Thames Path

Thames Path is a UK National Trail that follows the River Thames in England, running from Thames Head near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Woolwich foot tunnel in south-east London. It’s a long walk—about 185 miles / 298 km overall—and is typically completed in stages over roughly 2–3 weeks.

Route character is dominated by the river corridor. In practice, much of the walking uses towpath where it’s available, with diversions where the towpath is missing or where crossings are not available at the original locations.

Between Inglesham and Putney, the route uses the existing Thames towpath wherever possible; elsewhere it picks up available riverside rights of way and other paths so you can keep moving along the Thames. The trail also incorporates diversions where sections of towpath were removed past Windsor Castle, and where there are gaps due to missing ferry/lock crossings.

The Thames Path is predominantly flat, with limited sustained climbing compared with most long-distance routes. The biggest variable is water-related: flooding can affect riverside paths in winter or after heavy rain, and the river becomes tidal downstream from Teddington Lock so some lower path sections can be underwater at spring tides.

Access and logistics are built around frequent towns and services along the river. Common long-distance strategies are to walk in consecutive multi-day blocks, using the rail network and riverside stopping points to break the 185-mile route into manageable segments.

Plan for closures and disruption on the ground: some sections have been closed for long periods, and historically certain crossings have disappeared, forcing reroutes around the Thames at specific points. When mapping your day-to-day mileage, keep flexibility for diversions and potentially flooded stretches.

More information: Booking, Wikipedia, Thames Path