Walking the Thames Path National Trail

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Most people probably know some great solo hikers and their accomplishments from books- Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, detailing her solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, or even Robyn Davidson’s Tracks,  describing her 1700 mile journey across the Australian desert with three camels.

Maybe you imagine days of wild camping in a tent? Learning to make a fire without matches? Braving wild animals? Getting lost for days on end and having to forage for food?

Let me set you straight from the start. My hike was NOTHING like that.

The Thames Path National Trail is a perfect first time long distance hike for beginner hikers (like me).

Resource List

• • The Thames Path, Trailblazers Guide by Henry Stedman and Joel Newton: My “hiking Bible” because of its detailed maps of the Path and points of interest along the way. I highly recommend the Trailblazers Guides for their comprehensiveness and accuracy.
  • Rambles by Rivers by James Thorne, published in 1857
  • HikingwithDaveandBarbara.com: Wonderful blog by an English couple who hike all over Europe and Asia. Great videos and text.
  • National Trails website has information for all the National Trails maintained by the UK.
  • Joyce Mackie’s Walking the Thames Path: One Woman’s Journey of Adventure and Self-Discovery.
  • From the App Store:
  • ‘Thames Path Map Lite’ (approx. $5 USD). This is an excellent digital map that kept me on course during my walk. The app also shows public footpaths in the general area as well. *If you are considering leaving all the paper at home and just going digital- don’t. It sounds great in theory but what happens if your phone is lost? Wet? Out of battery? A backup is not a bad thing.
  • Rome2Rio app: Works similarly to Google Maps with easy-to-read list of options for transportation from anywhere to anywhere.
  • Train Pal : Train ticket booking app
  • Booking.com. I booked accommodations online for each night.
  • There were also a few terrific Facebook Groups I joined for ideas, confidence, and moral support: Love Her Wild, Adventure Queens, Solo Female Travelers, Thames Path Walkers, and The Thames Path National Trail.
  • Any good currency converter app
• My full account of walking the Thames Path National Trail can be found on my blog: https://secondacttravels.com/thames-path-national-trail/