David Shoulder - Isle of Wight: #SourceoftheRiverThames

It is late September. I am just back from a couple of days walking on the Thames Path (sort of) with my friend Jo.

The Thames Path is a designated route that follows the River Thames - the second longest river in the UK and of course our most iconic river. It starts at a point specified as "The Source of the River Thames" which is near the village of Kemble in the Cotswolds - the county of Gloucestershire. It then flows roughly east until it runs into the sea on the other side of London - a journey of over 200 miles.

Our plan is to start at the source - walk the 12 miles to Cricklade for an overnight stop and then a similar distance the next day to Lechlade. Our plan is simple. I drive up to Salisbury to meet Jo and we drive in convoy to Lechlade. We park up Jo's car in Lechlade (to be available at the finish) and I drive us on to the nearest practical parking point for the source start which turns out to be Kemble Railway Station. This is the plan maybe made a couple of weeks earlier ! Alas the rain that came.

There has been a lot of rain and a lot of flooding. Jo raised the issue with me a few days before we were due to go. A check revealed there was no flooding in the area and I had a sort of summit fever - I wanted to do what we said we were going to do - ha! Logically I thought the upper Thames was likely to have less chance of flooding than lower down the river (and we were not going there !)

The plan goes well and we get to "the source of the River Thames" quite easily apart from a skirmish with a field of sweetcorn - ha! The source made us laugh. It was rather an unassuming place - marked by a stone and a few rocks surrounding a dry spring. It was not at the highest point in the surrounding land so we were not totally convinced - but I think it is where water can first emerge from the ground. On this day there was no spring, no water and no actual evidence of a river. It was also sunny. Walking back across the fields and the road however it is not long before a small stream emerges. It was a good place to be - quiet, rural and scenic - although surprisingly flat. The River Thames is definitely not formed on a mountain and the valley is not pronounced.

Anyway we make quite good and easy progress - mainly on grass tracks. There are puddles and some surface water - but nothing our hiking boots cannot cope with. We peel off layers - it is warm. The River Thames is often less than a stream and we quite often lose it but the walking is pleasant.

However as the day progresses we come across more puddles on the footpath and eventually we come across a stretch of flooded path. We have a laugh as I piggy back Jo across in order that only one of us gets water in their boots ! We are not particularly daunted but the weather while mild deteriorates to steady rain. Increasingly we come across flooded paths and in the end Jo has to dip her feet in too (otherwise I would be carrying her to Cricklade !)

To cut a long story short we get very wet. There is some need for care when dealing with flooding - falling down a hole or perhaps stepping into the river - but it was never that bad. We did however get to thigh height at one point - thankfully as we were getting to Cricklade.

We stayed at The Vale Hotel on the High Street and really enjoyed the place. It offered everything we wanted - to dry out - a good hot shower - real ale and excellent food (Indian and Kenyan themed). We laugh over the day. We are pleased with ourselves. It was good to be out there but admittedly we saw no one else doing it - ha!

We had a fun full English at C & R Greengrocers in the High Street in the morning. The place is hard to describe - like going back in time to the 1960's. The locals were very friendly but very local. For instance - several had lived there all their lives but had never walked on the Thames Path ! There was some discussion about the good sense of walking to Lechlade given the rain but they didn't really know whether it would be flooded or not but why would you want to do it anyway ?!

We set out - not raining - the Thames is more evident - wider - we walk maybe 2 miles along it. Nice rural scenery. However the path becomes often just a track across a field - flat. It is now raining. The flooding is increasingly extensive. We walk on - picking our way across to avoid the worst - but we come to what looks like a lake - where is the river? Lets say we get through - whats next - we still have 8 miles or more to go. Eventually and reluctantly we conclude it would be foolhardy to continue on the Thames Path. We retrace our tracks and find our way to tarmac. We walk in the general direction to Lechlade but the road is surprisingly busy and the rain is heavy - not pleasant and actually not that safe. Eventually we get to a pub at Castle Eaton. The Thames there has definitely burst its banks and we are told the river is higher than they can ever remember. Our only realistic option is to road walk and that is longer and it is busy. I am not keen to proceed and Jo against her natural inclination agrees. We get an expensive taxi to Lechlade to pick up Jo's car. We can see from the ride that water is everywhere and we reconcile our decision as a good one.

And then some real nonsense. Unbelievable. I cannot find my car key !! We triple unpack and repack. I cannot understand it. We drive to our hotel in Cricklade and the few places we stopped. No sign. What an absolute bummer. The outcome - Jo drives me to Portsmouth before returning home to Salisbury. I buy a return Cat ticket - get my spare key - and next morning a long 3 change rail journey back to Kemble to pick up my car ! Another day gone and about £70 worse off - ha ha! You are never too old to learn a lesson !

We had a lot of fun. Not necessarily the best judged decision given the weather - but we got out there. We are really glad we did it and we have both been to the "Source of the River Thames ! Have you - ha ha!?