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Walking: London to Bristol

craigxcraig

craigxcraig

Prefers 'cxc'
A good mate of mine has asked me to join him a week Tuesday and walk from London to Bristol - we're planning to be in Bristol Sunday 12 to see Ebo Taylor play. This decision ofmine to walk, was made having consumed several pints of pale ale - I got an email the next day from mate telling me how great it's going to be and then I remembered my agreeing to do this... :)

Said mate has no plans, he's going to follow the sun which is very admirable! Having looked I'm thinking Cycle Route 4 will suffice but wonder if there's any other recs - anyone here done it?

Plan to camp along the way, chat to landlords re drinking/eating in their pub, can we camp in garden!

We're leaving Tues 7th, Bristol on the 12th.
 
chilango said:
Thames Path to Goring/Streatly - Just past Reading, then join the Ridgeway and head to Avebury?
Click to expand...

Cheers Chilango - I went to Avebury for the first time a couple of months back and was blown away - the M4 was showing a big delay so turned off and went through Avebury, never knew this place was there! I know the ridgeway so will have a look at this suggestion :)
 
craigxcraig said:
Cheers Chilango - I went to Avebury for the first time a couple of months back and was blown away - the M4 was showing a big delay so turned off and went through Avebury, never knew this place was there! I know the ridgeway so will have a look at this suggestion :)
Click to expand...

Alternatively when you reach Reading you could take the Kennet and Avon path. Gets you to Bristol or Bath or something. Never been on it myself mind.

I've done the Ridgeway, and a fair few chunks of the Thames path though.
 
The Kennet and Avon towpath goes from reading to bath. Its basically route 4. I've done it in a boat but not on foot. Lots of it is very pretty
 
Thanks both - ive been looking at route4 which does look very good. I'm really looking forward to doing this - will be a good adventure :)
 
I've hiked reading to bath along the canal many years ago, I think I did it over 2 or 3 weekends. It wasn't very interesting.

One of the campsites I stopped at was this one, I don't know if it'll be open (its a bit of hike between the canal the campsite)

http://stowfordmanorfarm.co.uk/

(the other was http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Ca...iltshire/Marlborough/Hillview-Park.p3517.html, but it'll be close by the time you set out). I found OS maps can help finding sites, but some places are just a scam to get around planning laws and there's no tent camping


http://www.streetmap.co.uk/ (this website shows a OS map view if you zoom into the place of interest and you can see where campsites are marked)
)
 
Word of warning though - if you follow the sun you're just going to walk around in large ellipses. I'd recommend following one of the following instead:

A map
A compass
The M4
Someone going to Bristol.

Have fun, sounds great. Envious.
 
craigxcraig said:
Been a great day though quite shattered. We're about five miles shy of Windsor (we did bus one stretch!) but hey, we're not trying to break records!

now having a pint, the find a spot to bivvy up...
Click to expand...
You caught a bus ! :mad: ;) how many miles have you walked today ?
 
Hither green to Greenwich. clipper to Embankment then walked embankment to Hampton court and then bus to staines. Walked staines to just short of Windsor - reckon 20 ish miles?

have some photos up on Instagram #londontobristolwalk
 
prunus said:
Word of warning though - if you follow the sun you're just going to walk around in large ellipses. I'd recommend following one of the following instead:

A map
A compass
The M4
Someone going to Bristol.

Have fun, sounds great. Envious.
Click to expand...

very good advice!
 
craigxcraig said:
we have a sheet of a4 with minimal info, we're literally following the sun! We've followed the Thames mostly though cutting across some of the sweeping bends.

planning to get past reading to a place called Goring where we plan to pick up the ridgeway.
Click to expand...

Nice.

Goring has a couple of pubs and shops and then there's nothing on the Ridgeway till you get to Ogbourne St George. You have to detour a couple of miles off it for villages. Not all of which have shops. Plenty of bivvying spots once you're well out of Goring and Streatly though.

The Thames path leading up to Reading is nice.
 
chilango said:
Nice.

Goring has a couple of pubs and shops and then there's nothing on the Ridgeway till you get to Ogbourne St George. You have to detour a couple of miles off it for villages. Not all of which have shops. Plenty of bivvying spots once you're well out of Goring and Streatly though.

The Thames path leading up to Reading is nice.
Click to expand...

Thanks chilango that's really useful info.

The walk from Richmond bar a couple of spots has been fantastic though dreading tmw as weather not looking great.

We've just had a massive feed and now quite tired - we're heading towards Datchet a and hope to find somewhere quiet along the way.
 
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