Due to adopting a pick’n’mix technique for completing the Thames Path this year, I’d already walked from Swinford Bridge to Iffley Lock at the end of April. This left a shortish 7½ mile gap from Newbridge to Swinford Bridge at Eynsham to complete. My plan for today was to walk this section in the morning, followed by Iffley Lock to Abingdon in the afternoon. For my plan to work I would drive from home to Abingdon and park the car there. I would then get the number 15 bus to Newbridge and walk to Swinford Bridge. The bus S1 from Swinford Bridge would quickly get me to Oxford City Centre and from there another bus would take me the short distance to Iffley. Great plan in theory – and one that worked a treat!

 

So, on a rather overcast morning, I set off from Newbridge. This whole section is extremely rural and pretty remote. I think there is only one private house visible between Newbridge and Northmoor Lock. Apart from making sure to carefully follow the Thames Path signs as the path leaves the river for a couple of miles at Bablock Hythe, there isn’t much more to say about this walk. Needless to say, there were plenty of buttercups as well as lambs, goslings and cygnets. Having reached Swinford Bridge on schedule, I only had a short wait for the bus into Oxford.

 

It has to be said that this short section isn’t desperately interesting. For me, the 2 locks and Swinford Bridge itself are the highlights. Swinford is one of my favourite bridges across the Thames.

​