Thames Path Walking Holidays

The river begins its journey as a trickling spring in a peaceful Cotswold meadow in Gloucestershire and through riverside meadows and ancient woodlands it begins to take form, leading us through charming towns such as Henley, Wallingford and Marlow.

Walking the path each day you pass ancient bridges, locks, riverside pubs, oarsmen pulling upstream, ‘Royal’ swans, solitary herons, kingfishers, wild flowers, water creatures and bucolic Wind-in-the Willows scenery. Ever widening, the now ‘Mighty Thames’ eventually flows majestically through the heart of one of the world’s greatest cities.

Its journey to the sea passes an endless variety of sites and locations of fascinating historical interest; Oxford, Royal Windsor, Runnymede, Hampton Court, Kew Gardens where it takes you past the Tower of London onto the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge.

From the source of the river in Kemble to Cricklade, Lechlade and Newbridge into Oxford - it's a peaceful, rural walk with barely any ascents or descents across farmland, riverside and meadow. It starts to feel busier entering and leaving Oxford, becoming quieter on your route out to Abingdon.

The scenery of The Thames Path begins to feel markedly different as you approach Dorchester, with more picturesque towns and the river gradually filling with barges, boats and other leisure craft. There is one steep climb on approaching Wallingford (which is optional), where you have a fantastic vantage point out over the area.

The path into Reading is quieter than expected as the route keeps to the North (the least urbanised) section of the town, whereupon the river meets Henley. Your journey crosses the wooded slopes of The Thames Valley as you pass into Windsor, with grand estates dotted along the riverside.

As you near London the path becomes busier, however, there is still a lot of green space on the final section as you take an old towpath, past an old racecourse into Hampton Court.