Keep an eye out for the longest ever wisteria vine in Dorchester High Street.

In overcast weather we strode on from Didcot Station, with 1 Ealing B'way-originating walker having not read the walk post properly and failing to change at Slough off the stopping service, ie being a scheduled 20 minutes behind. After further delays en route, she took a taxi from the station to Long Wittenham and awaited the group there, managing to nab a free tea and some biscuits off some friendly locals while waiting. The group itself took longer than hoped for to get to Long Wittenham, on account of A - the 'leaders' following the gpx in reverse initially, and B - then all running into a blocked off right of way after crossing Appleford Road. The cyclepath onwards was being re-engineered and tarmac-ed. The SWC being what it is, we climbed over fences and trees to get around the barriers and keep on along the normal route, assuming that there surely wouldn't be any workers there anyway on a Saturday. Not so. After overcoming another barrier blocking a bridge over a stream, we faced the sight of various JCB equipment being worked by a handful of council employees, a bit further downpath. A Plan B was needed, and duly implemented: turn right and follow hedges and field boundaries to a public bridleway further east and take it from there. Plentiful mud was accumulated doing so, but to Long Wittenham we got, eventually.

The Thames-side section has seen some changes, including a long boardwalk across a mud-prone section, and also plentiful works on creating a flood-mellowing, lapwing-breeding-supporting area (funded by the EU, of course), it mainly being fenced-off new ponds, which means that cattle are kept out from that stretch, ie not much mud there. [Generally, mud wasn't much of a problem today.]

In Dorchester, we found the Fleur de Lys closed w/o explanation, so the lunchers gave The George a go, which was a very nice spot indeed: Greek-Cypriot cuisine in a more-than-400-years old Coaching Inn. And with a very lovely ale from Abbingdon. We stayed for close to an hour and a half.

On to the Abbey, then the church in Little Wittenham. I then explored a possible extension to the route through Little Wittenham Wood and only caught up with the rest close to Didcot Station. On the descending approach to Ladygrove Farm, one can see that prime-commuter town Didcot is mushrooming out of the confines of the northerly bypass road: all the fields west of Lady Grove Road are being built on (Nobel Park, Willowbrook Park, where do they find those names for all those anonymous estates?), with the dreaded 'Planning Notice - May affect Right of Way' notice hung up on the gate to Ladygrove Farm. As it is, the line of the footpath is not and will not be affected, but the former mud-prone field boundaries are now engineered sandy paths to the left of some new housing. Maybe even a win?

As for 'group cohesion' (the lack of which was famously bemoaned in a recent comment on a Wednesday walk), it was typical SWC stuff: 5 lunchers, joined by 3 picknickers. 2 other picknickers did the full walk w/o joining the lunchers. 4 shortcutters (an improvised shortcut from Long Wittenham to Little Wittenham along a road and into Dorchester, they arrived there just minutes before the main group), 2 of which then took a bus to Wallingford for a bit of a mosey, then another bus to Didcot to meet up again with the other 2 shortcutters. Those other 2 had bumped into another walker that had started from Appledore (with a dog). 1 walker had cut out just the tiny loop into/out of Dorchester after crossing the Thames. 16 and a dog, all on the 16.15 and 16.56 trains (minus the car driver and dog from Appledore).

For the benefit of travellers intending to go to Didcot Parkway I’ve now checked the TFL website to find that none of the trains stopping at Ealing Broadway on a Saturday at least actually go direct to Didcot despite saying that Didcot is the destination. They stop at Reading and separate adding at least 20 minutes to one’s journey. Thus a change is required at Slough to connect with a faster train. Also none of the trains are TFL and not free to Reading on a Freedom Pass. Tickets required from West Drayton. It would have been helpful to have this explanation from our super efficient walk poster before buying a ticket and catching a useless train to Didcot which didn’t arrive at the same time as the group. I’ve never traveled to Didcot before so wasn’t aware of this ridiculous anomaly. You have been warned!!

Well, Marion, that's why the walk post said "change at Slough", if starting from Ealing, as the stopping service would arrive much later. I don't think punters should expect walk posters to engage in detailed analysis of the intricacies of dealing with Senior Railcards or Freedom Passes validities' and ticketing arrangements. The users of those are best placed to know or guess what's what themselves.

Just 4 on this walk, split between the fast and slow train. Both made the connection to Appleford despite some slow running. But it was a tight connection for the slow train and we hope no one was left behind.

It was my first time on this walk, which as someone else commented was definitely not commuter belt territory. There were lots of small white butterflies, plenty of seeding thistle, and a nice stretch along the river in the morning. The weather was brightish cloud , though with some sun in the afternoon.

At lunch one left us to meet friends. One picnicked. The other two found the Fleur-de-Lis shut, while the George looked a bit posh. We went instead to the White Hart, whose lunch menu was burgers, panini and pizza - plus fish and chips, which I had. My companion at first got a dusty answer to her request for vegan options but was then served with a vegetable risotto that was reported nourishing but tasteless.

Dorchester-upon-Thames is not a complete vegan desert, however. After lunch we visited the Abbey and found it had a charmingly little tea room whose cakes included a delicious plum and something vegan one. Despite having a gooey chocolate cake myself, I was quite envious.

Thus fortified we set off to climb the Wittenham Clumps, which for me were the definite highlight of this walk, with an awesome panorama of the route so far. One of our party bypassed the hills, leaving two of us to walk on alone.

Nearing Didcot one felt the lack of the iconic power station cooling towers, only recently demolished. Approaching the town there was a housing estate being built on two fields that the route crossed (a temporary fenced path has been created across this).

I had expected the rest of the route into Didcot to be a dull suburban trudge. But actually it was a pleasant green path past a pond. On a bench by the pond we found our third walker and we sat in the sunshine watching the ducks and discussing life choices. Finding the pub by the station disappointing, we got the 18.24 fast train back to Paddington.

The weather was overcast with occasional raindrops and likewise ocaasional sunshine so a great walking day

11 walkers in total some starting from Didcot and most from Appleford and nice scenery and gentle walking apart from those two horrible hills after lunch.

This was a foraging walk really for those of us who like foraging. We snacked on blackberries, quinces, apples, pears, green walnuts and veg being given away at an allotment who were also selling pots of jam and if we had of wanted them road kill rabbits and a mink by the bank of the Thames. One tall walker with a moustache assured us it was a dead baby panther but then again he said that the hills were delightful. They did have lovely views though.

Oh and I forgot that there were a load of Damsons in distress as we ate them.

Spolit for choice for lunch in Dorchester as there are three 'hotels' ( bars with accomadation really) so in the end we plumped for the George where food was good albeit very slow in arriving. We were virtually the only ones there but that didn't stop the two male bar staff clucking around in a small panic as if they had never had customers in before.

Dorchester cathedral is alright - if you like that kind of thing.

4 of us finished at the pub opposite Didcot station where a vegan desert was enjoyed by one whilst the others went for apple crumble with lashings of CUSTARD

Appleford is a great start and we totalled 20.5 km finishing in Didcot

All the best

Nat West

PS the green walnuts stain your fingers and nails something rotten

PPS time I gave up using a rucksack - it weighed 13 kilos with all the produce that I snaffled en route. Tomorrow some of it will be encroute.

5 non-fairweather walkers off the train at Didcot, later joined by another one in Dorchester (having missed the train, she drove from Ealing, keen on walking up to the Clumps), so 6 in drizzle then rain to lunch then clear skies .

The group survived the rather uneventful start out of Didcot with animated conversation, and then was hit by the worst of the weather just as we reached the best stretch of the route, along one of the most scenic parts of the Thames and past the Iron Age earth dykes to lovely Dorchester. The Fleur de Lys provided for tasty fare at reasonable prices and after only 45 minutes we left the pub to visit the Abbey, which is always a highlight.

Two sandwichers (who had seen the Abbey on earlier outings) moved on and we never caught them. The car driver went up to the first Clump with us but then returned to Dorchester and her car and the rest reached the Prince of Wales in Didcot at 16.25, giving enough time for a drink and then the delayed 16.48 train.

West Londoners: take 9:35 train from Ealing Broadway, arriving at Didcot Parkway at 10:48, beating the Paddington Train by 3 mins.

A correction on the train time: on Sunday, it is 9:21 from Ealing Broadway and arriving at Didcot Parkway at 10:34am if you wish to arrive ahead of the scheduled train from Paddington.

Just to clarify, there IS a train from Ealing B at 9:56 direct to Didcot. If you prefer to get the 9:21 from Ealing Broadway, be aware it is a Reading train and you'll have to change at Slough for the 9:53 to Didcot (same platform).

Beside Didcot Parkway station is the

Discot Railway Centre £9 admission if you have time.

http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/

4 on this walk with the weather cloudy with a couple of showers. Th pre-lunch part of this walk is a bit dull but its always good to visit Dorchester. After lunch 3 decided to "double up and have tea and cakes at the Abbey museum cafe. Feeling a cold I decided to press on to enjoy the nicer afternoon leg and the views from the clumps. Back in time for a coffee at the station and then 5.13pm train back to London which was surprisingly empty.

Are we managing to sort out a programme of Christmas walks? jfk

The right place for this conversation would be the Forum or Walk Requests sections, or even the Crimbo Drinks Party on Dec 7 methinks, but...

Expect 3 walks on the Saturdays 24/31, 2 on 26/27/2, 1 on the Wednesdays, maybe 1 on NY. And if everyone is nice to their walk posters of trust (current and lapsed), they might even invest the extra work of posting walks on the intermittent days...

Funeral in the abbey at 2pm, suggest pre lunch visit.

hi thomas thanks for posting this. am i right in thinking its about 6 miles to Dorchester ?

is everyone doing the Didcot circular ?

thanks

wrong: (11 km/7 mi), as per the posting

Good to see that the Wednesday walks continue to be well attended. Unfortunately demand for my services is now running at 6 days a week at two different sites for the foreseeable future but will look forward to joining you all again after the New Year on my return from Cuba.

Do pass on our condolences!

Sorry dancing on 7th and tomorrow evening but as you say the Forum may be a place to raise the issue of programme of Christmas walks jfk

14 alighted from a very full train at Didcot to set out on today's walk in conditions on the gorgeous side of gorgeous for winter walking: sunny cold with thick frost on the ground making it very atmospheric as the overnight fog had not yet fully cleared. The first mile or so of the walk was suburban but thereafter we were walking through pretty villages and beside the River Thames on a section undeveloped with property.

The whole walk took us through countryside steeped in history - dem Romans woz here - and later in the walk (but before in time), Iron Age forts.

Arriving in Dorchester-on-Thames, some of us visited the lovely abbey before joining the rest in the cosy Fleur de Lys pub, where six of us enjoyed good pub grub, served by friendly staff.

Five of the seven sandwich eaters set out on the afternoon leg whilst their colleagues were still eating in the pub, with the remaining eight setting out 40 minutes later.

Now arithmetic wizzos amongst readers will have spotted someone was missing. Our No 14 decided to do her own thing from mid-morning onwards and - presumably - return to London early for evening engagements.

The thick frost was still on the ground as our group of eight set out on the afternoon leg, soon crossing newly fenced-in-fields and then the Thames before a quick visit to the lovely Little Wittenham church preceded our ascent of Wittenhan Clumps, a pair of iron age hill forts. The panoramic view from the top was wonderful in the clear, cold air.

Descending the Clumps through Nature Reserves we became conscious of the diminishing daylight hours and sped up (not that we dawdled during any part of the walk). However, our walk leader and poster had judged the time to perfection and as we crossed the last of the fields the sun was setting behind Didcot Power Station.

Six of us enjoyed a drink in the pub opposite the station before another full train whisked us back to Paddington.

The very best of SWC days.

No 14 unfortunately got left behind after stopping for a toilet break. After being very lost in Long W after the museum she did manage to blaze a new trail to Dorchester on Thames where she took tea at Lilysl

Fantastic December weather and walk jfk

I trust you will be going on the walk you posted Thomas? The walk sounds great but we are expecting strong winds on Saturday.

It is the CHRISTMAS PARTY on Thursday - don't forget!! See listing below

Intend going, indeed. Good news: it's a circular walk, the wind will be in the back half the time!

9 dry windy with gusts

7 off the posted train, 2 on an earlier one (one slow walker, one fast walker).

Certainly grows on you, this walk. Starts very tarmacky out of Didcot and along fields on a cyclepath, but gets interesting from Long Wittenham onwards (fascinating leaning house). On to the Thames meadows, along a really pretty, un-built-up stretch, all the way to Dorchester with a few nice pubs. The Fleu de Lys looked empty and we feared that indicated nad quality, but not so: very tasty fare at middling prices, and a nice welcome to boot. We then paid a visit to the very interesting abbey and walked a loop through the village, then back towards the confluence of Thame and Isis, and along the river to the Wittenham Clumps, providing panoramic views over this lovely part of the Thames Valley. Field boundaries with long views and interesting light all the way back to Didcot. A dramatic sunset for desert. 16.29 train, then on to The Fountain's Abbey pub in Praed Street, by Paddington Station, where everyone paid for a round each. Finish at 10.

Splendid day out, if maybe a little too alcoholic...

Intend going and aiming for 10:51 start. Will any one be on the Oxford train 11:08? Should we wait for you?

Sun 7 Jun SWC walk44

A sunny day brought 11 walkers out. The morning paths were lined with hemlock which makes a subtle change from cow parsley. One or two striking buttercup meadows along the Thames. Swallows (or were they swifts) performed acrobatics and red kites circled. The Fleur de Lys provided food that seemed to go down well, especially the substantial home made burgers. The pickled grapes in the cheeseboard were not such a hit. Watch out for those. A choir practice was under way in the abbey so our visit there was fairly brief. Then on through more buttercup meadows, past the church with old Billy Dunch’s effigy (still asleep but I think he‘s got one eye open). Up and over the Clumps and back to Didcot. I can report that the Prince of Wales opposite the station is pleasant enough to be deemed a watering hole. The directions to from Didcot need a tweak or two.