clovelly to hartland quay

May 10, 2015 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

thursday, 7TH MAY 2015

After a filthy day yesterday with heavy rain and blustery gales, today's weather forecast looks to be by far the best of the week with some sunshine, no rain and an end to the ever present gales.

Bude high tide 08:17

Bude low tide 14:36

Today's walk is even shorter than yesterday's but there is very little civilization beyond Hartland Quay until you reach Bude so destination Hartland Quay it is!

I start the walk at the top of Clovelly in the car park next to Clovelly Visitor Centre, leaving via the road. The lanes are full of wild garlic.

I walk down the service road heading in towards Clovelly and immediately come across the friendly Clovelly donkeys in a field.

After stroking the donkeys for a while I continue down the road to Mount Pleasant, where I admire the views overlooking Clovelly.

I head back up the service road and go through a heavy, black gate and walk along a grassy track heading towards the woods.

I enter the woods, passing a shelter, leave the woods and then re-enter them. Hang on a sec! It's started to rain already and I've only just started the walk. I put on my waterproofs but fortunately it's just a shower and they soon come off again.

I reach Angel's Wings, a wooden shelter built in the 19th century by Sir James Hamlyn Williams, a former owner of Clovelly.

I stop for a spot of breakfast and then continue through the woods, admiring all of the bluebells.

I cross a field containing a couple of friendly ponies who proceed to pinch my sandwiches!

The path here is a bit fiddly and I've got lost here before but the signposting seems to be better than I remember and I make it without event to the zig zag path that leads to Mouthmill Beach. Here I come across my first orchids of the day..

I cross a stream over what looks like a brand new bridge to reach Mouthmill Beach. I'm in the middle of nowhere and yet three land rovers pass me by the bridge

The tide is too high for me to be able to walk out onto the bouldery beach over to Blackchurch Rock, a spectacular sea stack with two huge natural rock windows.

Some nutters like to climb this rock for fun!

I climb up a zig zag woodland path through Brownsham Woods where the bluebells are looking amazing and then enjoy the views back to Blackchurch Rock.

I cross fields to reach a sign pointing to the small National Trust car park a little inland.

I walk through more wooded valleys and fields and eventually come to a memorial plaque in memory of the crew of a Wellington bomber which crashed here on the 13th of April 1942.

More fields, a wooded valley and a footbridge lead to a trig point at 498 feet at Chapman Rock. The various wild flowers are looking lovely.

I walk along East Titchberry Cliff which rounds Shipload Bay and I have lovely views to Hartland Point and for the first time this week I can see Lundy! There's no haze obscuring it.

A grassy track climbs above Shipload Bay and passes on the seaward side of Hartland Point Radar, originally built during the Second World War. It is now used for air traffic control of military and civilian aircraft.

The radar is surrounded by fencing and barbed wire and I can see some orchids insde, tantalizingly out of reach. However, I round the corner and come across some much more accessible orchids just next to the path.

I walk down to the car park where there is a refreshment hut and head towards Hartland Point Lighthouse, a grade two listed building. The lighthouse is still listed on the Trinity House website but was sold in 2011 and is now in private ownership.

The path now changes direction and starts to head southwards and becomes a lot rougher and rockier and the season suddenly seems much more advanced.

I pass a memorial to the ship Glenart Castle, torpedoed by a U-boat in 1918.

“In proud and grateful memory of those who gave their lives in the hospital ship Glenart Castle.”

I head over Upright Cliff before dropping into a valley and crossing a footbridge. I climb out of the valley and drop into another one behind Damehole Point where the views over Hartland Quay and towards Cornwall are amazing.

I climb steps up a steep slope and then drop down into another valley and climb again.

I descend into a valley again - this is becoming familiar! - and walk inland past a house and cross a stone bridge over the Abbey River. A little further upriver can be found Hartland Abbey (@HartlandAbbey), a former abbey and now the family home of the Stucley family.

I head back out towards the coast and head across Warren Cliff where there is a square ruined tower and sheep grazing the grass. I can see inland towards the Church of Saint Nectan in the hamlet of Stoke.

I pass Rocket House to reach a road and from here it is a short walk along a track to reach the Hartland Quay Hotel. I head down the road to Hartland Quay passing the Hartland Quay Hotel and the Wreckers' Retreat Bar.

The quay was originally built in the 16th century but swept away in 1887. My walk is at an end and I enjoy the small sandy beach here and marvel at all of the folded rocks.

I trudge back up past the Hartland Quay Hotel again and head for my lift in the car park above the hotel.

That's my walking over for the week!

There's only one way to end the day and that's with a cold bottle of Sharp's Brewery Doombar.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

swallows
donkeys
pheasants
cows
squirrels
primroses
bluebells
japanese knotweed
chiff chaffs
wrens
chaffinches
wild garlic
holly
speckled wood butterflies
peacock butterflies
skylarks
a wall brown butterfly
sheep

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 11.5 miles today which amounts to 27000 steps. EXACTLY 27000 steps!!

Despite a short shower at the start of the day the weather has been great and the walking has been fantastic. Coast path walking doesn't get much better than this. 10 out of 10.

westward ho! to clovelly

May 06, 2015 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

Tuesday, 5th MAY 2015

Today's weather forecast looks to be a bit on the ropey side again. It was chucking it down when I woke and blowing a gale (again!).

Bideford high tide 07:22

Bideford low tide 14:04

I start today's walk back at Westward Ho! where the blustery winds are much higher than the promised 26mph and there's heavy rain. Westward Ho! looks filthy in the rain.

I follow the promenade passing some modern flats on the seafront before walking past a long row of colourful beach huts and then shelter from the wind and rain in a little hut while I prepare all of my equipment. I stumble out of Westward Ho! on grassy slopes before reaching a tarmac path which was once the track bed of the Bideford to Westward Ho! railway. The gorse is in full flower around here and there are lovely views towards Clovelly - well, there would be if the rain wasn't lashing it down and the wind wasn't blowing me all over the place.

At Cornborough Range the old railway track heads off to the left towards Bideford but my path continues along the cliff top and it's time for a roller-coaster ride.

I walk up and down over Cornborough Cliff, Abbotsham Cliff, Green Cliff and then Cockington Cliff. Suddenly I think that I spot a tiny bit of blue sky.

I was right! The winds blow away most of the grey clouds and suddenly it's a beautiful spring day. It's still blustery mind!

The views back to Westward Ho! and over to Clovelly are lovely.

I descend down to Babbacombe Mouth with its rocky and pebbly beach and stop for some breakfast. I admire the wild flowers here which include some bird's-foot-trefoil, dog-violet and sea thrift.

I climb steeply up onto Babbacome Cliff and there are more lovely views before reaching Peppercombe, where there is a pebbly beach. I have the whole beach to myself.

The cliffs at Peppercombe are carved from 280 million year old red Triassic stone (unusual around here) and I have lovely views eastward back towards Westward Ho! and grand sweeping views westward towards Hartland Point. I should be able to see the isle of Lundy on the horizon but it's a bit hazy.

Clovelly can now be clearly seen clinging to the cliffs in the distance.

The spring flowers are lovely and I pass primroses, celandines, dog-violets and plenty more gorse.

I climb steeply out of Peppercombe, admiring the views back from where I've come, and head along wooded slopes. The woods are full of bluebells and wild garlic and chiff chaffs are singing their hearts out everywhere. Even the wind has let up a little.

I descend steeply and gingerly down to the tiny village of Buck's Mills.

On the slipway down to the beach I pass Buck's Mills Cabin, used as an artist’s studio by Judith Ackland and Mary Stella Edwards, from the 1920’s up to the 1970’s. The National Trust became custodians of the Cabin in 2008.

I wander down to the pebbly beach and admire the stream tumbling over the cliff before ascending back up to the village. The coast path climbs uphill between houses to reach Buck's Valley Woods.

The path between Peppercombe and Hobby Drive has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The walking is lovely and chiff chaffs, wrens, robins, blackbirds, great tits and many more birds are singing their hearts out and there are bluebells everywhere.

The path continues, sometimes through woods, sometimes besides woods and there are pheasants everywhere. Eventually the path reaches Hobby Drive and I come across a stone memorial bench …..

“The new portion of road measuring 833 yards was added to The Hobby by Frederick and Christine Hamlyn in the year of Our Lord God 1901.”

This area has inspired artists, including the famous 19th century artist Samuel Palmer, whose work 'A study of Trees' captures the characteristic woodland forms still found in this area. Nope, I've not heard of him either!

The path continues downhill through woods and there are now glimpses of Clovelly through the trees. As I approach Clovelly I come across more and more dog walkers.

I reach the ancient Wrinkleberry Lane and the coast path continues high above Clovelly but it's time for me to visit the village and end today's walk.

The village of Clovelly tumbles 400 feet down a steep hillside from the visitor centre down to the harbour. A shower passes over and I gingerly (my walking boots are more suited to rocks than wet, smooth cobbles!) make my way down the steep cobbled traffic-free (unless you count tourists!) street, passing all of the quaint cottages including the oldest cottage in the village, the former home of "Crazy Kate".

I pass the New Inn where the cobbled village street changes from ”Up-a-long” to “Down-a-long” and peak in to the little alleyways leading off to the left and the right. Charles Dickens stayed at the New Inn in 1860 and wrote about Clovelly.

There are lovely views across Bideford Bay.

I reach the Red Lion Hotel at the bottom of the village and the harbour with a small fleet of fishing boats where I rest for a while. The light rain is soaking my camera.

It's a damp end to a lovely day's walking.

I climb back up through Clovelly and leave through the visitor centre where my lift awaits in the car park.

There's only one way to end the day and that's with a cold bottle of Sharp's Brewery Doombar.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

rabbits
sheep
gorse
red campion
bladder campion
bluebells
dog-violet
bird's-foot-trefoil
pheasants
primroses
chiff chaffs
chaffinches
robins
great tits

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 13.5 miles today which amounts to 31347 steps. Despite a filthy start to the day and a damp end the walking has been great today. Possibly one of the best walks on the coast path. 9 out of 10.

braunton to westward ho!

May 04, 2015 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

Sunday, 3rd MAY 2015

Today's weather forecast looks to be on the ropey side again so I'm expecting rain but at least the wind should be lighter than yesterday.

Barnstaple low tide tide 10:55

Barnstaple high tide 18:45

It's a long, long walk today which, on paper, looks a bit on the boring side, walking largely on old railway tracks. But hey! The birds are singing and the wild flowers are looking almost at their best.

I start the day back at the car park at Velator Quay and walk up to the roundabout at Velator on the way in to Braunton. It starts to rain so I put my waterproofs on but it soon stops and they come off again. Mist clings to the hills around Braunton.

A sign here points to Barnstaple along a tarmac cycleway and there are plenty of signs around showing that the cycleway used to be a railway.

The Barnstaple to Ilfracombe Railway was built in 1874 by the London and South Western Railway as an extension of a rail network that stretched right back to Waterloo Station in London but closed in 1970. The line between Braunton and Barnstaple was subsequently bought by North Devon District Council and made into a footpath and in the late 1980s was upgraded to a cycleway and is now part of National Cycleway Network number 27.

One of the last Summer Saturdays before closure of the line. Shot on 8mm Standard Eight. Silent. These clips are on a new dvd at www.rail-dvd.co.uk/page_2469656.html

The spring flowers are out in all their glory and I see plenty of cow parsley, ferns, dog-violets, bluebells, primroses, wild strawberries, red campion and buttercups.

The walking is easy and I pass RMB Chivenor, home to the RAF Search and Rescue Base for the 22nd Squadron.

I come across my first orchids of the week, early purple orchids.

I pass under bridges and the wooded path gives way to views across the River Taw. I have plenty of cyclists and runners for company as I approach Barnstaple.

I come across some 'dalek zone' graffiti on the path but have no idea what it means.

The route continues by an industrial estate and then I walk underneath the Taw Bridge carrying the A361 where I find more 'dalek zone' graffiti. Kids are playing football on the sports grounds next to the bridge.

I cross Yeo Bridge to reach Barnstaple where I walk across the ancient Long Bridge.

I leave Barnstaple behind me via a tarmac path and come across murals by Mel Saggs in the underpasses.

I join another path along old railway tracks along the south side of the estuary of the River Taw.

The Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company laid the track between Fremington and Barnstaple in 1846 and was originally a goods line operated by horses. The company repackaged itself as the North Devon Railway who then extended the railway through Instow to the original station at Cross Parks at East-the-Water at Bideford. The Bideford Railway Heritage Centre website contains a full history of the railway.

The path is used by plenty of cyclists, joggers and dog walkers.

The path moves away from the river and goes through an old cutting to reach the old Fremington station which now houses the Fremington Quay Cafe and the Fremington Quay Heritage Centre. Fremington Quay was once a bustling port, importing and exporting goods all around the world.

I cross a bridge over a tidal inlet, where I hear curlews, and continue along the trackbed away from the river where I come across more orchids, although there doesn't seem to be as many as I remember from earlier years. Early purple orchids again.

Next to Home Farm Marsh is an upturned boat shelter and I then come across the site of the former Yelland Power Station, once a vast, coal fired power station, built in 1955 and now a dump!

I visit the North Devon Cricket Club (@instowcricket) which I've somehow missed on previous visits as it's tucked away behind the path. The thatched pavilion is a grade 2 listed building dating back to the late 1700s..

I follow the cutting in towards Instow where there's a lovely display of bluebells. I pass through a tunnel and pass a micro-orchard containing a number of fruit and nut trees.

I've reached Instow. The tide is too low for the Instow to Appledore ferry to be running so I'll have to trudge down the River Torridge to Bideford and head back up the other side to Appledore.

There are more signs of railways at Instow and I pass the preserved Instow signalbox and what used to be Instow station but is now home to the North Devon Yacht Club. Next to the signal box is Instow in Bloom's signal box meadow. The meadow contains 'Seat for Four Sleepers', designed and made by Hartland based artist Paul Anderson.

I trudge along the railway trackbed between the Torridge estuary and the road, disturbing more curlews at one point. The wind has picked up and is blowing heavily. I go underneath the bridge of the A39 before reaching the village of East-the-Water where I find the preserved station and signal box, which includes The Railway Carriage Visitor Centre and a restaurant in a restored carriage.

I walk over Long Bridge to reach the town of Bideford. I walk along the quay through Bideford and pass a statue of Charles Kingsley, before walking along a gravel lane to pass under the A39 bridge again.

A fiddly path heads towards Appledore but it is well signposted and the sun has suddenly come out. I pass through Burrough Farm, owned by the National Trust and I'm now in ship building territory. I pass the massive Appledore Shipbuilders to reach the village of Appledore.

I walk along the waterfront and pass the parish church of Saint Mary's.

I reach the older part of Appledore at Irsha Street where I pass the Beaver Inn (@TheBeaverInn). The houses are crammed in here and I take some photos of the house signs.

The Royal George is close to the Beaver Inn but is shut and looking a bit run down. Offers over £300000 anyone?

I pass in front of the lifeboat station but the coast path just past here has been undercut by the storms of 2014 and so I'm diverted onto Torridge Road which leads to Northam Burrows Country Park.

I walk along the grassy banks of the park, where skylarks are singing but it's too windy to do any recording, before climbing over the pebbly ridge to drop down onto the sand exposed at low tide.

It's a pleasant, if very windy, walk along the sandy beach and it is definitely kitesurfing weather. to reach Westward Ho! I watch the kitesurfers before coming ashore at the slipway by the amusement arcade.

It has been quite a trek even if the walking has been easy.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

little egrets
canada geese
primroses
wrens
thrushes
robins
great tits
ferns
orchids
skylarks
wild strawberries
oaks
chaffinches
chiff chaffs
pheasants
bluebells
rabbits
sheep
swallows
bird's-foot-trefoil
apple blossom
oystercatchers
greenfinches
curlews
wagtails
ox eye daisies
orange tip butterflies
navelwort
flag irises
speckled wood butterflies
peacock butterflies

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 24 miles today which amounts to 49139 steps. It's been a long, long old trek today mostly along metalled paths so the walking has been easy. A lovely day's walk. 8 out of 10.

woolacombe to braunton

May 04, 2015 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast PATH

saturday, 2nd may 2015

Today's weather forecast looks to be on the ropey side and I can expect rain, wind and grey skies. It's not going to be a great day for photographs.

Bideford low tide 12:25

Bideford high tide 18:00

It's been far too long but I'm finally back out on the South West Coast Path after an 11 month gap.

A lot of today's walk will be spent trudging along sandy beaches in manky weather, starting with Woolacombe Sand, followed by Putsborough Sand, then Croyde Sand and finally a three mile trudge along Saunton Sands. It's a hard life but someone has to do the walking!

I start the day at Woolacombe where, except for a few dog walkers and joggers, I have the whole beach to myself, Hang on a sec though! There's no way that wind is just 20mph as predicted. It's blowing a gale! I strap my hat on and head towards the sea before trudging along the beach for a good two miles.

The far end of Woolcaombe Sand leads directly into Putsborough Sand. At the end of the beach I leave the sand behind me and pass the refreshment hut before turning right onto a track over Napps Cliff. The views looking back over Putsborough Sand to Woolacombe are usually amazing but not so much today due to the grey skies.

A grassy path goes through several stiles and onwards towards Baggy Point and there are signs of sheep with wool caught in the gorse and pooh everywhere. I hear the sheep but never actually see them. The path becomes a lot rockier around Baggy Point before heading back in the opposite direction towards Croyde Bay where it's difficult to stay upright in the strong wind.

I pass wild flowers on the way to Croyde including bladder campion, gorse and sea thrift.

bladder campion

gorse

sea thrift

I pass a restored pond, built by the Hyde family who were keen conservationists and come across red campion and bluebells. The bluebells look suspiciously like spanish bluebells rather than our more delicate native bluebells.

The path passes a preserved whalebone of a large whale that was washed up on Croyde beach in 1915. They were preserved by the Hyde family who gave Baggy Point to the National Trust in May 1939.

The path joins the road around Croyde Bay but I duck down on to Croyde Sand as soon as I can and head across the sandy beach. It's extremely windy. Although it's still early it's quite busy and there are plenty of surfers enjoying the waves here as well as a load of people playing rugby.

At the far end of the beach I climb a flight of steps and head along the coast before having to walk along the road and then cross the road to follow a grassy path above the road.

I now have lovely, but grey, views overlooking the large expanse of Saunton Sands before climbing down to the road at the Saunton Sands Hotel.

I usually get lost here but this time manage to find the path behind the hotel which even has a coast path sign I haven't noticed before. The path passes a tennis court, adventure playground and putting greens before dropping down to the beach cafe and car park. The official coast path heads inland and across a golf course which is crazy when there are three miles of sandy beach ahead. I flip a coin and the beach wins!

There are colourful beach huts at the start of Saunton Sands which look shabbier than I remember them.

It is quite busy but I soon leave the crowds behind wandering down miles to the sea and then walking along the vast beach.

Braunton Burrows lies behind the beach and it is well worth an exploration if you have the time. Braunton Burrows and the surrounding coastline were declared Britain's first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in November 2002. I might try and come back later in the week.

As the beach approaches the estuary of the rivers Taw and Torridge it changes direction. Blimey! It's now blowing an almighty gale causing the sand to drift across the beach. I don't quite know how Braunton Burrows manages to survive in this wind.

At the end of Saunton Sands i rejoin the official coast path and from here it's a boring walk towards Braunton. I follow an embankment around Horsey Island, built in 1857 to reclaim the marshland. It stinks around here but the skylarks don't seem to mind. The embankment continues inland along the River Caen.

I reach Velator Quay, a rather stinky dump and my destination for the day! Velator Quay was built in 1853 as part of the marsh reclamation scheme and was a bustling little port until the railway arrived in 1874. There are plans to turn Velator Quay into a recreation area but I didn't notice any of the work having started yet.

Tomorrow I will return here and start to see some of the evidence of railways on the long walk to Westward Ho!

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

skylarks
swallows
sheep
cows
red campion
bladder campion
sea thrift
gorse
bluebells
dog-violets

PODCAST

Unfortunately, there's no podcast available for this walk. My recording equipment failed to stand up to the blustery conditions. You can subscribe via the iTunes store to the other podcasts.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 15 miles today which amounts to 32832 steps. It's been a blustery - did I mention the wind? - and grey day today but the rain has somehow managed to stay away. Despite the stinky end to the walk it has been a thoroughly enjoyable day. 8 out of 10.

oxford to abingdon

August 30, 2014 by Mark Seymour in thames path

THAMES PATH

30TH AUGUST 2014

August has been relatively cold and wet but the weather forecast going in to September is much better and today is no exception so I'm expecting the sun to make an appearance and for it to be quite warm today.

The day begins with a train journey from Bristol Parkway to the start of today's walk, Oxford. I walk the short distance from Oxford train station to regain the Thames Path at Osney Bridge. It's a short walk today but I'll crack on anyway and hopefully have a bit of spare time to explore Oxford when I return later on today.

I cross the River Thames over Osney Bridge and head on along the south bank of the river and pass the terraced cottages on East Street.

Here can be found the Punter Inn but it's way too early to be lingering. Instead, I head on, crossing Osney Lock. Himalayan Balsam is invading the river banks here.

I pass an industrial estate, but it's heavily screened by vegetation and walk under a railway bridge. The riverside path curves around Grandpoint Nature Park, created on the site of Oxford's gasworks, and I pass under Gasworks Bridge and then Grandpoint Bridge, both of which are now pedestrian bridges.

My guidebook tells me that I pass an ice rink and then some college residences at Jubilee Terrace, but I don't notice them, before climbing up onto Folly Bridge, a stone bridge carrying the Abingdon road. The bus back from Abingdon will return down this road later on today.

I cross the road at a pedestrian crossing and drop back down on to the river path. I pass Salter's Steamers and Christ Church Meadow, a large area of pasture owned and maintained by Christ Church, over the other side of the river. In the distance I can see the herd of Longhorn cattle grazing on the meadow and I come across some bears enjoying the view.

bears enjoying the view at christ church meadow

My guidebook promises that from here I can see some of the Oxford skyline, including Merton College and the dome of the Radcliffe Camera. In reality the skyline is a long way off and obscured by trees. There is a row of boathouses over the other side of the river and also the swanky, new-ish University College boathouse.

The river is suddenly full of activity with rowing boats and narrow boats everywhere and cyclists going up and down the towpath shouting instructions to the rowers.

I pass (my notes say) Long Bridge Nature Park, but could be Longbridges Nature Park, and then Falcon Rowing and Canoeing Club on the opposite bank of the river, which is a hive of activity.

I cross two more footbridges and leave Oxford behind me. Over a road bridge I reach Iffley Meadows, which, like North Meadow earlier on the path, is full of snakes head fritillaries in the spring. There's no sign of these flowers now. Next door to the meadow is the Isis Boathouse.

I come across the Isis Farmhouse which can only be reached by boat, bike or on foot and seems to have no website that I can find. Not only that but they are also closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday! Not sure how trade is here but it doesn't seem to make for a very good strategy!! Still, there's plenty of benches outside so business must be good.

I reach Iffley Lock which is in full swing and from here my guidebook promises that I can see across to the Norman Iffley Church. I see nothing but trees!

The towpath here is full of flowers even this late in the year so I mount my macro lens onto my camera to capture a few of them.

I continue along the tow path and walk underneath the Oxford ring road bridge which briefly shatters the peace. Some graffiti on the bridge brightens things up and some swallows appear to be nesting under the bridge despite the noise.

A footbridge takes me over Hinksey Stream and immediately I walk under the railway bridge here. I'm now in open meadows owned by the Oxford Preservation Trust, where more fritillaries reside in the spring. I pass some crackling pylons and then a stone telling me when the field was acquired.

After admiring the meadows I head on towards Sandford-on-Thames where I pass the Four Pillars Hotel on the other side of the river. I'll pass the hotel again on the bus trip back to Oxford.

My guidebook tells me that the sound of water should be increasing as I approach Sandford Lasher weir and a memorial column stands on the weir as a reminder that the water is lethal here. Somehow I manage to completely miss the weir! I'll have to revisit some day to try to find it.

The King's Arms can be reached at Sandford Lock by crossing over the lock to the other side of the river and since it's Saturday, there should be a weekly market in the village hall.

I briefly visit the pub and then head back over the other side of the river again and walk past the lock and over a bridge to reach peaceful farmland before reaching the boathouses of Radley College. The boathouse is all locked up and deserted except for a man and his friendly alsatian.

I cross the slipway to the boathouse via a footbridge and continue along the Thames. The footpath here is very muddy and I struggle to stay upright. I hate to think what the path is like in the Winter. I slither my way along the path to reach some more boathouses where Nuneham House can be seen nestling over the other side of the river.

I'm now on the final stretch of today's walk heading towards Abingdon where I enjoy more flowers and some canada geese fly over me, honking away.

I continue along the Thames where the river traffic has increased but I can't really see it through the vegetation. I walk through open meadowland and pass some woods and walk under a railway bridge.

I continue through scrubland and pass two picnic sites to reach the weir at Swift Ditch. The man with his alsatian passes me on his bike.

I follow an inlet slightly inland from the Thames and then regain the river and cross Abbey Stream via a wooden footbridge to reach Abingdon Weir.

I cross the weir and cross the lower lock gates and continue along the towpath with a view of the spire of St Helen's in the distance. I should get a better view of the church on a later walk.

I climb the steps on to Abingdon Bridge to reach my destination for the day.

After a peaceful day, it's rather noisy around here, so I waste no time exploring Abingdon and instead head quickly to the bus stop for the X3 bus back to Oxford.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

ducks
moorhens
himalayan balsam
orange balsam
chicory
greylag geese
swallows
hawthorn
blackberries
water mint
a pheasant
red admirals
speckled wood butterflies
canada geese
amphibious bistort
crab apples
meadow's cranes-bill
purple loosestrife

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

It has been a lovely day's walking today and although it hasn't exactly been a scorcher it also hasn't rained for the first time in quite a few days. According to my phone I've walked 10.4 miles today which amounts to 22388 steps. 8 out of 10.

View oxford to abingdon in a larger map