Thames Path South East Section

Walk the Thames Path through South East England

The Thames Path South East Section follows the River Thames for 100 miles from Oxford to Richmond. Crossing South East England, the route follows the river through the Thames Valley, connecting historic towns, villages, countryside and increasingly developed riverside landscapes on the approach to London.

Leaving Oxford, the Thames Path follows the river south through meadows and open countryside towards Abingdon. The route continues through a largely rural landscape, passing locks, bridges and riverside communities as the Thames gradually broadens on its journey downstream.

Beyond Abingdon, the trail continues towards Wallingford and Goring, with long stretches of riverside walking between historic settlements. Around Goring, the Thames passes through the gap between the Chilterns National Landscape and the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, creating one of the most distinctive landscape transitions along the middle Thames.

From Goring, the path continues through the Thames Valley towards Pangbourne, Reading and Henley-on-Thames. The river becomes increasingly prominent as a navigable waterway, with locks, bridges, riverside houses and settlements appearing more frequently along the route.

Henley-on-Thames is one of the principal destinations on this section, after which the trail continues towards Marlow and Maidenhead. The route remains closely associated with the river, passing a mixture of wooded banks, open countryside, parkland and developed waterfronts.

Further downstream, the Thames Path reaches Windsor before continuing towards Staines-upon-Thames and Hampton Court. The character of the route gradually becomes more urban, although parks, historic estates and stretches of open riverside landscape remain an important part of the walk.

The section finishes at Richmond, marking the transition from the Thames Valley into the London section of the trail. From here, the Thames Path continues through the capital towards Westminster, Greenwich and the Thames Barrier at Woolwich.

Across the section, destinations including Oxford, Abingdon, Wallingford, Henley-on-Thames, Marlow, Windsor and Richmond provide useful bases for exploring individual stretches of the Thames as well as stopping points for walkers following the route.

Overview

Distance: 100 miles / 161 km
Typical duration: 7–10 walking days
Difficulty: Easy-going
Start: Oxford
Finish: Richmond
Terrain: Riverside paths, towpaths, grassy meadows, woodland, parkland and urban riverside paths
Waymarking: National Trail acorn symbols throughout

EXPLORE THE THAMES PATH

Continue Exploring the Thames Path

Explore the complete 183-mile Thames Path from the source near Kemble to the Thames Barrier at Woolwich, or discover another section of the trail.

Thames Path

Follow the complete 183-mile Thames Path from the source of the River Thames near Kemble to the Thames Barrier in London.

Thames Path Cotswolds Section

Follow the upper Thames for 54 miles from its source near Kemble through the Cotswolds and rural river landscapes to Oxford.

Thames Path London Section

Continue along the Thames for 29 miles from Richmond through central London and Greenwich to the Thames Barrier at Woolwich.