeists passed us one way, then the other. We surmised that they may have been from the local Cokethorpe School on a Wednesday sports afternoon training for the Westminster to Devizes canoe race.








Newbridge, our destination for the day, with the Rose Revived behind  looked good in the sunshine. We had drinks and a piece of cake here.

Thames Path Day 4: Lechlade to Radcot, about 7.5 miles, walked on Tuesday 3rd March 2015

Thames Path Day 4: Lechlade to Radcot, about 7.5 miles, walked on Tuesday 3rd March 2015


At St. John's lock (the highest lock on the Thames, just half a mile from the start of our walk at Halfpenny Bridge, Lechlade) there are miniature houses and Father Thames reclines (originally with a trident, but now a navies shovel!)

 

All the way on this walk and into our next walk, we saw many pill boxes. They are all on the north bank of the river and are of FW3/22 hexagonal type, built between 1940/1 as small defensive structures when there was a fear of invasion from the Germans.

The river here twisted and turned so much, meandering through the fields. Looking back to the  'wool' church of St Lawrence's in Lechlade, with its tall, slender spire, helped to orientate ourselves.









Below is a typical view of the river around here, with mature, pollarded willows and wooden fencing and bridges.

 

We went slightly off the Thames Path into the pretty village of Kelmscott to have a lunch break. We saw the upper part of the Manor House, (William Morris' summer residence) and a little further on we admired the unusual stone slab fencing (with different coloured lichens and snowdrops behind).

In a field opposite the Manor House were two calves and a large, rather friendly-looking bull.

Towards the end of our walk the skies looked stormy and just a few hailstones fell. It didn't come to anything, no umbrellas were opened, and we were lucky to have a rain-free day (if a little windy and cold).

The area around here has made its mark three times in history. Matilda's Castle earthworks still remain and were investigated by Time Team in 2009.

Radcot was the site of two battles - one in 1387 when Henry Bolingbroke (who became Henry IV) defeated the Earl of Oxford and the other in 1645 during the Civil War when Prince Rupert's men fought off the Parliamentarians.

Radcot, our end point for today, has many small bridges over the different water courses.
The Swan Hotel provided (some of us) with picnic lunches containing 'doorstep' sandwiches and half a cake!