Thames Path Caches

[+psychrn]

Hi

 

We are travelling to UK and Europe on a Trafalgar tour from New Zealand for a month early May to early June 2014.

 

The trip starts with a free day in London, then 8 days through England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland and Wales.

 

After this we have 3 free days in London before an 18 day trip through Europe, whistlestop again so not much caching except in tourist traps. Our itinerary is London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Rhine, Swiss Alps, Innsbruck (Austria),Italy - Venice (2 days), Sorrento, Rome (2 days), Pompeii, Florence, France - Nice (2 days), Lyon, Paris (3 days) where we fly back to New Zealand.

 

** We would like to get out of London for a while on our free days and cache somewhere on the Thames Path and enjoy time at a riverside/ canalside pub - can anyone suggest somewhere easily accessible by public transport (please give station/ rough train details if possible) where we are reasonably close to London but will get an 'English countryside' feel beside the Thames or a major canal?

 

** Please also suggest any 'must do' caches in the main cities I've mentioned that may be quirky or unusual but close to the main 'tourist traps'.

 

** My partner Elaine is an ex-pat Brit from Nottingham but her genealogy is from Harrogate, the North Yorkshire Dales and The Lake District - we would also like to know of any special caches in these areas too thanks

 

Cheers

 

Chris and Elaine

[+Seaglass Pirates]

Chelmer and black water canal series. Beginning at Chelmsford and ending at Heybridge. Going through Paper Mill. Cache after cache. Nothing special cache wise but the countryside is great. Some nice pubs in Heybridge. Cab or bus back to Chelmsford.

 

London Liverpool street station -> Chelmsford. you can walk from station to first cache. Trip from London takes maximum an hour but usually it takes 40 minutes tops.

 

Over 100 caches over 14 miles. I think this is the first one in Chelmsford but could be wrong. I jumped I. At papermill and headed towards Chelmsford when I did some of it.

 

http://coord.info/GC117MM

[+MartyBartfast]

 

** Please also suggest any 'must do' caches in the main cities I've mentioned that may be quirky or unusual but close to the main 'tourist traps'.

 

 

This is a list of the top favourited caches centred on London, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?lat=51.504167&lng=-0.153583&sortdir=desc&sort=fav I can recommend the top 9! If you like "quirky" then "Tin Pan Alley Band" is a must.

[+Amberel]

** We would like to get out of London for a while on our free days and cache somewhere on the Thames Path and enjoy time at a riverside/ canalside pub

I can go one better if you like, and take you out on the river - my boat is moored at Chertsey. We have several cachers outings during the year, if it was a weekend it could be combined with one of those. Mostly we just potter up to Old Windsor or down to Hampton Court and eat at a riverside pub, but we also have trips through the middle of London and out through the Thames Barrier, but those have to be timed to suit the tides and we eat on the boat rather than at a pub.

 

Rgds, Andy

[+The Blorenges]

If you could tell us which towns/cities you will be visiting in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland we can come up with more suggestions.

 

Also, if you're a facebook user, you might like to join this group: Geocaching UK

 

MrsB

[BOBBLES WORLD TOUR]

** We would like to get out of London for a while on our free days and cache somewhere on the Thames Path and enjoy time at a riverside/ canalside pub

I can go one better if you like, and take you out on the river - my boat is moored at Chertsey. We have several cachers outings during the year, if it was a weekend it could be combined with one of those. Mostly we just potter up to Old Windsor or down to Hampton Court and eat at a riverside pub, but we also have trips through the middle of London and out through the Thames Barrier, but those have to be timed to suit the tides and we eat on the boat rather than at a pub.

 

Rgds, Andy

 

I would seriously consider Andy's kind offer. Some fine views along the river, especially Windsor Castle, if you go that way.

[+whh0]

** We would like to get out of London for a while on our free days and cache somewhere on the Thames Path and enjoy time at a riverside/ canalside pub

I can go one better if you like, and take you out on the river - my boat is moored at Chertsey. We have several cachers outings during the year, if it was a weekend it could be combined with one of those. Mostly we just potter up to Old Windsor or down to Hampton Court and eat at a riverside pub, but we also have trips through the middle of London and out through the Thames Barrier, but those have to be timed to suit the tides and we eat on the boat rather than at a pub.

 

Rgds, Andy

 

I would have suggested Hampton Court or Windsor, lovely area.

[+Sir-Lancelot]

Depending on when your free days are in London you may be able to try and get to the Kent Mega event on the 4th of May. Its close enough to Paddock wood train station that you could walk it!

 

http://coord.info/GC4PKB2

www.kentmega.co.uk

[+Oxford Stone]

As the owner of 2 Thames Path caches, and seeing the towpath get ploughed up by horses, bikes and even motorbikes, I've added this to the cache pages:

 

NB you should NOT be riding a bike or a horse along here:

 

The Thames Path National Trail is not a long distance route for cyclists. Most of the Thames Path is a public footpath on which cyclists have no legal right to ride unless they have permission from the landowners - cycling without permission is a trespass offence against landowners.

 

However there are some sections of the Thames Path outside London which cyclists can use - the longest section being the 5.4 miles (8.7 km) through Oxford and the 5.8 miles (9.4 Km) from Weybridge to Hampton Court. If you choose to cycle by the river, please be aware it is a potentially dangerous activity. See the interactive map for more information on cycling.

 

Cyclists wanting a long-distance ride should not attempt the Thames Path.

 

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thames-path/information

[BOBBLES WORLD TOUR]

As the owner of 2 Thames Path caches, and seeing the towpath get ploughed up by horses, bikes and even motorbikes, I've added this to the cache pages:

 

NB you should NOT be riding a bike or a horse along here:

 

The Thames Path National Trail is not a long distance route for cyclists. Most of the Thames Path is a public footpath on which cyclists have no legal right to ride unless they have permission from the landowners - cycling without permission is a trespass offence against landowners.

 

However there are some sections of the Thames Path outside London which cyclists can use - the longest section being the 5.4 miles (8.7 km) through Oxford and the 5.8 miles (9.4 Km) from Weybridge to Hampton Court. If you choose to cycle by the river, please be aware it is a potentially dangerous activity. See the interactive map for more information on cycling.

 

Cyclists wanting a long-distance ride should not attempt the Thames Path.

 

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thames-path/information

 

You are of course correct.

I regularly walk the path around Hammersmith/Chiswick and beyond and the cycle traffic

can be heavy at times. I doubt even Boris would chastise them for this.

And I don't worry too much either. Horses are far more troublesome on any footpath.

At least there's no red lights for them to ignore.