Maureen's walk for MND

 Blog No 32. Walk from Somerford Keynes to Kemble, with Elaine five miles. This is the last stretch of the Thames Path to walk before reaching the Source one and a half miles close to Kemble. The weather was sunny and breeze, excellent walking weather. I explained to Elaine that the Thames Path was actually some distance from Somerford Keynes and that I had not been able to thread my way through the Cotswold Water Park with any confidence. We agreed that our best plan was to do another backwards stretch, to go from Kemble to Somerford, where hopefully the directions would be clearer.  We parked my car up a side road close to where we had seen a sign pointing to the Thames Path. We asked a resident if this was the path that would take us to Somerford and was given sound but complicated directions. We began to follow the Path and fortunately met a dog walker who directed us to cross the road and head in the opposite direction. This was the first of many redirections we encounter...

 Blog No 31, Cricklade to Ashton Keynes.  Sunday 7th September '25.  I walked alone for this stretch. I meant to start at Somerford Keynes but as we drove through the area with the Cotswold lakes on either side of  the road, I realised that this was beyond my wit and wisdom to find my way keeping to the Thames Path, given my experience of lack of signage on other parts of the walk. Jen drove me to Cricklade and I was to meet her in the pub at Ashton Keynes. Later that afternoon we were going to drive to Kemble to find the Thames Head pub to plan the celebration the following Sunday hopefully when I complete the walk. As I begun walking across the field to the Thames it began to rain. I thought a clearing up shower and was reluctant to stop and put on my rain gear. However, getting a bit wet, on went the jacket and the rain miraculously stopped. The right path for a change.   I was fine going through the first meadow and the path directed me to go over a bridge w...

 Blog No 30 the walk from Castle Eaton to Cricklade with Elaine, 4th September '25. As you can see from the title of this blog Elaine and I decided to reverse the stretch and walk back to Cricklade starting in Castle Eaton.  The reason for this is because the Thames Path was poorly signed walking from Lechlade to Castle Eaton and we were hoping that the directions would be clearer to follow in reverse order.  This is the starting point,  The first of many bridges.  It was a beautiful day, not too warm but sunny with a cool breeze just right for showing off some beautiful English countryside. I appeared to be in charge of the photographs for this stretch, not a good idea.   Starting off from Cricklade we quickly found the path close to the Thames and followed it for all of the walk. After about ten minutes into the walk across two fields, we stopped to take a photo of the swans and their one offspring. We were caught up by five men also out enjoying the...

 Blog 29, Walk from Lechlade to Castle Eaton, Tuesday 2nd September '25  I left the house at 8.15 aiming to get to Lechlade to park the car and walk to Castle Eaton where Michael my friend and next door neighbour had arranged to meet me around lunchtime.  I left in lovely sunshine but ten minutes into my journey the heavens opened.  All was well in Lechlade, no rain just cloudy, I set off from Lechlade Bridge and walked through fields close to the river. As I was walking alone I was mindful of the need to take pictures along the way. I also thought it a good opportunity to let my thoughts wander, thinking of Elizabeth.  The river just below the Bridge at Lechlade.  I passed close by a field with a herd of cows, content from a recent milking chewing the grass fresh following a recent rainfall.  Looking across the  field to the trees beyond made it a an idyllic English country scene.  I very soon came to the wooden bridge with a notice warning ...

 Blog No 28, Kelmscot to Lechlade, 5 miles 25th of August, with Elaine. Elaine and I set off with me following in my car which we were going to leave at Kelmscot. When we got to Lechlade and tried to park in the Riverside car park. It was then that I discovered I left my phone at home. It was needed to sign into the parking app advertised. Elaine did not have a parking app or a bank card.  No means of any other form of payment. We quickly left to avoid any charge and parked over the bridge in a car park accepting cards.  We then drove back to Kelmscot in my car to begin our walk. We got going about 10am with no pressure on our time. It is truly quite amazing how vulnerable I felt because I did not have my phone. I have spent years without one, but now it is an expectation to rely on instant contact for any reason whatsoever. Being without it created an anxiety which I shrugged off as it was a lovely morning and we were going to enjoy our walk. We began as I have now come ...

 Blog No 27, Walk with Graham from Tadpole Bridge to Kelmscot, 7 miles Sunday 24th August. Graham has already put out an account of our walk on Facebook plus photos and so I will be taking some of his photos to use for this blog, He also wrote an eloquent description of our walk and so I will try to live up to his interesting account. Here we are again,  We began at Tadpole Bridge It was sunny but with a breeze so good walking conditions. We chatted as we crossed the usual mix of narrow path opening into meadowlands or fields which seem to be marked more frequently with electric fences.  Lovely photos of this section. Soon we reached Rushey Lock, not very busy, but boats were stirring on the river and so no doubt business would be brisk. Reaching the lock was just under a 3rd of the walk we set ourselves. Graham teased me about walking the last 4 miles to Lechlade after Lunch which we were having with his family when we reached Kelmscot.  We then saw Old Man's Bridge...