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 boaters that beyond the bridge there was no place to turn and that it was very shallow. I remembered bringing my own boat to this point some years ago. 

A sign pointing to the Thames Path away from the river across a field which I dutifully followed. I then found myself in another field with no sign of where to go and so I followed a track up the field  as I could see a road on the other side. When I reached the gate there was no pedestrian access only a five bar gate broken but padlocked. I managed to get myself through the broken bars onto the road. A little further on there was a sign to Inglesham Church, but no sign indicating the Thames Path.  I remembered from the map that a path took me along the road to join the river some mile or so along in the middle of Inglesham. 

I took my life in my hands along the road with no path and a sign indicating a speed limit of 50 mph. I survived and reached Inglesham and took a turning past the village notice board down to a path which led to a bridleway. This is where I gave myself a short lesson on how to use Google maps, and managed to locate my position.

I took the bridlepath as indicated and walked for at least a mile before reaching a gate. On the other side of the gate was a notice to Thames Path walkers to return to the bridge and walk to the Path to the Church at Inglesham. I had no alternative but to heed instructions. However I found no bridge or a route back to Inglesham, The path took me through huge fields of maize, taller than myself. My google map showed me that I needed to reach the end of the maize field and turn right passing through the top end of this field.  

I reached a point where the map showed that I had to cross a gully which was approximately five feet deep with no path way down or up the other side. I did see through the trees a path and my map indicated that the river was the far side of the field. I scrambled down clutching tree branches and on reaching the other side I grabbed tufts of grass and tree branches to haul myself up the bank. This took several tries before I successfully landed on all fours where I then crawled to a tree to haul myself to my feet. 

Success! I followed the path and found the river with a wide path but very uneven. making slow progress. This stretch of the river with no amenities, I found I had to pee 'plein aire' I need more practice at this procedures as twice I have had to do this and have ended up with wet socks.  The path led to meadowland and I followed the path to the far side through a gate. All of this time the glimpse of the river was the first I had seen since crossing the fields at Lechlade. 

Through the gate and onto a better smoother path, I met the first people of the day, walkers who were walking from Cricklade to Lechlade. I warned them about the lack of path signs to Lechlade and they said that it was no better going the other way. At this point I had lost the river again and was walking on paths besides fields. 

I continued on through fields with no sign of the river until I came across a road. Trusting instincts rather than logic I turned left as a sign said that the road to the right was closed. I stopped to try to see where I was with Google just as a car came around the corner and stopped. The woman driver wound down her window and asked me if I was 'alright'. I was relieved to see someone who wanted to help and said I thought I was lost and trying to get to Castle Eaton. She invited me to 'hop in' and drove up the road which said it was closed. She took me to a gap in the fields and told me how to get to Castle Eaton. I was extremely grateful to her as I think I would still be in the fields if she hadn't stopped for me. Another mile along the paths and across two bridges I came to another narrow tarmac road. Easy walking but beginning to rain. I knew I was not far from the main road into Castle Eaton and my spirits were high thinking that I was nearing my destination. By this time I realised I had not thought much about Elizabeth as I had been concerned about being lost. 

About a quarter of a mile to Castle Eaton a car came towards me, I stepped into the grass to let it pass when I recognised the number plate as Michael's car. He had come to find me. I thought there must be a God after all. 

We got to the Red Lion Pub in Castle Eaton but it was closed.  Michael watching the mileometer showed me that I would have had to walk another half mile to reach the pub. 

In total I walked 9.44 miles. 

I had promised lunch with Michael and we headed to the Lechlade Garden Centre for soup, crumpet and a hot drink. 

I estimated that my route had taken me at least an hour and a half out of my way.

My next walk is Thursday 4th of September from Castle Eaton to Cricklade and Elaine is accompanying me. She takes great photographs. 

A big thank you to all the people who have contributed to Elizabeth's just giving page. It is a shame that people who have given anonymously I cannot personally thank but just to say how much I appreciate everyone's generosity.