I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of walking the Thames Path in 2020. Quite apart from the sights I saw, I came across so many lovely people along the way, be they fellow walkers, lock keepers or boatowners.

 

In spring 2021 I intended to walk other National Trails but due to distances from my home & the ongoing COVID lockdown affecting my ability to stay away in B&Bs, I decided instead to walk the Thames Path again. However, this time I would walk from the source to the Thames Barrier. Other than what I call the “big 3” walks from the source to Newbridge, I could easily do all stages as day trips from my home. The big 3 would necessitate overnight stays. Anxious however to get started, I decided I’d adopt a “pick’n’mix” approach to walking the stages in no particular order at all and started in April with Staines to Hampton Court. In 2020, I completed the 184 miles over 19 days between January & July. My challenge for 2021 would be to complete the path in fewer stages and I succeeded by completing it over 16 days, mainly in June and July.

 

Rather than laboriously describing in detail each walk as I did in 2020, this time I have summarised each one with a number of photos from that walk. Click or tap on any of the following photos to be directed to the pages of individual walks. As with my 2020 walks, my 2021 walks are best viewed on a PC or tablet.

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In 2020, lockdowns meant that I saw very little of the Thames in spring or early summer. In 2021 I was lucky to see so many spring flowers – especially buttercups! ​Also in July 2021, I was fortunate to experience Swan Upping first hand. Swan Upping is the annual census of the swan population on a particular stretch of the River Thames. I have added a separate page for this, as well as a page for the Thames bridges in London at night. 

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For 2022 my intention is to complete the 232 miles Sea to Source trail from Grain to the source, by including the newly opened section of the England Coast Path between Grain and Woolwich.