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Thames Path Complete (21 Days & 20 Nights)

21 Days & 20 Nights 4.6 Read 31 reviews
  • Follow the Thames Path from its Cotswolds source into the heart of London
  • Iconic sights such as Windsor Castle, Runnymede & Hampton Court Palace
  • Contrasting landscapes from tranquil meadows to the bustling city
  • Admire London’s skyline from the South Bank including Westminster Palace
  • Walk through the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Walk England’s Thames Path, a National Trail, following footpaths through varying landscapes from its rural source in the Cotswolds, all the way into the capital city of London. The Thames is a river that is responsible for London’s very existence and as John Elliott Burns (1858-1943) said, “The Thames is liquid history”. It has inspired authors, poets and painters alike and you can contemplate life and relax whilst walking through serene countryside and past areas of great historic significance, including the city of Oxford and Royal palaces, such as Windsor and Hampton Court. Walk into London’s bustling centre, admiring its incredible skyline and completing the trail at the Thames Barrier in Greenwich, sampling some of England’s best food in cosy pubs en route.
If you would like to walk an English National Trail that is rated moderate with virtually flat walking, following trails from the peaceful countryside into the heart of London and passing sights of historical interest as you go, then this is the tour for you. On this trail the strains and stresses of everyday life will slip away as you stroll along the banks of England’s most iconic river. .

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

Ideal if you have an interest in:

  • Long-Distance Trails

Activity Level & Terrain

The Thames Path is a walk of contrasting terrain, from countryside trails and small country roads to towpaths, riverside paths, plus some city streets, the further into London you get. Due to the flat nature of the area, it sometimes can be prone to waterlogged and boggy paths after any prolonged rainfall.

Please note that depending on where you spend the night, the distances may be at times more or less than listed every day. So please be prepared for longer or shorter walks than listed when necessary.  Also, the distances listed may not be exactly the same as in the guidebook as different gps units do not measure the distances the same (its not an exact science).

Navigation

The Thames Path is relatively well-waymarked. We provide a Thames Path guidebook to assist you in finding your way and GPX tracks are accessible on the Macs Smartphone App, so you can simply follow the route on your phone and have a problem-free day.

Experience & Fitness

Generally, this is easy walking as you are, for the most part, walking alongside the Thames and therefore the elevation gains and losses are minimal. However, walking the complete Thames Path in one stretch is not easy, as you will be walking long distances every day, especially on the 17-day tour. Therefore the 17-day complete trip is rated moderate, simply due to the daily walking distances. The 21-day itinerary has at times been split into shorter sections and is therefore graded easy to moderate.

Accommodations

You will experience a variety of accommodations on this tour from small B&B's and guesthouses, to inns, hotels and comfortable pubs with rooms. Some will be quite simple depending on where they are located and what is available. However, they all offer warm welcomes and traditional hospitality.  In the heart of London, we will be using chain-style hotels. If you request a booking when there is an event on in London, or it is particularly busy, you may be asked to pay a supplement.

On the Thames Path, accommodation choices can be limited along the trail, so if we cannot secure a reservation for you in a particular place you may have to spend 2 nights in one place and we will include a transfer to or from the beginning/end of the walk, whatever is appropriate.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. We also welcome solo walkers on the Thames Path, although you should, of course, take extra care in the outdoors when walking alone.

Meals

A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs or restaurants.

Additional Nights

If you wish to add additional nights along the trail or at the beginning and end of your itinerary please contact us. You may choose to add some rest days, or extra days where there is plenty of opportunity for sightseeing.

Included
  • Overnights in B&B’s, guesthouses, inns, hotels & pubs with rooms
  • Breakfasts
  • Luggage transfers
  • Detailed Information Pack, Guidebook and maps
  • Access to the GPX tracks via the Macs Smartphone App
  • 24/7 telephone support from our UK office
Excluded
  • Travel to Kemble
  • Travel from Greenwich
  • Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
  • Local ferry
  • Taxi transfers or public transport should you wish to skip a stage
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Equipment
Extras
  • Extra nights

When To Go

You can start your Thames Path Complete walk anytime between late April and the beginning of October. It is advised not to walk the beginning sections of the Thames Path too early in the year as there is a risk of flooding on some of the paths as they are next to the river. Please note that if you are doing the complete Thames Path walk it is best to book a long way in advance due to potential availability issues in central London.

Weather and Climate

By nature, the South East of England is prone to varying types of weather throughout the year. Always be prepared for changeable conditions when walking in England. Waterproofs are essential all year round. In the summer months, be prepared for hot weather also - with a lack of shade on the paths (ensure you have sunscreen) and in the shoulder seasons of March or October expect colder temperatures (it’s not a bad idea to pack some gloves or a woolly hat). 

Before you set off each day, it is also important that you pay attention to any weather warnings in place. We recommend visiting https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/  (the UK’s official source for weather warnings). Do not attempt to walk any sections if any serious weather warnings are in place.

Getting to the Start

You can fly into any of the London Airports and easily make your way from any of them (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted) into the centre of London. From London Paddington Station, there is a direct train to Kemble which takes approximately 1H15. For further information on train travel please visit either the Trainline or National Rail websites.

Getting from the End

In Greenwich, there is an overground train station and from here you can make your way to any of the major train stations, generally changing trains at London Bridge and then taking an underground train. To plan your travel in London, visit the Transport for London journey planner.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.  

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

General Information

Flooding and Diversions on the Thames path

The Thames Path is set in a relatively flat location of South east England therefore can be prone to flooding in early spring, during prolonged rainfall or bad weather – this may mean sections of the Thames path (in particular the west section) can become waterlogged or boggy, making progress significantly slower – in extreme cases it may make the path’s impassable. If any section is particularly bad over time, the local authorities will close it off and create a diversion. No matter what year you are due to walk the Thames Path you are likely to find some minor diversions in place (normally this will be a logical path that skirts around the effected section). If there are any major diversions in place, the Macs Adventure team will reach out to you to let you know.

We recommend checking the interactive map on the official trail website that shows the up-to-date trail diversions: https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/thames-path/trail-information/

Equipment

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a daypack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Cirencester & overnight Day 2 Thames Head to Ashton Keynes 7 miles / 12 km Day 3 Ashton Keyes To Cricklade 5 miles / 8 km Day 4 Cricklade to Lechlade 11 miles / 18 km Day 5 Lechlade to Tadpole Bridge 10 miles / 16 km Day 6 Tadpole Bridge to Newbridge 6 miles / 10 km Day 7 Newbridge to Oxford 13 miles / 22 km Day 8 Oxford to Abingdon 9 miles / 14 km Day 9 Abingdon to Dorchester 9 miles / 14 km Day 10 Dorchester to Wallingford/Benson 5 miles / 8 km Day 11 Wallingford/Benson to Pangbourne 11 miles / 18 km Day 12 Pangbourne to Sonning 16 miles / 10 km Day 13 Sonning to Henley-on-Thames 16 miles / 26 km Day 14 Henley-on-Thames to Marlow 9 miles / 14 km Day 15 Marlow to Windsor 14 miles / 23 km Day 16 Windsor to Chertsey Bridge 12 miles / 20 km Day 17 Chertsey Bridge to Kingston-upon-Thames/Hampton Wick 12 miles / 19 km Day 18 Kingston-upon-Thames to Putney Bridge 13 miles / 22 km Day 19 Putney Bridge to London/Tower Bridge 10 miles / 16 km Day 20 London/Tower Bridge to Thames Barrier 11 miles / 18 km Day 21 Onward Travel

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