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River
Thames Long Distance Path
Windsor to source (distances in miles)bracketed entries were not used for meals or accommodation but may be useful in alternative plans. Note this is a summer timetable and would not be feasible with short winter days. As time passes all the pubs along the river follow the general trend away from the emphasis on beer to an emphasis on food. All pubs listed serve real ale at time of writing. Cash "Hole in the wall" cash machines (ATM's) will not be found along the path, except by detouring into one of the larger towns like Reading or Oxford. P.T. tells that at Maidenhead Bridge there is a Texaco garage opposite you with a free bank machine. |
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Windsor | 0 | (The
Donkey House,
The Watermans Arms, The Royal Oak) |
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Cookham | 9.95 | ![]() |
Bel
and the Dragon![]() |
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Pub
almost
turned restaurant but still with good beer, excellent staff, scruffy
walkers
can eat in the snug bar! Also The Kings Arms. P.T. tells me that 200m upstream of Bourne End bridge on the Berkshire bank (i.e. just off the path) is a pub called The Bounty. It does basic but reasonable food, muddy boots welcome and you can just use the loo if you want! Only open during weekend afternoons in the winter months but all day in the summer. - access is only on foot or by boat. |
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Night 1 | Aston | 9.75 | ![]() |
The
Flower Pot![]() |
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Well placed pub with accomodation right on the path | |||||||||||
Sonning | 9.1 | ![]() ![]() |
The
Bull Inn Hotel![]() |
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Near
the
church in attractive village
Reading Festival |
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Night 2 | Pangboune | 10.15 | ![]() ![]() |
The
Copper Inn![]() |
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Smart hotel with elegant restaurant and a pleasant bar (cheaper accomodation should be easy to find here if required) Also Swan, Ferryboat, George, Greyhound | |||||||||||
(Goring) | (4.2) | ![]() |
The Catherine Wheel in Goring and The Bull in Streatley | ||||||||
Streatley
also has The Swan Hotel![]() ![]() |
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Cholsey | 8.1 | ![]() ![]() |
The
Beetle and Wedge![]() |
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"The Boathouse" at the "Beetle and Wedge" is really a restaurant, you can buy a drink and they even stock a decent beer, but its really about elegant eating beside the Thames. If you prefer a "normal" pub or all tables are booked continue on until the path turns right towards the river. Go left instead to Cholsey and the "Morning Star", a friendly local (try the stuffed jalapenos! [2001] ). | |||||||||||
Night
3
(option 1) |
Shillingford | 5.5 | ![]() ![]() |
The
Kingfisher Inn
![]() ![]() |
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(Dorchester-Days Lock) | (9) | ![]() |
Chequers | ||||||||
Night
3
(option 2) |
Long Wittenham or Clifton Hampdon |
11.5 | ![]() |
The
Machine Man![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Night
3 options
We stayed at "The Machine Man" in Long Wittenham when it was a pub, now we would plan to stop in Shillingford at the "Kingfisher Inn", right on the path. This shortens the long 19.6 mile day to 13.6, adding the difference to the following 15.8 day, making it 22.3. Rather too long for comfort, but it has the advantage of not having to leave the path and either cut across from Days Lock (extra distance to retrace) or use the dangerous road alongside Clifton Lock. A better plan might be to find accomodation short of Oxford, between Sandford and Iffley, thus shifting the extra miles onto the following short day. Hawkswell House Hotel, across the river at Iffley Lock, is a possibility.The Isis Tavern tell me there is also a B&B "Homeleigh" in Evingdon Road. I would welcome further suggestions or information about any pub with accomodation in this area. .
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Sandford | 9.2* | The Kings Arms | |||||||||
Popular tourist pub at lock | |||||||||||
(Iffley Lock) | (5)* | The
Isis Tavern![]() |
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Riverside pub, cut off from roads, on edge of Oxford | |||||||||||
Night 4 | Oxford | 5.9* | ![]() |
The Cock and Camel | |||||||
*from
Long Wittenham (see Night 3 variations above)
The Cock and Camel is a Youngs owned trendy bar with rooms above accessed from street. Avoid the mushrooms at breakfast! We were too late for dinner in the bar and ate in the "Old Orleans" Cajun chain type restaurant opposite - interesting and not bad at the price! Also "Watermans Arms" |
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(Binsey) | (1) | The
Perch![]() |
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800 year old thatched pub | |||||||||||
(Godstow Lock) | (2) | The
Trout![]() |
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Attractive and busy riverside pub (food untested but looked good). On a more recent visit we found the pub rebuilt with a strong food emphasis at the expense of a lot of its atmosphere and character. | |||||||||||
Swinford | 6.2 | The Talbot Inn | |||||||||
Roadside pub just off the river with a small garden. | |||||||||||
(Bablock Hythe) | The
Ferryman![]() |
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Night 5 | Newbridge | 7.8 | ![]() |
The
Rose Revived![]() |
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Green
King
owned riverside pub with accomodation, "The
Maybush"![]() ![]() |
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Tadpole Bridge | 6.5 | ![]() ![]() |
The
Trout![]() |
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Attractive Cotswold stone riverside pub with newly added accomodation | |||||||||||
(Radcot) | (4) | ![]() |
The
Swan Hotel![]() |
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(Kelmscot) | (7) | ![]() |
The
Plough Inn![]() |
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(St Johns Lock) | (10.4) | The
Trout![]() |
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Night 6 | Lechlade | 10.6 | ![]() |
The
New Inn![]() |
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Busy old coaching inn in attractive Market Square. Helpful landlord. Most rooms in converted stables leading down to its private moorings. | |||||||||||
Castle Eaton | 6.7 | 01285 810280 | The
Red Lion![]() |
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Garden slopes down to infant Thames, river views from bar | |||||||||||
Night 7 | Cricklade | 4.2 | ![]() |
The
Old Bear![]() |
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Locals pub (no food Sundays, but Indian restaurant across street) breakfast at farmhouse kitchen type communal table, one room in pub + three converted stables rooms. Friendly. | |||||||||||
Ashton Keynes | 5.3 | The White Hart | |||||||||
The Plough (on the path) has now closed | |||||||||||
(Somerford Keynes) | (3) | The
Bakers Arms![]() |
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Pleasant pub in attractive affluent village, food untested but menu is a mixture of wholesome traditional and modern british. Beer garden. | |||||||||||
Ewen | (5) | ![]() |
The
Wild Duck![]() |
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Beautiful 15C building with patio garden. Upmarket restaurant but also a good wholesome bar food menu. Drake Island, Ewen. | |||||||||||
Source | 7 | ||||||||||
In total about 130 miles | 2001-2005 |
Good
food. By good food I mean a choice of fish and meat, innovation in the
cooking and good presentation. (Food at all the pubs was acceptable).
The usual disclaimer:
There is of course no guarantee offered that any of this information is
correct, especially as time passes!