part 6 Thames Path to the Source and Back

So hello one and all, it seems a long time ago since my walking of the Thames path ceased for the winter, at last days getting longer sun getting stronger. March the 1st brought wonderfully warm sunny weather, time to head west I thought. I would at least walk the two and half miles between Culham Lock and Abingdon which I was unable to fit in on my last excursions to the Thames, when I had reached Oxford.

Ahh back to the Thames, waiting for mist to clear 1st march spring is on its way.

I also decided for the first time I would drive to my start position, as the last journey by train from door to start walking had taken almost three hours, as they say a good idea at the time, as a round trip 120 miles, four hours of traffic and cost of replacing a £15.00 window screen wiper blade later, I thought the train journey a much better option, next time.
Allow me to elaborate, I set off deciding to drive via the infamous North Circular, at one set of lights my window screen was set upon by a lady of Eastern European linage she came spraying cleaning liquid even though I waved her away. To try and impress on her how modern cars are built with its own cleaning ability I pressed my wiper activator switch, at the same time she decide it would be fun to grab hold of my left hand side wiper blade. This encouraged my two blades to entwine scrapping across my screen horribly until one snapped, the lights had now changed I leapt from my car to disentangle them. The broken one coming away in my hand I glowered as best as I was able at the six advancing fellow members of her tribe then jumped back into my car to a chorus of hooting vehicles behind me. The lady to be fair did not expect me to turn on my wipers, I guess and she did look crest fallen at what she had done, if not at least the loss of the 50p she may have earned for her endeavors. As I am apt to say "such is life."
The rest of the day was loverly, apart from engine diagnostic light coming on while driving home!! keeping me freaked out about braking down and more cost!!

flock of Canada Gees in the mist

Oh yes one last mishap, my camera ceased to function after only five shots, all in the misty morning, once the sun came out again it refused to co-operate with me. While not being the best of walking days, I enjoyed being back beside the Thames and walking in our loverly countryside. Source here I come.

blossom and green buds begin to push themselves out on trees and shrubs as spring moves forward.

It is now July the 7th 2012, boy it has been a wet spring and summer the wettest June since records began as of yet I have not resumed my Thames path walking. Three things have delayed my foot path-ing one the weather, two finance, as I will need to stay overnight be it in Oxford or elsewhere, and three my camera, which is a story in its own.
I took it for repair the reputable store of "Jacobs Cameras" a professional group digital camera sales and repair shops, in London. They sent it away after being unable to solve the problem after two months I went pick up my repaired camera. Paying the ridiculous price of £216.00 for the rep, the camera to replace would cost £450.00 so went ahead with rep. Tried the camera out in the shop and took about fifteen shots no problem, then left. Two hours later I was back at the shop with the camera with the very same problem. With much apologies they took it back in again to send away. Foolishly I did not demand to be reimbursed my £216.00 thinking all will be well soon.
Five days later they went into administration. It cost me another £140.00 [which my darling daughter Sarah paid] to get my camera back which now works fine [fingers crossed] ha ho such is life, I am in the process of trying to claim my money back from Jacob's administrators, so maybe in five years I will get  a cheque for £50.00.

Ducks visit us on the campsite on reflection they were probably wondering why we were camped on their pond!!!

In the mean time Anne and I have had a great week in Devon.
Where we visited my very good and dear friends Beverley and Mark they live in Exeter and own the land on which they have about eighty allotments one they till and grow the others are let out to local residents. It is right on the side of the River Exe a most fabulous spot to have an allotment full of wildlife and crops.

Wild flowers are abundant and the whole allotments are to be entered into the  "Yellow Book of Open Gardens" 

I enjoy seeing the unusual in the usual can anyone else see the face in this sea washed rock!?

But now back to the Thames it is now September the 12th, where did the summer go, well I shall tell you first there was no real spring, as the rain set in as we went on holiday and did not cease until August. In fact only when the Olympics kicked in did the weather really begin to give us sunshine. I have never watched so much T.V. in my life and especially sport but I was captivated by both the Olympics and the Paralympics and even got to see some of the Paralympics live, pleases see my other blogs if interested.
But at last it all came to an end and London returned to it's old self again. And I  headed to Oxford, I was going to stay overnight again but lack of funds would not permit, so settled for a good day of walking. Then returned home on my three hour train journey door to door including tube ride and over-ground.

On arriving in Oxford I headed to the bus stop to get the number 18 bus to Northmoor village as I figured it was better to walk towards Oxford rathe rather than attempt try to get transport back late in the evening from some place in the middle of nowhere this as it turned out was a grand idea, apart from the bit where the bus did not go into the village and I needed to walk about a mile to find Northmoor and then another mile and half before locating the Thames !! which I eventually and thankfully did.

My first sight of the Thames [towards the west that is] this summer err I mean Autumn. The day was good walking weather, for although the weatherman predicted rain, it held off until about 7.30pm by which time I was back in Oxford stuffing my face in Giraffe's restaurant. 

It was a peaceful and tranquil day, sometimes cloudy but the gentle breeze would soon push them away leaving me to walk with the warming sun at my back.

Above Autumn fruits are ripening should have brought a container to pick and put them in, but settled for eating them as I walked.

 Some one knows how to relax  this was taken near someone's narrow boat on the river

My reflection in the glass, I was taking a photo of the inside of this building as it is made of bails of local hay and straw, which was then plastered over, giving the public a warm dry shelter that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and the environment.

With Oxford on the horizon I pass Godstow Nunnery now a shell where the cattle shelter.

 A flock of wildfowl all the same type some in shade some in sunshine giving their plumage a different look altogether.

My last mile or so before entering Oxford after a great days walk. 

Tuesday the 9th October the day had promised to be sunny, which it was at first, but as I neared Oxford the sky became chock-a-block with grey clouds, still I had my wet gear. I got the bus back to Northmore or should I say outside the village, as only every other bus went into thee village. As walked out the other side down the lane I noticed some footpath signs although they did not indicate to the Thames. I knocked on the door of a house the man assured me I could reach the Thames via them but that it was pretty wet in the fields. Foolishly I laughed and said "No problem I am kited out for such events"It was not just wet but indeed a lake that grew grass. The rain just could not soak away as it was so sodden.

      The above photo was one of the dryer fields, in some places I had back track and go different ways or pick up rocks to lay down stepping-stones. I had my trusty walking boots on which kept out the water unless it was too deep and lapped over the top of my boots, I managed to somehow keep dry feet all day. It became cool and breezy but still enjoyable for all the mud slipping and sliding about. The Thames was high and fast flowing.

Walking north/west or uphill as I think it the wind was in front of me the weather was still warm for all that and I soon worked up a walking sweat.

I was heading for Radcot Lock and bridge where I had intended getting the bus back to either Oxford or Swindon but I only made it to Shifford lock I had started out late and in-fact only resumed my walking proper at 1.30pm plus I had underestimated the distance, I was hoping to cover.  The lock keeper at Shifford strongly advised walking back to New Bridge where the was a main road and a pub, so I had to retrace my steps but at least I would get home that evening at some point.

I was getting very tired and my legs ached as did my back, but I emerged from out of a coppice of trees and a very muddy, slippery, footpath to see in the distance of about half a mile, the bridge and road. The perked me up so I headed on, it was blowing colder now as the sun descended. 

I now only had three fields to cross two swamped, one less so. But now upon which a herd of black cattle had been released, they were not in this field on my outward journey. I had passed many a herd on my travels, although it turned out not like these.

I carried on walking ignoring them, keeping close to the riverbank, as per normal. The cattle which turned out to be about fourteen castrated bulls or bullocks were a few meters away from the edge scattered here and there but as I began passing them they suddenly found me of interest, at first they stood and stared then began, slowly at first, to move in my direction. When suddenly one closest leapt in the air  kicking out its legs like a bucking bronco and snorting. I was not amused and sped up my walking pace, with that so did they and all converging in on me.
 I was about fifty meters from the gate and the next field. Their ambling had become almost a trot, having heard folk tales of people being actually killed by cows, I walked even faster getting ready to brake into a run. At ten meters I knew their attention was definitely about me, for what ever reason be it friendly playfulness or aggression I did not have good feelings about it, so I legged it running hell bound for the gate. It was a spring loaded one, you have never seen one opened so quick and slammed shut again! before in your life. It wasn't until I was about thirty meters into the other field that I stopped, looked back and took this photo of them, they had all crowed around the gate at the fence. I was sure they were trying to work out how to open the gate and get at me.
Ha ho the joys of walking in the English countryside.   

  
The bridge loomed nearer and soon I sat in the pub enjoying a coffee, warmth and soft chair to sit on.
The  locals were helpful but although the bus stop was right outside the pub no one knew of its time tables. On the stop it said every hour, then two hours as it got latter and not even direct to Oxford, it was not looking good. I finished my coffee then went to wait for a bus, three quarters of an hour latter non had arrived as it said they should.
So nothing for it but to stick my thumb out, that is apart from the costly price of a taxi. Within half hour a delightful man stopped and ended up taking me all the way to Oxford where he was giving a lecture to students on negotiation. It turned out he had worked all around the world as a diplomat for the British Foreign Office and was now running himself as an independent advisor [ I interpreted this as a spy, or at least my story writing part of me did] Which ever way, we had a fine chat as he drove, he dropped me of right outside the train station, was I a happy bunny, you bet I was. For as I stood outside the pub earlier I thought it would be midnight before I got home, instead of nine-thirty which was quite late enough, after a tiring and eventful day.

This may be it until Spring 2013 as weather really closing in, as are the nights, catch you later. In the meantime check out some of my short stories, as well as my other riverside walks on this blog.