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Explorer 170. Abingdon,
Wantage & Vale
of White Horse
215 997
3½ miles/ 5.5km
Leisure centre or Riverside Car park
Level, field paths and tracks
Several pubs and tearooms in Lechlade and
The Trout at St Johns Bridge.
Bus service No.77 from
Cirencester
Monday-Saturday
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| Leave the car park and go
into the town centre and the market place. After visiting the church of St
Lawrence follow Shelley's Walk, through the churchyard, past the school
and across a field to follow a hedge lined path to the main road. Turn
right passing The Trout public house and over the St Johns Bridge, one
of the earliest bridges to cross the River Thames built in the 13th
century. |
| Take the small gateway on the
right and follow the steps down to St Johns Lock. Here is a statue of Old
Father Thames brought to the lock side from the head of the River Thames
at Trewsbury Meadow in 1974 after the monument was vandalized. Go past the
lock, through the gate and follow the Thames National Trail to Ha'penny
Bridge. Along the river there is a good view of the church across the
meadow. |
| Go through the arch of the
bridge and continue along the river bank passing a foot bridge over
the river. Just across the river is one of several canal round
houses of the Thames and Severn Canal
which joins the Thames at this point. Continue along the river and over
several stiles to reach a driveway. Turn right along the drive to the
small church of St. John The Baptist at Inglesham. The church was
preserved by William Morris, who lived at nearby Kelmscott
Manor. |
| Retrace the
route back along the river to the foot bridge which is now crossed to go
along the bank of the River Colne, for a short distance and then
right to follow a track to a junction. Go right and follow the well
defined path over several stiles to reach the main road on the outskirts
of the town. Turn right and continue through the town to return to the
car. |
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