My Challenge | My Thames Walks 2024

2024 - Grain to Source

2024 - Grain to Source

I decided that for my 2024 challenge I would aim to walk the 232 miles from Grain to the Source of the Thames in 11 stages. This would be 3 stages less than in 2023.

I started my challenge on June 6th 2024 and completed it on July 18th. As hoped for I reached the source in 11 stages. I really don't think I could ever better 11 without losing the enjoyment of actually doing the walking. If you can't enjoy a walk then there's no point!

I've decided that I'll now stop writing a blow-by-blow account of each walk, since I've done this 4 times already and let's face it, the path and its landscape haven't changed greatly since I started in 2020. Obviously, Canary Wharf never stops expanding both horizontally and vertically and the Thames Tideway project is transforming a number of areas resulting in new riverside walks but one day this will finally be complete.

Since completing this challenge in 2024, in 2025 I also walked from Source to Sea in 12 stages. That's 6 times I've completed the trail - surely enough for anyone you'd think! However, with the Thames Path celebrating its 30th year in 2026, maybe I'll slip in 1 more Sea to Source walk this year to celebrate!

Stage 1 - Grain to Gravesend - 6th June 2024

The England Coast Path (or rather King Charles III England Coast Path as it’s now called) section of the Thames Path is officially 47 miles in length. This section starts/ends at Grain Beach on the Isle of Grain. In 2022 and 2023 I broke the 47 miles down into 3 stages – Grain to Cliffe, Cliffe to Greenhithe and Greenhithe to Woolwich. Grain and Cliffe are relatively isolated with each served by a bus service to/from the Medway towns. These bus services make Cliffe a good pla

Stage 2 - Gravesend to Erith - 7th June 2024

I checked out of the Gillingham Premier Inn but left my luggage there. I’d collect this later in the day after my walk. My hope today would be to reach Woolwich but I knew I probably wouldn’t make it that far because at the end of the walk I’d have to get back to the Premier Inn to pick up my luggage and then get home to Northamptonshire. Anyway, after another early breakfast I walked to Gillingham Station and caught a train to Gravesend. It was another cracking morning with

Stage 3 - Erith to Vauxhall Bridge - 9th June 2024

To get back to Erith to start today’s walk, I caught the Elizabeth Line at Farringdon to the end of the line at Abbey Wood. I then got a bus into Erith to rejoin the path where I’d left off 2 days earlier. Today’s walk would take in the last few miles of the England Coast Path as far as the Woolwich Foot Tunnel and then the Thames Path 'proper' would take over taking me past the Thames Barrier, Greenwich, the City and through Central London to Vauxhall. The path to Woolwich i

Stage 4 - Vauxhall Bridge to Teddington Lock - 4th July 2024

Setting off from Vauxhall Bridge 4th stage of my Thames Sea to Source 2024 challenge. This time 18 miles from Vauxhall to Teddington Lock which marks the end of the tidal Thames. The walk takes in 20 bridges if you include Vauxhall & count Teddington Lock as 2 (there are 2 separate bridges). The Thames Path goes past the entrances to both Kew Gardens & National Trust Ham House – great for coffee & cake stops if you have memberships to either or both. I chose to stop at Ham Ho

Stage 5 - Teddington Lock to Windsor - 17th June 2024

Setting off from Teddington Lock 5th stage of my Thames Sea to Source 2024 challenge on an absolutely belting day. This time 25.49 miles from Teddington Lock to Windsor and Eton Bridge. I don't know what was wrong with my camera but the colours were all over the place today. Refurbishment works going on at Teddington Looking downstream from Teddington Teddington Lock & Weirs Duck enjoying the early morning sunshine Kingston Bridge which the Thames Path crosses over Looking up

Stage 6 - Windsor to Henley - 7th May 2024

Setting off from Windsor & Eton Bridge 6th stage of my Thames Sea to Source 2024 challenge on yet another belting day. This time 23.79 miles from Windsor and Eton Bridge to Hanley via the Temple Bridge Closure diversion in Marlow. I did this walk out of sequence in May. It's probably my favourite stage. The Brocas - a large meadow on the Eton side of the river Looking upstream from the Brocas This is as much of Dorney Lake as you can see without leaving the path Dorney Lake D

Stage 7 - Henley to Goring - 20th June 2024

The Thames Path gets diverted almost straight away at Marsh Lock Stage 7 of my 2024 Thames Path challenge to walk from the sea at Grain to the Source near Kemble in 11 stages. 20.57 miles today from Henley to Goring. It was an absolute perfect day, spoilt only by a 35 min delay getting the train back to Henley where my car was parked. Loved the warm sunshine at last. Will have to expose my white knees on the next stage! The Marsh Lock closure results in a long diversion that

Stage 8 - Goring to Abingdon via The Ridgeway - 24th June 2024

Goring Lock Stage 8 of my 2024 Thames Path challenge to walk from the sea at Grain to the Source near Kemble in 11 stages. 20.55 miles today from Goring to Abingdon. I decided to avoid having to walk along the busy main road through Moulsford and Cholsey Nature Reserve by instead walking The Ridgeway route on the other side of the river between Goring and Wallingford. I would then cross back to the Thames Path over the Winterbrook Bridge. Makes for an altogether much more ple

Stage 9 - Abingdon to Swinford Bridge - 25th June 2024

Looking upstream from Abingdon Bridge towards the lock Stage 9 of my 2024 Thames Path challenge to walk from the sea at Grain to the Source near Kemble in 11 stages. 15.83 miles today from Abingdon to Swinford Bridge at Eynsham. To make the final 2 stages a little shorter, I had hoped to get as far as Newbridge - another 7 miles further on - but it turned into such a hot day that in the end I was glad I stopped at Swinford. In fact, despite drinking water like a fish all day,

Stage 10 - Swinford Bridge to Lechlade - 14th July 2024

Swinford Bridge Stage 10 of my 2024 Thames Path challenge to walk from the sea at Grain to the Source near Kemble in 11 stages. 23.76 miles today from Swinford Bridge at Eynsham to Lechlade. It’s a long walk but I’ve done it before so knew it was well within my capabilities. I knew today would be a long day, so I’d need an early start. However, I never expected it would be as long as it turned out to be. After getting up at 5:15 and driving 65 miles to the Seacourt Park & R

Stage 11 - Lechlade to the Source - 18th July 2024

Lechlade The final stage of my 2024 Thames Path challenge to walk from Sea to Source in 11 stages. This was the first time I’d walk from Lechlade to the Source in one go rather than stopping at Cricklade. For this to work I’d have to start from Swindon where I’d get a bus to Highworth (7) and another one to Lechlade (77). However, since 2024 I’ve noticed there is now a number 64 bus that goes to Lechlade without the need to change at Highworth. Just after 9:30 I was in Le