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There seems to be some disagreement about where exactly the River Thames, or to give it the full Roman name Thamesis Fluvius, actually begins. There are two springs that both claim to be the source, so in the interest of fairness we visited both. The first, for no other reason than it was the nearest to our hotel, was at Thames Head on the A433 south of Cirencester. As you start down the A433, a Roman road, from Cirencester you will pass the Agricultural College on your right. Two or three miles later there is a very narrow railway bridge which allows one way traffic only. Stop in the lay-by just before the bridge and walk 200 yards back towards Cirencester, on the left hand side of the road you will see a public footpath, that path leads you through three very muddy fields to a plaque which marks the spot.
The second 'source' was at Seven Springs south of Cheltenham bang on the junction of the A436 and A435. You will find the plaque (actually there are two, both in very bad Latin) in a small hollow opposite the Seven Springs Inn. All seven springs are clearly visible in this trout filled pool.
We then moved on through several beautiful English villages, where the Thames is no more than a trickle, Somerford Keynes, Aston Keynes and the old walled town of Cricklade on the A419 in between Cirencester and Swindon where down by the old wall the Thames gets it's first 'badge of office' and the river starts to pick up speed.
Next came Lechlade, north west of Cricklade on the A417. Here the river meets it's first lock as it is joined by the rivers Leach and the Cole. It is at these locks that you will find the Old Father Thames statue. You will note that the river is still called both the Thames and the Isis from here to Oxford. After enjoying dreamy spires of one of the worlds greatest seats of learning the river swings south towards Reading. We spent the night half way between the two in Goring and Steatley on the A417, the two are connected by pretty bridges over the river. We visited the world famous restaurant 'The Beetle and Wedge' (parts used to open a beer cask) just outside Streatley at the end of Ferry Lane in Moulsford.
The next morning it was off towards London, off the M4 at Junction 6 past the magnificent Windsor Castle towards Eton and through Old Windsor on the A308 to Runnymede the site of the signing of the Magna Carta by King John in 1215, John had squeezed his people for every penny, at Runnymede the Barons made him change, as well as give every man the right to a trail. It's best to park in the National Trust pay and display car parks either side of the entrance to Runnymede. A short walk leads you to Runnymede and the JFK memorials. The American Association of the Bar built the Runnymede memorial because their constitution is based upon the Magna Carta, and the British built the JFK memorial. The acre of land it stands on belongs to the USA and so you can officially claim to have walked in America!
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