Towing Path Along Thames Completed

An idea dating back to the 1930s of putting to use an old towing path was finally realized last summer. A trail now exists all along the River Thames, from its source in the Cotswolds to the North Sea. The last segments to be completed were 16 miles of new riverside paths and three footbridges.

The Thames Path, 180 miles long, runs from the source of the river near Kemble, 91 miles from London, to the Thames Barrier at Greenwich, about seven miles east of the center of London. It is one of the most varied long-distance trails in Britain and the only one to follow a river throughout its length. It passes through beautiful countryside, towns and cities like Oxford, Windsor and London, and past famous sites like Hampton Court, Kew Gardens and Tower Bridge.

The path is a project of the Countryside Commission, the Government’s countryside and landscape adviser, and was created with the help of several organizations, among them the Ramblers’ Association, the River Thames Society, and the Environment Agency.

There are dozens of access points along the route. The Countryside Commission can supply a free leaflet about the path. A book, “The Thames Path,” by David Sharp, with details about the entire route - accompanied by Ordnance Survey maps, photographs of nearby features, and details of pubs and restaurants along the way - is available for 12.99 pounds plus 1.50 pounds for postage and handling, or approximately $23, from Aurum Press, 25 Bedford Avenue, London WC1B3AT; telephone (44-171) 637-3225 or fax (44-171) 580-2469.

The address of the Countryside Commission is Post Office Box 124, Walgrave, Northampton NN69TL; (44-1604) 781848.