I S S U E 6 N E W S L E T T E R S U M M E R 2 0 1 7 The natural world: at the Heart of the Matter News for all who enjoy the Thames Path INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Natural World 1 Welcome to the Summer edition of our Thames Path National Trail newsletter. Access and connection to the countryside is of growing importance for our personal health and well being and for that of our communities. Falling in love with the natural world is a good way of ensuring its future health is cared for too and in this newsletter we take a look at various ways we can make this happen. In May the first ever Chilterns Walking Festival took place. The Chilterns Conservation Board offered a great programme of hikes, guided tours and special events across The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In partnership with Hobbs of Henley, Thames Path Trail manager Chilterns Walking Festival 2 Health Walks 3 Trail Overview 4 Volunteer Task Diary 5 Outdoor Classroom 6 Circular Walk 8 End notes 8 Chilterns Walking Fes val 18 September 01 October 2017 Explore new areas of The Chilterns familyfriendly, accessible and inclusive walks in the autumn Walking Fes val follow @n hames Steven Tabbitt and Trails Volunteer Richard Mayon White, offered a boat trip along the river and a walk along the Thames Path. Richard Mayon White reports: Twenty people turned up to take the boat trip along the River Thames to Hambleden lock and then walk back along the Thames Path a lovely way of combining a gentle 2 mile walk with a leisurely viewing of the river. Preparations for the Henley Royal Regatta were in progress and we had a close look at Temple Island where the races start. The yellow flag irises along the water s edge, a nesting swan, great crested grebes and Egyptian geese added interest. It was a good way to introduce people to the joys of walking the Thames Path.
PAGE 2 Walking the Trail We asked trails Volunteer and author Dick Mayon White to tell us about the Health Walks that he leads Photo credit: Dick Mayon_White in Oxford... Walking for Health in Oxford In Oxford, as in many towns and villages there is an active Walking for Health group and events run weekly. There is a regular health walk every Tuesday morning, star ng at Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates, OX1 1BX. The walks o en go along the Thames Path. They are designed for people who want to take some exercise by walking for about 2 3 miles in about an hour. Every one is welcome and there is no charge. Health Walks by the Thames Most people enjoy walking by water the open space and fresh air encourage exercise, while reflected light and the movement of water s mulate the mind. The Thames Path offers a rela vely accessible way to walk by the river, especially where the surface is firm and public transport is good. The volunteers who monitor the Thames Path assessed its suitability for people with restricted mobility, and found that the urban sec ons are excellent. A link has been made with Walking for Health, a na onal scheme for River Thames, Christ Church Meadow, Oxford health walks run by the Ramblers Associa on and MacMillan Cancer Support. The Health Walks are free and everyone is welcome. Their purpose is to provide beneficial outdoor exercise in the company of others. The usual health walks are about 2 2.5 miles long and take about one hour. Every walk has a trained leader who decides on the route considering the condi ons and the wishes of the members of the group. People learn about Health Walks by word of mouth, by referrals from health professionals and through pa ent support groups. As a Na onal Trails volunteer, I have been keen to make the Thames Path accessible to all, especially along the sec ons that have lots of interest. In December 2016, I was trained as a leader for the Walking for Health group that meets once a week in Oxford.
ISSUE 6 PAGE 3 More informa on is on h ps://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/walkfinder/south east/ oxford health walks 0. The weekly walks o en use the Thames Path and are popular some mes as many as 15 people come. With these numbers, a second leader is useful to guide those who want to go at a slower pace or for a shorter distance than the majority. This supports people who are uncertain if they could keep up with others, whilst allowing for those whose fitness is improving to go further and faster. There is a Walking for Health Group in Goring that uses the Thames Path and parts of the Ridgeway. Given the promising start of the Thames Path Walking for Health collabora on, we look to expand the number of volunteers who can lead groups for walks beside the Thames. Circular walks are always popular and we are designing more that use the Thames Path. There are walks of 5 or more miles that link nature reserves in Exploring the Thames Wilderness. One of my favourites is to start at the Head of the River pub by Folly Bridge in Oxford, and walk along the river bank in Christ Church meadows. Go on beside the Cherwell to Magdalen Bridge, and along the Iffley Road to Jackdaw Lane. This takes you to Aston s Eyot with paths beside the river and into The Kidneys and Meadow Lane, reaching Donnington Bridge Road. Either return by crossing Donnington Bridge to the Thames Path and back to Folly Bridge; or con nue along Meadow Lane to Iffley village (good pubs) and cross the river at the lock to get to the Thames Path. Dick Mayon White Walking the Trail Exploring the Thames Wilderness a guide to the natural Thames WARNING! There are hidden beauties revealed in this book which might surprise even the much travelled walker! The River Thames is an o en undiscovered haven of stunning scenery, wonderful wildlife and brilliant natural beauty. As well as the famous stretches passing through our biggest ci es and towns, there is a hidden side to the river wild and natural, but surprisingly accessible. This guidebook, compiled by the two major Thames chari es, contains a wealth of informa on on over 150 of the best places to explore the real Thames wilderness. An essen al source of ideas for days out and handy for on the go, Exploring the Thames Wilderness a guide to the natural Thames opens up the beauty of the Thames to everyone. Wri en by Richard Mayon White, Na onal Trails volunteer who has loved the river for 50 years and Wendy Yorke, Projects Manager for the Thames Rivers Trust who has been involved in community engagement and river restora on for more than 13 years, in the UK and Australia. Copies are available for 10 + postage from Dick M W. Contact him on mayon.white@live.co.uk
ISSUE 6 PAGE 4 Trail Overview Created for the public to enjoy the beau ful landscape with its rich wildlife, flora and fauna, the 184mile long Thames Path Na onal Trail is unique. It is the only long distance path to follow a river for most of its length and it's the iconic River Thames which gives the Trail its character and creates the countryside through which you walk. Star ng in the Cotswolds as a track across water meadows and fields beside the infant River Thames, the Trail passes through villages in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, on surfaced pavements through historic ci es un l finally it passes through the capital, London, to the Thames Barrier in Greenwich. The Thames Path provides a walk alongside the liquid history of a wonderful River. The Thames Path Partnership is responsible for the management, development and promo on of The Thames Path Na onal Trail to ensure a great trail experience for all. It involves a wide range of organisa ons and dedicated Trail volunteers help to maintain the route and keep it to a good standard for all who use it. Plan your day visit or holiday to The Thames Path using our interac ve online map: www.na onaltrail.co.uk/thamespath. Why rush? Pace yourself to the meandering river if you like you can plan to walk the Trail a sec on at a me (there are 15 sec ons ranging from 9 15 miles, see map above) and take days, weeks or even years to complete it! The Thames Path Companion guide lists details of campsites, B&Bs, hotels, self catering co ages and inns around the area. Other useful contacts, such as taxis, hospitals, vets, are provided as well as car park loca ons. It costs 4.95 plus postage and is available from our online shop: www.shop.na onaltrail.co.uk
Volunteer Task Diary PAGE 5 Practical work is carried out along The Thames Path and The Ridgeway to ensure walkers enjoy using it. Work is carried out by the National Trail Team, volunteers, local highway authorities, landowners and contractors. Volunteers are welcome to help maintain the Thames Path by joining the task team led by the National Trail Team. The location and activities for the next 3 months are shown below. Please ensure that you book early as the practical tasks are popular. Locations for tasks may change and volunteer numbers can be limited due to type of task. Volunteer to help with a task by contacting the National Trail Team. Book in advance and as soon as possible. E: nt.volunteers@oxfordshire.gov.uk T: 01865 810211 Volunteering Task Locations for Ridgeway and Thames Path 6 5 14 8 13 1 17 16 3 12 15 4 2 10 9 7 11 Check the map for a task location KEY RWCP = Ridgeway car parks G = Gate S = Strimming M = Mowing TBC = To be confirmed JUNE 1st Sparsholt RWCP 1 6th Grimms Ditch G 2 6th Workshop 3 5th South Stoke M 4 7th Wallingford + 2 Cli on Hampden S 13th Hackpen Hill M 5 12th Workshop 3 19th Ashbury M 1 20th Cricklade + Castle Eaton S 6 26th Lodge hill + Chinnor S 7 21st Uffington M 1 27th Kelmscot M 8 Informa on: thames.path@oxfordshire.gov.uk 31st Princes T:01865 810224 Risborough Volunteers M nt.volunteers@oxfordshire.gov.uk 7 T: 01865 810211 28th Blowingstone M 1 29th Shiplake S 9 Task Dates JULY 3rd Watlington M 10 4th Marlow M 11 5th Letcombe Regis M 12 6th Chimney Meadow M 13 11th Marlow S 11 10th Workshop 3 12th Lechlade + Inglesham S 14 13th Oxford Fiddlers S 15 17th Oxford Osney S 15 18th Gra on M 8 19th TBC 20th Newbridge M + S 16 24th Sonning S 9 25th Snap M 17 26th Idstone M 1 Thames Path National Trails Team E: thames.path@oxfordshire.gov.uk and NTvolunteers@oxfordshire.gov.uk near to you. AUGUST 1st Swinford M + S 3 1st Workshop 3 2nd South Stoke M 4 3rd Wallingford + Cli on Hampden S 2 7th Hackpen Hill M 5 8th Ashbury M1 9th Cricklade + Castle Eaton S + M 6 14th Uffington M 1 15th Kelmscot M 8 16th Blowingstone M 1 17th Chimney M 13 22nd Workshop 3 23rd TBC Whether repor ng by phone or by email, please add a grid reference and a photo is also very useful!
PAGE 6 Along the Ttrail The Thames Path: an awesome outdoor classroom In April and May the Trails Team organised two a ernoon sessions as an introduc on to the Thames Path for children at St Mary and St John Church of England Primary School, in east Oxford. The sessions were designed to fit within the Key Stage 2, year 3 Geography curriculum with the objec ves of exploring local land use, developing mapping skills and placing the Trail within a wider context. St Mary and St John School is a larger than average sized primary school. The introduc on involved leading a group along a 2 mile local stretch of Trail and exploring all that it offers access to Iffley Lock, the birds, flowers, and the ancient meadows. Each class of around 30, 7 8 year old children was accompanied by a Class Teacher, Teaching Assistant, parent helpers, and Trails team Sara and Elaine. The children really engaged in looking for natural and human landmarks using a map and were keen to iden fy these on the maps. We walked through Iffley meadows a BBOWT reserve and a SSSI. Each session brought a different experience. We were lucky to have the opportunity of seeing the lock at Iffley in ac on as a boat went through and the lady boat owner allowed children to press the bu on to open and to shut the lock gates! Back at school, a quiz provided a lively session and we were amazed how much the children had taken in in such a short me. The children undertook some simple mapping tasks with the teacher the following morning based on map/ worksheets we had produced with the assistance of our col
PAGE 7 league Adam, Countryside GIS +Data Management Officer, for Oxfordshire County Council. We really enjoyed mee ng and working with the children and gave out a Thames Path badge to each child and a Thames Path leaflet to take home. Staff and parent feedback about the sessions was very posi ve and the children's feedback was that it was 'awesome'! Although some children were familiar with the path, most did not previously know that it was a Na onal Trail and some had never walked along it at all or explored the meadow. Thanks to the head teacher Mrs Although some children were familiar with the path, most did not previously know that it was a Na onal Trail and some had never walked along it at all or explored the meadow. Along the Trail Burton, and the teaching staff Mrs Pinches and Ms Crocombe and the parent helpers for their support in helping to make the session run smoothly and enjoyably. If you are out along the Thames and spot any interes ng sights, please do get a photo and up load it onto our website www.na onaltrails etc. We d love to hear from you Get in touch to provide feedback and suggest ar cles for future newsle ers. E: nt.volunteers@oxfordshire.gov.uk
PAGE 8 Thames Walk from Marlow to Cookham Walking the Trail Water walk: This stretch of walk is arguably the most beau ful of the Thames Valley with the wooded slopes of Winter Hill rising on the opposite bank as you leave Marlow. In Marlow you will see Marlow suspension bridge designed by William Tierney Clark who designed Hammersmith Bridge in London. This walk gives you fantas c views of Winter Hill and as you near Cookham the path takes you through Cock Marsh, a designated site of special scien fic interest preserved by the Na onal Trust and home to many rare plants. Once in Cookham why not visit to the Stanley Spencer Gallery? Stanley Spencer lived in Cookham most of his life and the village s former Victorian Methodist Chapel has been converted into the gallery where you can see much of the ar st s work exhibited. Refreshments There are plenty of places to stop for a drink or bite to eat in Marlow and Cookham. Length: 5 ½ miles Time: 2¼ hours Train sta ons: Marlow and Cookham Boat trips: During the summer months you can walk in one direc on and get a boat back. See h p://www.salterssteamers.co.uk/ for details
PAGE 9 End Notes THAMES PATH Na onal Trails Office, Speedwell House, Oxford, OX1 1NE Buy this classic enamel pin badge to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this much loved Trail. Perfect for your hat, your rucksack or your lapel, wear it to show your support for the Na onal Trails. NATIONAL TRAILS NEW OFFICE ADDRESS Speedwell House, Oxford, OX1 1NE Our other main contact details remain unchanged Informa on 01865 810224 Volunteers 01865 810211 E: thames.path@oxfordshire.gov.uk W:www.na onaltrail.co.uk/ thamespath NATIONAL TRAILS WORKSHOP The workshop has returned to : Signal Court, Sta on Road, Eynsham, OX29 4TL E: nt.volunteers@oxfordshire.gov.uk LOVE THE TRAIL? A quality mug in a contemporary design lis ng memorable places along the Trails. If you've walked the Trail then it's a must! Maps and guide books also for sale, visit Thames Path website the Na onal Trails Shop