Day 4 - 23rd November 2013 - Castle Eaton to Lechlade

This stretch of The Path is the only one on its whole length that touches the Thames only briefly. Elsewhere there are other short absences but about 5 of this 6 mile stretch are up to half a mile away. And one of the miles is along the verge of a busy main road. I expected all of this would diminish the pleasure of the walk - not so. I found interesting things to photograph, particularly the crab apples in the ditch and the 13th century church at Inglesham. Half a mile east of Lechlade is the Inglesham Roundhouse at the start of the long defunct Thames and Severn canal. From this point onwards the Thames is navigable and after 23 boat free miles from the source it comes as a surprise to see boats galore.

Crab Apple Ditch

Kelvin Wake

Inglesham Church - Box Pews

Inglesham Church - Font and Box Pews

Inglesham Church

Day 3 - 16th November 2013 - North Meadow NNR to Castle Eaton

A very dull grey day with a frosty start made it a challenge to find photographs of merit. The only sight of the sun was a very brief one soon after sunrise as the mist lifted and just before the thick grey cloud arrived. The Thames is now flowing vigorously through the relatively featureless landscape. I suspect more of the same on the next stretch as far as Lechlade.

Misty Pond 

Frosted Stinging Nettle

A Glimpse of the Sun 

Three Teazels 

Weeping Willow 

St Sampson's - Cricklade

Day 2 - 30th October 2013 - Photographs

It seems that I'm taking far more photographs of and about water than I expected. Infinite image possibilities. And the dead fox is a little different from my usual subject matter.

Red Leaf

Superficial

Debris Catcher

Watery Grave

Conker Leaf

Day 2 - 30th October 2013 - Neigh Bridge to North Meadow NNR

My second day on the Thames Path gave me the opportunity to test my newly repaired camera. I noticed an intermittent but serious focussing fault whilst on a photography holiday earlier in October in New England. Fortunately it occurred near the end of the trip. Camera equipment isn't cheap to have fixed - this cost me £365 for a full service and replacement parts for the broken lens' image stabilisation mechanism. But the camera is now back to doing its job correctly - so I now only have myself to blame for poor focus! I'm in the process of replacing my ageing PC with a Mac, and whilst that transition is in progress the images from this day's hike will be delayed for another few days; they'll appear as the next post. Unlike on my first day's hike, there was plenty of water flowing after the recent wet weather.