Walk along the Thames from Dorchester Abbey, UK

Dorchester is southwest of Oxford and famous for its Abbey which began in 635 CE with a small church and grew into this most impressive abbey c. 1225 CE.  It is open from 8am to 6pm and the Tea Room is open from 3-5pm but not year round.  Check www.dorchester-abbey.org.uk for times.  The main street of Dorchester leads to the Abbey but drive just beyond the Abbey graveyard and its rose-lined path and turn right on a small road which is signed for parking and toilets and dyke, hills and river.  Park  here or as close as possible and continue walking on this road past St. Birinius Catholic Church on your left.  Watch for signs to the National Trail, a right turn which goes through fields  to the Thames or Isis River.  You may see a canal boat before you see the river! 

Once you see the river, turn right and follow the footpath along the river and through the gated fields to a 1924 stone house inscribed Water Works.  Cross the bridge here and then cross another river.  You will see more parking and then a church on the right, Little Wittenham Parish. 

Just across from this church there is a gate and a straight path maintained by The Northmoor Trust up to Wittenham Clump (of trees) for fine views of the surrounding, rural countryside.  As you walk around this clump, you will see another clump and an old poem recalling the Danish fortifications which once surrounded the clumps.  We angled down the hill, through the trees and back to the church where we entered.  Then we retraced our steps along the Thames National Trail to our car.

Near Dorchester is the village of Clifton Hampton with its beautiful round, thatched roof cottages.  Another nearby village worth seeing is Warborough.  Its charming homes surround a huge green and include the Six Bells Pub--very good food.