Starting at Abingdon County Hall Museum, we take Bridge Street to get to the Thames Path, with open fields of wheat. We head to Clifton Hampton, a ‘wonderfully pretty village’ as called by Jerome K. Jerome. Picnic lunch near the 12th century St. Michael & All Angels church, which was refined by the great Victorian architect George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century. (The screen with St Michael at the top surrounded by his angels is a miniature version of those of Hereford (now in the V&A) and Lichfield Cathedrals). Lunch includes a stop at Barley Mow pub (across the bridge) for drinks and toilet.
After lunch, we continue our Thames Path walk to Dorchester. We will pay a short visit to St Birinus Church - St Birinus became the first Bishop of West Sussex as he baptized Cynegils, the King of West Sussex, in the River Thames in AD634.
We then head to Dorchester Abbey Tea room to have drinks and toilets before catching the X40 at Dorchester Bypass stop (15:24, 15:54, 16:34, 17:04) to Reading. Dorchester Abbey, which was founded in 1140, was a prestigious ceremonial center in the Neolithic and Bronze Age.
Warm reminder: There are two fallen trees across the path, you need to bend down over or step over the fallen trees.
Meet at the foyer of Abingdon County Museum, next to Bus #33(High street stop A7), walk 5 mins from Bus X2 ( Coxeters stop)
- Take train at Paddington (at 9:00), OR Reading (at 9:25) and arrive Didcot Parkway (at 9:37),
- then take 9:47 Bus X2 (arrive Coxeters stop at 10:22) OR 9:52 bus #33 (arrive High Street stop A7 at 10:28)(£3 @ and free for Freedom Pass Holder)
- and meet at the foyer of Abingdon County Museum.
- Buy return ticket to Didcot Parkway (or single from Reading to Didcot Parkway if Freedom Pass holder).
- Bring packed lunch and water.