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Thames Barrier to Tower Bridge with Liz and Stuart
Tower Bridge to Putney, Sue, Thomas, Tanya and Natalie
Putney to Ham House via Kew Gardens
Ham House to Shepperton with Lucy
Shepperton to Laleham with Liz, Chris, Dominic, Maddie and Claire
Laleham to Windsor with Tanya and bump
Windsor to Cookham with Sue
Cookham to Marlow with Marie & Andrew
Marlow to Henley early in the morning
Henley to Pangbourne with Sue
Pangbourne to Wallingford with Sue
Wallingford toClifton Hampden with Ann
Clifton Hampden to Abingdon with David
Abingdon to Oxford in the rain
Oxford to Wolvercote with David, Alison, Francis, Sarah and TIggy
Wolvercote to Farmoor helped by David
Farmoor to Bablock Hythe on Boxing Day
Bablock Hythe to Radcote with Lucy
Radcote to Castle Eaton, sometimes by the river
Castle Eaton to Ashford Keynes with Malcolm and overnight stay
Ashford Keynes to the Source with Malcolm
Thames Path: stage 6 - Laleham to Windsor

After joining me for the walk from the Tate Modern to Lambeth with her two year old, Tanya had bravely said she'd join me for a further walk on her own. Brave because for this walk in June she was 6 months pregnant, and it was a hot, hot day. We started from Laleham park where I'd finished the previous stage.
Malcolm and the boys provided back-up, collecting Tanya from Staines station, and taking us to the start of the stage.
There is an interesting variety of houses along this stretch of the Thames path - from domains not much more than beach huts, to large timber palaces. This round domed house particularly appealed to me.
No herons this time, but a family of crested grebe.

We walked on through Staines, where Tanya tested out a portable French-style toilet. There was some problem with its user interface, but it served the purpose. In Staines I found a shiny sculpture of a swan, and took this photograph of the reflection. The day became warmer as we walked on. Meanwhile, Malcolm and the boys had been on a boat trip from Runnymede, and we arranged to meet at a nearby park for lunch.

It was lovely to see the boys, and after our picnic Malcolm took Tanya back to Staines station for her journey back to London. I walked on past the sunbathers at Runnymede, and across the Albert Bridge towards Datchet. The path became much thicker and more isolated, with innumerable dragon flies clouding the air.

Perhaps when Prince Charles becomes king he will re-enstate the Thames Path on the correct side of the river between the Albert and Victoria bridges, alongside the park attached to Windsor Castle. Instead, I was forced along this almost non-existent path in Datchet, and frustratingly kept away from the river by private river side gardens, many of which from the appearance of the overgrown weeds around the gates looked as is they are never used. The way back onto the path is not even signposted, and initially I walked past it, along the B470, before noticing a cyclist disappear into what I had believed to be a private garden. I was able to return the favour later when the young male cyclist asked me to carry his bike up the steps onto Victoria Bridge!
Victoria Bridge represented a move back to the Windsor side of the river, and offers views of Eton College. By now I was beginning to feel the heat, and was glad shortly to be able to see Windsor castle in the distance.
I had planned to walk to the far end of Windsor, but noticing that the Thames Path actually crosses the bridge to Eton I realised there was no point so I re-arranged with Malcolm to meet near the Riverside railway station. In the meantime, I had a few minutes to sit in some shade, finish my water, and watch the river rolling past.