Abingdon to Dorchester

We had stayed at the Premier Inn in Abingdon: a bit on the wrong side of town for the Thames Path. However, it lived up to the promise of its adverts, and also delivered a cooked-to-order breakfast, very good for a budget hotel chain.

Leaving Abingdon gives a good view of its St Helen's church and river trade district.





The Didcot power station was the elephant in the room today, but I was told yesterday that the cooling towers and largest chimney will come down this July. We ignored it as much as we could while following dragonflies and damselflies, thankfully more numerous than the horseflies.

I'm reading Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat on this walk, so we had to stop for lunch at The Barley Mow in Clifton Hampden, mentioned in - or made famous by - the book. The pub is very nearly on the path, although on a nasty bend in the road, with no footways.

The afternoon was warmer and there was nowhere to hide from the sun as we continued. A snake slithered from view too quickly to be identified as we approached Days Lock.

Dorchester has a small museum which apparently has featured in 'Midsomer Murders' - and claims to be an older settlement than Abingdon! The Abbey is very impressive. We are staying at The George Inn, one of a number of old coaching inns here.