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South of England

The Thames Path – Stage 3 – Goring to The Source (Kemble)

Apr, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct£1399 pp

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SUMMARY

The Thames Path – Stage 3 – Goring to The Source (Kemble)

No. of People: 1

PAYMENT

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TOTAL £999

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Explore England’s most famous river along the iconic Thames Path. Follow the trail as it passes through historic towns with beautiful scenery heading towards the very source of the Thames in the Cotswolds. You won’t find any hills along this trail, making it a great choice for beginners and allowing a lot more time to explore the Capital and surrounding areas of natural beauty.

Stage 3 is the most remote section of the Thames Path. Experience some of the oldest architecture in the region from long-arched bridges and idyllic churches placed in perfectly quaint villages. There is plenty of beautiful wildlife to spot along the way with many reporting sightings of badgers, deer, and the kingfisher. The peak of this walk comes on the last walking day as you reach the very source of the River Thames in Kemble.

Quick Facts

  • 8 nights’ accommodation
  • 8 days walking
  • Guidebook and map provided
  • Daily door to door luggage transfers
  • 24hr on call assistance during your walk if necessary
  • 82.5 miles (133 km) and minimal ascent

About & Details

This versatile trail offers a gentle adventure ready to be enjoyed by walkers of all ages and abilities. 184 miles long in its entirety, there are sections of the path to interest everyone.

We take the stress out of your trip with expert local knowledge, hand-picked accommodation, luggage transfers and detailed support to help you find your way. You will need full walking kit including a waterproof jacket and trousers, a small day sack and comfortable walking boots. You will receive a more detailed kit list upon booking. This trip is based on 2 people sharing, so if you are a solo traveller please contact us for further details and we will be happy to help.

Inclusions

  • 8 nights’ accommodation in a good quality B&B or hotel with en suite or private bathroom and breakfast
  • Luggage transfers each walking day
  • Guidebook and map plus detailed directions to your accommodation from the trail
  • Expert local knowledge and 24-hour emergency assistance during your trip
  • Professional event organisation
Exclusions
  • Travel to the start and finish points of the trip
  • Lunches and evening meals
  • Personal travel insurance (for cancellation, accident, health, emergency evacuation and loss, theft of or damage to baggage and personal effects)
  • Guiding (please contact us if you would like this trip to be guided)

Optional extras

  • Single room supplement £150 per person per night (subject to availability)
  • Solo traveller supplement £150 per person per night
  • Odd number group supplement £150 per group per night may apply if a single room is required
  • Extra night prior to the start (single room) £250 per person
  • Extra night prior to the start (twin room, needs 2 people) £175 per person
  • Extra night at the end of the event (single room) £250 per person
  • Extra night at the end of the event (twin room, needs 2 people) £175 per person

Please select from Optional Extras at checkout.

Getting there and back

By road:

  • Routes from the north: M40, A34, turn off the A34 at Chilton onto Hagbourne Hill, turn right onto A417 to Streatley, turn left onto B4009 into Goring.
  • Routes from the east: M40, turn off onto A404, turn onto A4130, Follow Greys Road out of Henley, take the B481 at Shepherd’s Green, turn right onto A4074, turn left onto Reading Road, left again onto Goring Road, turn right onto B4526 into Goring.
  • Routes from the west: M4, A34, turn off at East Ilsley onto High Street, turn right onto Ilsley Road, drive through Compton, turn left onto B4009 to Westridge Green, turn right and continue along B4009 into Goring.

By public transport: The closest train station is Goring & Streatley station, running on the Great Western railway line.

By air: The nearest airport is Heathrow International Airport.

Getting Away

By public transport: There are frequent train services running from Kemble to London taking just over an hour.

By air: The nearest airports are either Bristol or Birmingham International airport which is served by a number of different airlines.

Evening meals and lunches

You can purchase evening meals either at the accommodation or nearby. When our adventure travel planners send you the schedule with your itinerary you could prearrange directly with the accommodation or during the walk.

For lunches we would suggest bringing some of your own favourite snack bars and then asking the accommodation for a packed lunch for the following day and also supplementing that at stops en-route.

Accommodation

Accommodation is generally at B&B, guest houses and small hotels. Once booked in, your adventure travel planner will send you a list of your booked accommodation. It is possible to adjust according to preference at this stage so please mention it if you wish to change.

Dog-friendly

If you would like to bring your four legged friend, then we will do our best to source dog friendly accommodation. So, it is usually possible but if it were not, then we would suggest a change of date to enable it. There may be a small surcharge for the overnight stays. Therefore, once booked in, please alert your adventure travel planner that you would like to bring your dog and we can proceed from there.

Need a guide?

If you would prefer to have a guide for your walk, even just for one day, then we are happy to help. We can provide a qualified leader (also first aid qualified) to lead your trek or on just one of the sections. Just ask us.
A guide can not only take the stress out of navigation, but you will also find them a great asset in terms of providing an insight into all things environment and nature.

Dates and prices

For available dates please see the ‘book now’ option on the left hand side on desktops or at the bottom on mobiles. You can reserve your space via this route.

After you book

After placing your booking with us, you will in the first instance receive an automated email from our system confirming receipt of your reservation. If you don’t receive it, it is worth checking your spam/clutter folder.

In the process of placing your booking, you will generally set up an access password to our online gateway where you can review the details of the booking.

Your personal adventure travel planner will then be in touch with you to start to confirm the details. This contact will usually be taken up in the working day after receipt of your booking, but may, in busy times, take a little longer. The adventure travel planner will then liaise with you regarding the details of the course. If you have any specific requirements, please do mention it at this stage.

At the end of your trip

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end at some point and when you arrive in Kemble, you have one of several options. If you have not booked an additional night’s stay then we can transfer your luggage to a location of your choice. From there you may have onward travel arranged as per the ‘Getting There and Back’ tab above.

Some people like to treat themselves to a night’s stay in Kemble at the end. And why not? You’ve earned it.  You can arrange this as an optional add on with your adventure travel planner.

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Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Arrival in Goring

    Arrive at your accommodation in Goring.

  • Day 2 – Goring to Wallingford

    As you leave Goring, you will cross the bridge to exit Oxfordshire and reach Streatley on the Berkshire bank. You will wander through the very pretty villages of South Stoke, North Stoke and Moulsford where you will see canal boats frequently floating past. Just outside of North Stoke, you will get a glimpse of the Oxford Brookes University boathouse and beautiful gardens.

    7 miles (11km) and minimal ascent

  • Day 3 – Wallingford to Dorchester

    Take your time today along this short section through Benson and Shillingford where you will then re-join the Thames through stunning water meadows. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the beautiful and famous Dorchester Abbey. They Abbey was built in the 12th century and expanded in the 13th and 14th centuries. It hosts a museum and a tearoom for refreshments too!

    5 miles (8km) and minimal ascent

  • Day 4 – Dorchester to Abingdon

    Today’s walk is rather lonely with it only featuring one riverside village. Be aware that the stretch between Day’s Lock and Clifton Hampden is along flood meadows so they can be waterlogged occasionally in the winter months. As you approach Abingdon, the towpath is opposite to the village with a view of Abingdon School boathouse, erected in 2003 and Europe’s largest oak building.

    9 miles (14.5km) and minimal ascent

  • Day 5 – Abingdon to Oxford

    Along this stretch of the Thames Path, around the village of Radley, you will begin to see many a rowing boat steam past you. As you stroll into Iffley, you will spy the lock, beautiful meadows and the outstanding Iffley church – built in 1170. The towpath becomes firmer and busier on approaching Oxford where there is much more rowing to witness.

    9.5 miles (15km) and minimal ascent

  • Day 6 – Oxford to Newbridge

    The city of Oxford was founded just before the Conquest on land where the Thames briefly divided into streams and is a university city with colleges dating back to 1249. Make sure to find time to briefly explore its many bookshops and cobblestone streets. From today, the Thames Path becomes increasingly remote with only buses for public transport. After you pass Godstow, meaning ‘God’s Place’, you will find the remains of Godstow Abbey and miles of meadows as you reach the river’s most northerly point.

    13.5 miles (21km) and minimal ascent

  • Day 7 – Newbridge to Lechlade

    The river is unspoilt along this remote section of the path. As the longest walking day of this route, there is plenty to see. You will cross Newbridge as you begin your walk today, which is the second oldest bridge on the river, built in 1250. The Tayton stone used on the bridge was used again 400 years later to build St Paul’s Cathedral. As you approach Lechlade, you will encounter St John’s Lock, the first lock on the Thames, built in 1790 and is also home to the ‘Old Father Thames’ statue.

    16 miles (25km) and minimal ascent

  • Day 8 – Lechlade to Cricklade

    Before you set off on the trail today, make sure to visit Lechlade’s landmark church that was so famous that it was mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was known to be one of the best churches in Gloucestershire. The river starts to become narrower and shallow along this section, so much so that only canoes can make it any further upstream. You will pass through Inglesham, known as the site of a lost village where only a church and a farm remain from the 1400s.

    10.5 miles (16km) and minimal ascent

  • Day 9 – Cricklade to The Source (Kemble)

    This final section of the trail provides a slight change in scenery and will send you on a diversion from the river around the lakes in the Cotswold Water Park for around 3 miles. The river’s appearance changes drastically along this section as you approach the dry river bed at Thames Head in Kemble and the end of the Thames Path. This is where your trip with us will end unless you have booked an extra night of accommodation through us in Kemble or nearby Cirencester.

    12 miles (19km) and minimal ascent

Notes

Please note: This itinerary is a guide only. Timings and mileages are approximate.

We will always endeavour to accommodate you in the locations detailed in the above itinerary. Due to very high demand, some accommodation providers may occasionally have limited availability and so we may need to accommodate you in an alternative location, nearby. In this case, we will arrange a taxi transfer for you to take you from the trail to your accommodation and back again the following morning. An additional charge may be payable. We will notify you of this when confirming your booking

The Route

Why book with us

We know you have a choice of companies providing trips for your next adventures. Here are some of the reasons you should choose to travel with Maximum Adventure:

  • We are an established adventure travel business
  • We have been trading since 2002
  • We are financially protected in accordance with the 1992 travel regulation
  • Knowledgeable and available office staff
  • Qualified leaders and guides with ascents ranging from Ben Nevis to Mount Everest
  • All activities are risk assessed
  • We will provide you with the best service available
  • We are aware this is your holiday/your challenge and will do our best to make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience
  • We have many repeat clients stretching back over a number of years
20+ years adventure organisation experience
Full liability & financial protection
Leading provider of high quality adventure challenges
Great team of staff to support you