Thames Run: Source to Sea

Continuing my strategy of uploading images before writing, so there’s something to see..

I was a little concerned before starting today’s run as I woke up with a still niggling pain in my right heel, which was very tender. I wondered whether I would even be able to run. However, after walking on it a little, masssaging and stretching it, it seemed to calm down. I also decided to wear my spare running shoes, that are a little worn, but very spongy, so good cushioning for my heel…

Today’s run couldn’t have been more different from yesterday’s- It’s amazing what a combination of cooler weather, more shade and easier ground can do. I also definitely made the right decision with the change of shoes. For the first mile and a half I was making up for lost ground, after finishing short of my intended stop point yesterday. This part was easy-going on a level, smooth path, so it didn’t take too long. I was also in a better frame of mind to appreciate the distinctive Oxford University college boat club buildings on the other side of the river, despite the sense of privilege they connote.

This section coming out of Oxford kept me close to the edge of the river, through very green areas, nature reserves and meadows and even onto and through a kind of island close to Sandford on Thames. Back on the river bank proper, the path continued as part of the Oxford Green Belt Way, so more green paths, and meadows to run through. These were surprisingly soft and not too uneven, so they felt relatively easy to run on. A few small bridges here and there made it possible to cross over small tributaries.

It wasn’t until half way at around mile 7, that there was a short detour around a boating community and through some woods, that took me to Abingdon Lock, where I had to cross over to the other side. Initially, this was quite open, with people enjoying river activities in the still warmth of the day and glimpses of sunshine. It did feel quite muggy, but an intermittent soft breeze and less direct sun, made the run feel all the more manageable. I was still stopping to take a photograph to upload to the tracking app every mile, and also to take sips of fluid and bites of energy bars. I’m not good at eating when I’m running, but it’s important to maintain energy levels and hydration.

By mile 10 I was heading for Culham and on the home straight. I knew I would be crossing under a railway bridge at about mile 12, and from there it would only be a couple of miles to my destination. Just before that I had seen a signpost indicating 3 miles to Clifton Hampden, but as usual, when you’re approaching the end of a run, it always seems further than it is. The path continued close to the river, through more green space,  though it was set back a little from the river, to give space to the shrubs and plants growing on its banks.

Reaching Clifton lock, at around 13 .5 miles, told me I wasn’t far from my destination. In fact, the view of the beautiful bridge at Clifton Hampton sat at my horizon line and guided me to the end of the run.

It was only 1.15pm and I was amazed at how smooth this journey had been. I wouldn’t say, easy, but the best run yet.

I started a new strategy of uploading images first, so that there is something to look at, whilst I’m writing. I’m finding that the later I leave it the more tired and slower I get and the less I remember of the day. The last two nights have been a struggle as I was more tired than I thought, but I’m trying to keep to my promise of writing a blog entry every night, even if it’s not great. So here goes…

I wasn’t really looking forward to today’s run as at 21 miles, it was set to be the longest yet. That was not really by design but due to where the nearest campsite was. On top of that I knew that it was going to be a challenge weather-wise, with the temperature set to be even hotter than the previous 2 days and a thunder storm due in the afternoon. In the end, the latter didn’t happen, but for few welcome large drops, just as I had finished the run.

The rest of the day was pretty tough going. It was already very hot when I set off at 10.00 from Tadpole Bridge. Although the route was very pretty, directly beside the river, with the odd barge passing by, as on previous days, there was little shelter from the blazing sun. I felt pretty much recovered from the day before, with only a slight stiffness in my legs, so I didn’t start off too badly. however, the dry uneven ground soon started to weigh heavily underfoot. Due to the heat, I found myself taking more frequent sips from the sweet liquid inside the ‘bladder’ sac in my trail running bag, which as the day went on, whilst they kept me hydrated, really weren’t refreshing at all.

I was trying to make steady progress at least to the half-way point at Bablock Hythe, where there is a caravan park on the banks of the Thames and the official Thames Path makes a detour around it. I had hoped to persuade someone to let me take the route across the park, which was much shorter and was about to venture in, when I saw a sign that said in no uncertain terms, something  like ‘ this is NOT the route for the Thames path.’ This might not have deterred me normally, but I was mindful that we are still living under Covid restrictions, and it would seem disrespectful. Given I was on my longest run yet, I also didn’t want to get so far, only to be made to turn back. So I gritted my teeth and followed the official path.

This took me along a road and then into some fields with sheep and young lambs, so there was some pleasure in the process, but it would be almost 2 miles before I would rejoin the Thames proper. Here, it meanders quite a bit before reaching Pinkhill Lock, where I had to crossover to the south side of the river. It continued to wind its way, bar a short diversion onto the B4044, until a Glamping site at Swineford greeted me, where there were signs for 3.5 miles to Godstow and 5 miles to Oxford.

In normal circumstances these distances wouldn’t have seemed so far, but in the relentless heat of the day, they seemed almost insurmountable. This last stretch was the busiest with many people enjoying the heat, both inside and out of the water. By this time, I really wanted to join them, but ploughed relentlessly on. I was really struggling by the time I approached Oxford and I knew that the nearest stop-point for the campsite was another good couple of miles away. I saw a bridge ahead that I had to cross over, with the name Abington Road, which I remembered from the Campsite address. I decided this would be where I would stop for the day, as I had already reached 21 miles.

I later found out that I should have carried on at least another mile to the next bridge. this won’t make too much difference tomorrow, as it will thankfully be a much shorter run.

Tomorrow’s run will be to Clifton Hampden..

I have now completed the second of 14 days and still in one piece. Feeling a little stiff and sore, as one would expect, but surprisingly less so, than yesterday. Hopefully, this will continue to be the case, as my body gets used to running these daily distances (or not).

Today’s run was more or less the same distance and climate as yesterday’s (about 17 miles and blazing sun), but it couldn’t have been more different in terms of what marked it and it will be interesting to see how each day will be characterised. If yesterday’s theme was  excess water, then today’s was excess cows.

I managed to get a head start by setting off about 5 minutes early. The route out of Castle Eaton was straight forward, apart from where the road bent round to the right and there was also a footpath into a field. The first mile and a bit bypasses the river, and the signs are not so frequent, so I wasn’t clear which path I should take, but luckily a man walking a dog saw me in the right direction.

From there, it wasn’t too long before I was back by the Thames, which had appeared to narrow, but it was only for less than a mile, before I was diverted again around two farms. I think it was at one of these that I had my first encounter with a large herd of cows. As I entered the field I tried to follow the edge, where it seemed to be adjoining the river, but it soon became clear that the cows were also all going in that direction, where there was an open gate into the farm. I found myself cornered at the far edge of the field, not wanting to move for fear of being trampled upon. I think it must have been feeding or milking time, so I just had to wait until they had all passed. It seemed like an incredibly long time, but it must have been about 15-20 minutes. At least it gave me a rest, although at only about 4 miles in, I wasn’t far into the run.

The route stayed very close to the river for the rest of the journey. I was pretty much on my own for the next few miles, until I reached the town Lechlade, which sits on the other side of the bank to the one I was running on, which was part of a riverside park and a popular place to be in today’s warm weather. It was great to see people out and about, but I do prefer it when I am alone.

When running alone,  I feel privileged to be immersed in this landscape and to experience the river in its late spring glory, with everything that accompanies that in terms of wildlife. You are very aware of every sound and of the sounds of life that you never hear or see when you live in a big city like London. There seemed to be an abundance of swans, ducks and geese with their young. I was mindful when passing these, to slow down to a walk, so as not to alarm them and also to protect myself- swans and geese can be quite viscious.

However, it was difficult to fully appreciate these in the growing heat of the sun. Much of the soft ground from the last few weeks’ rain had already dried up in yesterday’s sun, so it was quite hard-going and uneven underfoot. There was very little shade for much of the journey and by mile 12, it had become real struggle. However, there were a few pleasurable moments when the breeze picked up and I could feel it on my skin as I was running.

When I saw a sign at Radcott for another 4 miles to Tadpole Bridge, it seemed like I would never get here. However, I am not one to give up and I was going to continue whatever. I was pleased when I finally reached Rushey Lock, a short distance away from Tadpole Bridge, although the road that led to it seemed like an eternity, but I made it to the Trout Inn, where we had arranged to park our campervan for the night by 2.30pm. At least I knew I would be able to get an ice cold drink to refresh me easily.

I’m writing this having survived the first of fourteen days’ running. Feeling tired and a bit stiff from what turned out to be 17.5 miles, instead of the 16.5 I had planned. An additional unplanned mile is not too bad in the scheme of things, but when you’re tired and running in the blazing sun it makes a difference. I thought I would never get here! I’ve also realised that the Locatoweb tracking app was set to private by mistake, so no-one could see today’ live tracking! I’ve managed to unlock it so all will be well tomorrow. At least Facebook live was working intermittently.

After an initial delay due to a later than planned breakfast and some technical hitches, the run itself began relatively easily, through typically English pasture-like meadows strewn with buttercups. It was still quite cool, with a light breeze, and slightly overcast at around 10.45 as I started at a fairly even pace, heading South East towards Ewen . The river itself was not visible to begin with, so I had to trust the Thames Path signs. These it turned  out were invaluable as markers throughout the route, as try as I might to get a sense of the route beforehand, it’s not the same when you’re there in the place itself.

Quite soon the effects of the last couple of weeks’ relentless rain were very apparent, first from patches of thick mud  in the more shady areas that still hadn’t had a chance to dry and later in waterlogged fields where the river, still shallow, had burst its low lying banks. I don’t mind getting wet feet or even wet ankles or calves, as long as the ground under my feet remains relatively stable. The first of these came about 3 miles in, shortly after bypassing the village of Ewen. It was a case of either wading in mid calf, or turning back and I wasn’t going to do the latter. By this time the weather had started to warm up, so I knew my feet would dry quickly. The second, was much further on after I had woven my way through the beautiful series lakes that are part of a nature reserve , starting at Somerford Keynes, 4 or 5 miles in, and ending at around 11 miles, not far from the Saxon town of Cricklade.

It was in fact just before reaching Cricklade, about 12 miles in, when I encoutered the second of the waterlogged fields and that was something else! Initially I proceeded as I had done before, expecting more or less the same experience. I had to pass with some trepidation, a group of cows with calves, before I reached what was much deeper than I thought. Even though it wasn’t that wide, it looked too dangerous to venture across. I spent some time, turning around in circles getting slightly panicky, before I noticed some people heading my way. I  don’t know whether it was their presence or just the fact that I had no alternative, that made me determined to find a way across. Eventually, I found a somewhat shallower, but wider stretch of water, which looked more or less possible to venture through, but not wthout some caution. I was relieved, to get through, but frustrated that this had added to the time it would take to complete today’s run.

By now, the afternoon heat was on, which would make the stretch to Castle Eaton more difficult. In fact this, very little shade and trying to run through long grass, all contributed to a much slower final few miles, but hey it was never about speed…

Apart from the difficulty of the task and the inevitable pain and stiffness that temporarily comes with it, the pleasure of running through and experiencing this English landscape in the way I did today, is something I would not trade. Looking forward to tomorrow…

I am writing this the night before the start of the start of this epic running journey along the length of the Thames. I’m feeling a mixture of apprehension, nervousness and excitement as I always do when I start these projects, but this one over a period of 14 consecutive days is the longest by far, so it has a sense of the unknown and this is what drives me.

Glad to get here at a reasonable time so I could check out exactly where I will be starting fom tomorrow. I am accompanied by my partner, Richard Allen, who will be driving our hired campervan from location to location, to ensure I have a place to rest and stay after a day’s run. This was planned so near to the reopening of hopitality venues, that it was the only way I could ensure this project could take place. I am indebted to him to agreeing to come on this adventure with me, as much for safety, as for moral support. I will be out running on my own, but I know he won’t be far away, should I get into any difficulty. He, of course can pass the time, whilst I am running, as he likes…

We picked up our trusty high-end hired campervan, Nolan, from Stoke Newington this afternoon. He will be home for the next 14 days, until I complete the run. Where I have been able to, I have booked ouselves into campsites enroute, mainly for security, comfort and hygiene. Tonight however, we have booked into the Thameshead Inn, near Cirencester and about 1/2 a mile from the source, for a bit of additional comfort before the start (and also because their campsite was full- I had fortgotten about the Bank Holiday).

Just before dinner, we took a stroll along a footpath through some meadows just off the busy A429, to the stone that is said to mark the source, at Trewsbery Mead, which has the just about legible inscription: ” The conservators of the River Thames 1856-1974. This stone was placed here to mark the source of the River Thames.”

It is of course a disputed source and other accounts place the true source, 11 miles further north at Seven Springs, at the source of the River Churn. However, this is also identified as a tributary of the Thames, so it is difficult to say with any authority that it is a truer source, than the ‘official’ more popularly known one that we saw this evening.

It was a beautiful warm, sunny evening, quite a change from the relentless rain of a week ago. Let’s hope this bodes well for these next 14 days. I can’t expect it to stay dry for all of that time and I am prepared for all weathers, but I hope there will be some balance in the weather. I hope it won’t be too hot either…

The stroll to the start this evening mainly was to set up the Locatoweb GPS track in the location, so that there is a direct link and it is easier to find. This will take you directly to the live tracking map and page:

https://locatoweb.com/map/single/1808236218

This will be an active live track, as long as I am running. To preserve energy and to make it more interesting, I have decided on a strategy of uploading a photograph of my view in the direction of the river, every mile.

Alongside this, I will be streaming live from my facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/veronique.chance.7

I hope to start as near to 10 am as I can. Next stop is Castle Eaton, approximately 16 miles away, down river…