5 to 13 nights
54 to 148 mls (km)
Southern England
Easy
Mar to Oct
£570

Walking the Wonderful Thames

  • Immerse yourself in the royal history of the castles and palaces along the Thames
  • Visit Runnymede, the historic location of the signing of the Magna Carta
  • Traditional riverside towns and villages, with boats and barges passing downstream
  • Explore the extensive grounds and world-renowned hedge mazes at Hampton Court
  • Stay at the beautiful and historic university town of Oxford
  • Windsor Castle, Europe's oldest royal residence
  • Follow the Thames as it widens from stream to river
Image of winding canal near Pangbourne, Reading

A Riverside Journey Through England

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, kingfisher, 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.

signpost-Thames Path

Walking Holidays on the Thames Path

The Thames Path is easy walking holiday suitable for all abilities. Our itineraries follow the Thames’s peaceful progress through country side as far as Hampton Court.

The final section is a 37 mile itinerary tailored to individual requirements, following the Thames' journey through Britain’s capital, the docklands and the Thames Barrier out to sea. The terrain along the Thames Path isn't uniform, but the majority of it is flat and even - so the journey should be suitable for most capabilities.

Thames path walking map
Our Thames Path walking holidays take you from the Thames' source at Kemble to Hampton Court

Path Walkthrough

From the source of the river in Kemble to Cricklade, Lechdale 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 Abington.

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.

Our Thames Path Itineraries

  • Kemble to Hampton Court
    Distance: 147.5 miles (237km)
    TP1
    13 Nights, 12 Days
    from £1560 pp
    TP1 ~ Kemble to Hampton Court ~ 13 / 12 classic
    DayLocationDistance
    Day 1:Arrival day
    Day 2:Kemble to Cricklade12.5 miles/20km
    Day 3:Cricklade to Lechlade11 miles/17km
    Day 4:Lechlade to Newbridge16.5 miles/26.5km
    Day 5:Newbridge to Oxford14 miles/22.5km
    Day 6:Oxford to Culham12 miles/20km
    Day 7:Culham to Wallingford11 miles/17km
    Day 8:Wallingford to Pangbourne11.5 miles/18.5km
    Day 9:Pangbourne to Shiplake13.5 miles/21.6km
    Day 10:Shiplake to Marlow11 miles/17km
    Day 11:Marlow to Windsor14.5 miles/23.5km
    Day 12:Windsor to Shepperton13.5 miles/21km
    Day 13:Shepperton to Hampton Court6.5 miles/10.4km
    Day 14:Departure day

    What's Included:
    12 walking days
    13 nights accommodation
    13 breakfasts
    + all our usuals
    Prices
    Extras
    <~ Go back to all itineraries
  • Kemble to Oxford
    Distance: 54 miles (86.5km)
    TP2
    5 Nights, 4 Days
    from £570 pp
    TP2 ~ Kemble to Oxford ~ 5 / 4 classic
    DayLocationDistance
    Day 1:Arrival day
    Day 2:Kemble to Cricklade12.5 miles/20km
    Day 3:Cricklade to Lechlade11 miles/17km
    Day 4:Lechlade to Newbridge16.5 miles/26.5km
    Day 5:Newbridge to Oxford14 miles/22.5km
    Day 6:Departure day

    What's Included:
    4 walking days
    5 nights accommodation
    5 breakfasts
    + all our usuals
    Prices
    Extras
    <~ Go back to all itineraries
    • Good standard accommodation at a mixture of Guesthouses, Farmhouses, local Inns and B&B’s with en-suite or private facilities wherever possible
    • Breakfast
    • Luggage transfers (one bag per walker, max 20 kg per bag)
    • Personal transfers between the accommodation and path where necessary
    • Route planning
    • Walk pack including Trail Guide and OS mapping, itinerary, accommodation directions, local interest leaflets and holiday planning.

    You choose which day you would like your holiday to start on. We will book your holiday in accordance with your requirements.

    Our Thames Path holidays are available to walk March to October.

    Mild weather in this region means that the path can be explored at almost any point in the calendar. Some areas can be prone to flooding after excessive rain; we can advise alternatives in such situations. However, we would suggest that the journey is best taken from May - October.

    Walkers interested in birdlife, flora and nature should visit at the tail-end of Spring to catch wildlife along the river at its most active.

    Rail

    Railway stations are located in Kemble, Oxford, Windsor and Hampton Court.

    www.nationalrail.co.uk

    Approximate length of train journeys:

    London Paddington to Kemble               ~ 1.5 hours

    London Paddington to Oxford                ~ 1 hour

    London Paddington to Windsor              ~ 30 minutes

    London Waterloo to Hampton Court        ~ 35 minutes

    Looking for different mileages or a different number of nights? Please contact us to discuss how our itineraries can be adjusted to meet your specific needs. Call one of our helpful team on +44 (0)1291 689774 or e-mail us here.

    Thames Path Client Reviews

    4.8/5 based on 10 reviews
    We have walked with Celtic Trails yearly since 2011 and always find the company most reliable. We most enjoyed the wonderful landscapes, small villages and the kind people we met.
    - September 2019
    Friendly service, easy to understand itinerary, excellent accommodation. Thames Path is an enjoyable walk as you see the river develop from a muddy stream into a might river. So peaceful in some areas, yet busy and vibrant in others.
    - September 2019
    Walking with Celtic Trails makes the walk much easier
    - September 2019
    Excellent arrangements for accommodation and luggage transfer, with outstanding information and high quality, convenience accommodation. A great break in the fresh air and varied weather - good to cope with fair and wet conditions. A great three days, ending in Oxford, which was lovely to return to.
    - July 2019
    All the awkward bits, such as accommodation and baggage movements were taken care of, so we only needed to enjoy the walk. The Thames path is an easy level walk, with plenty of places to stop en-route for a drink. 6 hours walking daily provided lots of time to chat and catch up with friends.
    - July 2019
    This was our first self-guided tour so I wanted a fairy easy trip in an English speaking country. We have, up 'til now, gone with groups and I was a little nervous of going on our own, but it was such an easy to follow path! We had a great time and I got my confidence up to do more self-guided trips.
    - May 2019
    Well taken care of; no hiccups; everything went very smoothly; accommodations well selected.
    - April 2019
    The only issue with this walk, was us not reading the signs.
    - April 2018
    "I really enjoyed the variety of scenery and sense of history along the way."
    - October 2015
    "A fantastic holiday!"
    - July 2015
    Leave your own review of your Thames Path Walking Holiday with us - add review.
    Booking Request - Thames Path
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    What Happens Next?

    We will check your details and come back to you within two working days with a personalised estimate based on your requirements. We will then formally request a deposit of £150 per person (£100 per person for a single centre break) and book all your arrangements - find out about our full booking process here.

    Please note this does not constitute a booking confirmation, we kindly ask you to refrain from booking any travel until we have confirmed all your arrangements.

    Still Have Questions?

    If you are still unsure on any of your requirements, please do enquire with us first and one of our friendly team will be happy to help you with any queries you have.

    Enquire About Thames Path
    +44 (0)1291 689 774
    Our lines are open: 9am to 5pm (GMT), Monday to Friday
    E-mail
    Sample Accommodations

    Please note: exact accommodation booked will depend on availability.