New friends – obscure sights – the group divides – clear and present danger – an accident of geography – interest in bridges
2026 has not been an easy one so far. Work challenges, family challenges and my frickin’ house flooding have combined to make everything a bit overwhelming and hard to cope with.
So when we got a sunny Sunday, on a weekend in late April when (thanks to having found a long-term rental) we didn’t have to move between short-term lets, I cajoled Dan into once again acting as my support driver so I could walk some more of the Thames Path1I decided not to start with the traditional ‘this is how long it’s been since I last did the part of the walk’, but I did recalculate my average speed. I’m now making a zippy average speed of just over 1 mile per month….
Demmy was very unhappy about walking over weirs, which we had to do a couple of times on this stretch. I didn’t get a picture of her going over the one at Abingdon lock (we took it at a fast jog), but looking at it from the riverside I guess I see her point.
Abingdon was a popular haunt of the kids when they were smaller, being possessed of a sketchy soft play, a massive play area and a splash park which they loved but which always made me feel rather fretful on account of the large quantities of goose droppings. I hadn’t really noticed before but seen from the river it’s actually a very beautiful old town, as well.
Just outside Abingdon is Culham Bridge, Grade II* listed monument, site of battles and medieval crossing place for the old course of the Thames (now a backwater called Swift Ditch). There’s also a new footbridge, which is where the official Thames Path makes its crossing over the ditch. I planned to use the footbridge and get a picture of Dan on the actual bridge, but, um, vegetation.
The stretch to Culham Lock was short and pleasant, a mixture of fields and patches of woodland. It was nice to walk with the family in the sunshine.
We did at one point come across a “Danger” sign by itself in the middle of the water though, which puzzled me. Was the danger… the sign itself?
At Culham Lock, the others went off to explore the Pendon Museum (which was apparently excellent). The plan was that me and the dog would carry on on foot and meet them at the museum in Long Wittenham, another few miles downriver. This did not at all work, as we shall see.
The riverbank had been well groomed and busy with walkers, joggers and cyclists thus far, but beyond Culham it got a lot wilder and a lot quieter. I only saw two other people, although I did see them several times since they stopped for a picnic and to take pictures and the dog stopped for a drink, a widdle, and finally just to sniff some things.
The day was starting to get a bit warm for Demmy’s tastes by the time we made it to Long Wittenham, which is where I discovered I’d made the sort of minor logistical mistake that can happen to anyone.
On the approach to Clifton Lock, downriver from Long Wittenham, there’s another long cut (Clifton Cut), trimming an extra mile or two of meanders from the main path of the river. The Thames Path follows the cut, and the cut completely bypasses Long Wittenham. In fact, from the Thames Path you’re not even on the right side of the river to get to the Pendon Museum.
Faced with a choice of pushing on to the next bridge and turning back, I opted to carry on (the dog didn’t get a vote).
Clifton Lock was undergoing maintenance and for a short while I was worried we’d have to backtrack after all, but it turned out the path was still open.
From here it was only a little further to our destination, much to the relief of the doggle who was definitely flagging. We finished our walk at Clifton Hampden, enjoying the view of the fabulous bridge as we walked the final stretch.
We met the others at the Barley Mow, a delightful pub just off the river (although sadly requires walking in the main road to reach since the footpath doesn’t stretch that far – I had to carry the dog). Both Demmy and I enjoyed a cool drink in the pleasant beer garden while listening to the boys’ tales of the fun they’d had at Pendon Museum.
| Locations | Abingdon -> Clifton Hampden |
| Time | 2.5 hours |
| Distance | 5.4 miles |
| Cumulative Distance | 67.9 miles |