Abingdon to Clifton Hampden.

By the time we arrived at Clifton Hampden we weren’t that far from Abingdon as the crow flies and were able to catch a bus back. This was the end of our week, the walking has been great and we intend to return to continue sometime in the future.

As I mentioned yesterday Abingdon is full of interest and it was maintained as we left the town bridge on the opposite bank of the Thames. Dog walkers were out in force and we met the lady walker using a boat and husband for backup – she must have been walking at our pace. We were soon in a very rural environment and enjoying the solitude, kites and buzzards were wheeling overhead.

Pleasant Abingdon living.

Rural Thames.

A couple of locks gave us breaks and before long the elegant brick bridge at Clifton came into view.Our main objective before leaving the trail was a celebratory pint in the adjacent Barley Mow. The pub itself was a bit disappointing, as one customer asked  “where is the River?”,  but the beer garden was pleasant enough for a relaxing  drink. Looking back over the week I think quite a few of the riverside pubs have been over-hyped and overpriced, but you come to expect that in the Thames Valley. The village consisted of thatched cottages and a bus whisked us back to Abingdon and on to Oxford. Mel caught a train back home whilst I had time to look around Oxford. First I wanted somewhere to leave my luggage, train and bus stations no longer provide facilities but I found Oxford Backpackers Hostel did for a modest fee, well done them. I wandered without a map amongst the colleges, all of the famous names, and relaxed in the parks. Cycles were everywhere. Very few English voices were heard amongst the tourists or students.

Spot the Gormley.

That was Oxford.

I just caught the last connecting train to Preston.