Thames Path : Oxford to Swinford
Another trip along the Thames Path. This a half distance trip i.e. the usual walk in this area is around 14 miles long which was a bit too much for me, especially as transportation from the end point will not be so easy. At the halfway point there are frequent buses, so I broke the walk into two sections – this is the first.
As usual, click on any image to enlarge to full screen. Map is at the end.
Start at Botley Road bridge, near the railway station
Looking back at Botley bridge
Path at the back of terraced houses on Abbey Road
Approaching the first foot bridge
Foot bridge over the channel which heads to Castle Mill Stream
Looking towards the railway bridge over the channel
On the path between the river and Fiddler’s Stream
Just before Fiddler’s Stream bends away
Forwards is the bridge to Fiddler’s Island. Coming from the right is the Castle Mill Stream, from the left the main branch of the Thames
Fiddler’s Island
Looking over the river towards Port Meadow
Cattle grazing on Port Meadow
Geese!
Curve of the river near Binsey
Approaching Godstow Lock
Remains of Godstow Abbey
Looking back to the bridge at Godstow
A34 Western Bypass bridge
Sheep grazing west of the A34 bridge – mind your step!
The first of a series of meanders north west of Godstow
Approaching King’s Lock – manually operated
Looking back as boaters exit King’s Lock
The path in many areas is overgrown by grasses both sides – in the rain that came later, these soaked the bottom of my trousers
Big sky day as the river turns to head westwards
And another meander towards the north
Captain of the boat
Clearly a floodplain here – lots of small tributaries branch off towards the north and the banks are very low to the river
Overarching tree branches, just high enough for me to walk under without stooping
Approaching the weir and Eynsham lock
Eynsham lock
Swinford toll bridge B4044
Sparkling water and mixed clouds heading SW from Swinford bridge
More meanders in the river and cumulus clouds meandering into view with more rain
And the end of the walk – the footpath ends and the route follows a driveway up to the B4044 which is then followed for a while before the next walk takes a path from the B4044 and descends back to the river.
Live scrollable/zoomable map of the walk: