This part of the Luthien website charts the trip I'm taking in celebration of my 40th Birthday. The idea is to walk the River Thames from the Thames Barrier to the source, a distance of around 180 miles. This is not meant as a test of endurance or fitness. Most walks will be around 10 miles, with time taken out for site-seeing. Some walks will be even shorter (a couple of miles or so) so that I can walk with my family, or with friends with small children. The important thing is to use this as an opportunity to meet up with people I haven't seen for a while. With this in mind, I started the walk with Liz, who until this year I hadn't seen for nearly 11 years.

I will also use this page to record some of the lessons I learn as I go along, starting with:

• Don't be afraid to get in touch with old friends - time seems to soften most memories, and I've been delighted with the enthusiastic response I've had.

• Make sure you have something interesting to do at the end of each stage - Putney Bridge tube is not a fun place to finish. I should have finished that stage at Battersea Park, and visited the Children's Zoo. Tower Bridge was excellent, and so was Ham House.

• We should get out more. In particular, there are loads more things I want to do in London - the Globe, the Cutty Sark, Surrey Docks farm to name a few. Unfortunately the Cutty Sark visit will have to be put on hold for a year or two after the dreadful fire - makes you realise how you shouldn't put things off.

I've included links on this page to all stages, although some are more complete than others. The Thames Path acorn will always bring you back to this page.

If any old friends are reading this site and would like to join me for a walk somewhere, e-mail me at walking@luthien.co.uk and we'll try and meet up. I'm thinking of doing the Ridgeway next, and the Aylesbury Ring (because its local), but am open to other suggestions