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Meadows, stone villages, and the quiet beginnings of England’s most familiar river
The Thames Path (Cotswolds Section) is a long-distance self-guided walking route following the young River Thames from its source near Kemble through Gloucestershire and into Oxfordshire, linking gentle routes, landscapes, and places as the river gathers strength across meadowland and farmland. This opening stretch of the National Trail traces the river’s earliest course through the Cotswolds before it broadens into the Thames Valley.
Walking here is defined by ease and continuity. The terrain is largely flat, with grassy banks, towpaths, and riverside tracks allowing steady progress without effort. In places the river is little more than a stream, crossing fields and water meadows before slowly widening, shaping both the direction of travel and the rhythm of the day.
The character of the landscape is distinctly rural. Dry-stone walls, hedgerows, and honey-coloured stone villages sit lightly within open countryside. Small towns such as Cricklade and Lechlade appear at natural intervals along the water, connected by locks, bridges, and quiet lanes that reflect centuries of river use and settlement.
As the route approaches Oxfordshire, the valley opens further. Meadows widen, backwaters and grazing fields become more frequent, and the Thames begins to feel recognisably broad and slow-moving. The final miles into Oxford pass college meadows and historic bridges, marking a gentle transition from upland countryside toward the river’s larger journey east.
Unlike busier sections closer to London, this stretch feels inward-looking and calm. It is a route shaped by landscape, water, and small settlements — a steady beginning that reveals the Thames at its simplest and most rural.
Trail Overview
Distance
89 miles / 143 km (Thames Head to Oxford)
Typical time on foot
6–8 days (often walked in sections)
Start
Thames Head, near Kemble, Gloucestershire
Finish
Oxford, Oxfordshire
Terrain
Meadows, riverside paths, towpaths, farmland tracks, and quiet lanes
