After the Ninth Leg

40 miles in 4 days.

At the Source

The stone marking the source of the Thames which only has water in it occasionally.  I realise it's a bit tricky to read so this is what it says:

"THE CONSERVATORS OF THE RIVER THAMES 1857-1974.  THIS STONE WAS PLACED HERE TO MARK THE SOURCE OF THE RIVER THAMES"

Everyone says we are making this walk look too easy but as you can see it really was hard work.

Although actually we did feel pretty elated and look the Thames Path is actually 184 miles long - 4 miles more than we thought.

The gang's all here.  Carmelo and Michael (who is taking the photo) walked from the Thames Head pub to wait for us at the source and Andy and Brendan met us at the last road crossing and walked up to the source with us.  We then went to the pub for a cup of tea or coffee before going home to tend to our sore legs and blisters.

Thoughts on this leg:

It was amazing to see the Thames getting smaller and smaller and to think of this small trickle turning into the Thames in London.  We knew there would be no water at the source but when we approached a couple were coming away who were disappointed because they had expected to find water bubbling up.

Last View of the Water

Saying bye-bye to the last trickle of water.

Open Fields

It's a bit tricky map reading in a field.  It's also getting colder as it is pretty exposed and we are walking uphill!

Diminishing Thames

There's not much water in the Thames behind us now.

Following a Different Leader

Catherine is back in the lead again.  Not so many photos now as Brendan is not walking with us so he can only take them when there is a road nearby.

Off Again

After applying blister plasters and having a light lunch we set off to walk the remaining 4-5 miles but as you can see the walk is beginning to take it's toll and we are definitely slowing down.

On the Border

Some of us are in Gloucestershire and some of us are in Wiltshire (we think).

Shortly after this we stopped for a break at the Baker's Arms in Somerford Keynes.  Michael came to meet us and show us the way to the pub - it's a pity his 10 minute walk turned out to be half an hour!  We were really pleased that some of our friends had come to the pub to meet us before they went on their journeys back home.  Tracy, Peter and Lily were there and Simon and Emma as well as Carmelo and Andy also joined us for lunch.  Thank you very much folks it was really great to see encouraging faces when we were starting to feel really tired. 

Striding Forth

Also in Ashton Keynes.  How nice to have the Thames flowing through your main street.

Our Photographer

Here is Brendan in Ashton Keynes.  He walked with us in the morning (well actually in front of us - we have trouble keeping up because our legs aren't as long).

Cotswold Water Park

This is one of the lakes in the Cotswold Water Park which is an area covered with lakes, walks, cycle-ways etc but it is very under-publicised.  It was very difficult to find much information on it except for details of sailing courses.

Three Ladies on a Path

It's good to have a path that is wide enough to take all three of us.

Following the Leader

Catherine says she is always in the front on the pictures but not this time Debbie made it over the stile in double quick time.

Horses

Well it makes a change from cows.  Catherine is doing a good job studying the map.

Going to Where the Thames Starts

Here we are ready to start out and Debbie is joining us again!

St Edmund Campion Spa Day 2

Josephine brought us a bowl each and some lovely foot balm to soak our feet in preparation for the next walk - 12.25 miles from Cricklade to the Source of the Thames.  What good friends we have got!  Everyone on the weekend away at Stow was very supportive of us and put up with us telling them constantly that we had walked 27 miles in 3 days.

St Edmund Campion Spa

After 3 days walking it was lovely to have some tlc.  Tracy brought her foot massager to the Youth Hostel especially for us - thank you Tracy our feet certainly felt better after the massage.

After the Eighth Leg

A little bit further along.

At Radcot (again)

Here we are at the end of our walk back in Radcot which looked nice in the rain but looked even better in the sunshine.  We had a welcome cup of coffee here and then went on to meet our friends in Stow in the Wold for a sociable weekend and some tlc.

Thoughts on this Leg:

This was another lovely walk. 

Walk Tall

This walking is obviously good for Angela - she's grown! (or is she standing on a box?)

Injuries

Big problem Angela has broken a nail!  Other injuries incurred are bruised shins due to an inability to correctly judge the gap at a stile, damaged toe-nails and blisters - all easily treatable and nothing to compare with the problems in Liberia. 
We have enjoyed looking at the river as we have walked but the people in Grandcess, Liberia have to use their river for washing in and as there are worms in the river that can burrow into the skin this can be hazardous.

Nearly There

Sorry got interupted in my blogging then. It was round about here that some canoeists started shouting "encouragement" to us e.g. pointing out that Brendan was ahead of us and that we would never get to the pub at this rate etc.  People are definitely more friendly when they are out in the country.

Picturesque Scene

There is nothing I can add to this.  The photo says it all (Brendan's doing the photography again today).

Old FatherThames

Did he always carry a spade?  He doesn't look properly dressed for gardening.

By the River

The weather's looking OK today and we've got the Thames next to us.  This is what it's all about!  Well this and raising money to send children to school in Grandcess, Liberia.

Six? Little Ducks

This one is specially for Preschool.  Mummy Duck said "Quack, quack, quack and six of her little ducks came back".

Starting Out

After a lovely Italian meal in a restaurant apparently frequented by Kate Moss and a night in an interesting hotel we are ready to set out from Lechlade on our third day of walking on the run.

After the Seventh Leg

Now we're nearly a third complete!

Lechlade - Our Destination

We've arrived in Lechlade!  We're staying overnight in Lechlade so it's off for a shower and then a meal in the Italian restaurant - if we can stay awake long enough!

Thoughts on this leg:

This was a bit of a disappointment compared to yesterday's walk.  We didn't keep with the river and we didn't like having to walk alongside a busy road.  However, the bit just before Lechlade was beautiful.

Boats!

This is the first time we've seen proper boats on our walk downstream.  We are nearly at Lechlade.

No Boats

It isn't possible to take boats upstream from here only canoes.  Brendan wanted us to go on the bridge for this photo but we really couldn't make it up the steps - over 20 miles in two days is beginning to take its toll.

Not Quite Next to the Thames

For quite a lot of this walk we were not next to the Thames unfortuneately and at one stage we even had to walk along a busy, noisy main road.

Plane Spotting

Brendan was very interested in the transporter planes that kept flying overhead.  It made a change from buds, the Shillingford Hotel and ducks masquerading as rabbits!

Striding Out

You may have noticed that we are not on our own.  Brendan came with us today and was official photographer.  That means Tutts 3, Beecrofts 1.  It's a bit tricky for the Beecrofts to join in as a lot of them are in France and others are just lazy!

Difficult Terrain

We weren't keen on walking on this ground which had been churned up and had dried into deep ruts.

At Cricklade

After a bit of faffing we're ready to start - that's "Britain's oldest Roman Catholic church" behind us.