Thames Path walk day 3 travel day 19

---

4 September 2019, Wednesday
Day 3 of Thames path, Crichlade to Lechlade.
Day 19 of travel.

After a good dinner and night's rest at the Red Lion Inn, we set out about 0945, from Crichlade, only to have a gent on his way to Bergen, Norway, correct our errant way. Michael Queen, from Houston, has joined our band of four for this day. Michael is following the Thames Path via an app on his iPhone so he is sort of leading us on our way.

We pass houses with beautiful flowers in their gardens. Today is sunny with billowy clouds as we trek across the fields. Now the Thames river is beginning to show the flow of the water. We pass a field of corn along the banks of the Thames and many unusual flowers growing wild. The current of the river through the reeds of the riverbank make a beautiful sight as we walk along.

In the village of Castle Eaton our planned lunch stop at the Red Lion is thwarted by the fact that it is closed and under renovation by new owners. This seems to be a trend. We ask the workers if we can use the table in the yard beside the river for our rest break before lunch. We have some fruit and continue on.

We come across many scarecrows as we stroll the village. It is time for the small village's annual scarecrow celebration, so we have many unusual photos of the scarecrows entered in the competition. I, of course, am particularly fond of the beekeeper.

Next we pass a field of sunflowers and see the first boat on the Thames. The locks and weirs from here on will provide good river navigation.

We continued on to St John the Baptist of Inglesham. Here, at a preaching cross in the church yard, at almost 3 in the afternoon, we stopped to have our lunch and view the church. The church was given by King John to monks and priests in 1205. There are fragments of wall paintings, many from the 14th c. The church has remained unaltered since the early 16th c. It is in need of much restoration but even in its current condition it is peaceful and uplifting.

We saw more boats, swans and a Riverside fisherman before arriving at The Riverside Inn in Lechlade.

---

Photos

20190904_094616
Leaving the Red Lion. Photo by Michael Queen

20190904_095018
Flowers in front of this house as we leave Crichlade

20190904_095432
Farming history

IMG_20190904_095657
Unique features of Fairview fields

20190904_095913
Thames Path and Cotswold Water Park

20190904_095920
Our first bridge this great weather morning

20190904_095938
Millennium Wood

20190904_101131
The flowing Thames

20190904_111250
Corn field next to banks of the Thames

20190904-112227484
A delicate flower on what looks like a weed by the roadside

20190904_113823
Path along the river bank and beside the fields

20190904_113837
Typical views of the river

20190904_114548
The scene as we walk

20190904_114601
Reeds, grass and ripples as the water move along

20190904_115606
The straw dog scarecrow

20190904_115919
Red Lion Inn closed for renovations.

20190904_122624
Where is that vole, scarecrow

20190904_122940
A working phone booth

20190904_123224
The long house with spider scarecrow

20190904_123255~2
Scarecrow entry #7

20190904_123504
The beekeeper scarecrow. Save the Bees