Thinking of some home based summer plans for me and boy (aged10).
Thinking Newbury to my Mum’s in Kidderminster via canal paths over a few days.
Kennet and Avon to Reading, Thames to Oxford, then Oxford Canal to Grand Union, then…erm then cut across country when I get to somewhere I know! Anyone got any thought, does the Thames have a tow path all the way to Oxford?

The Grand Union goes to Birmingham.
Then the Staffs and Worcs. or Birmingham Navigations to Kidderminster. 2 maybe 3 ways it can be done from Brum.

Some sections will be fine, hardpacked gravelly,or properly pathed. Others will be a slop fest if it has rained, with lots of overgrown branches/grasses/bushes in August. Add in the walkers around the popular sections, and it isnt something I’d like to do.

From recent local canal rides around Brum, they are excellent but best done early mornings as there seems to have been a resurgence in walkers on them now. I am usually up and out for 6.30ish and by 9am they can become a pain with walkers and also joggers with headphones who cant hear you when you come up from behind (two bells). Once out in the rural countryside they can be a bit quieter but you will find the towpaths less maintained.
A great app I used is the OpenCanalMap
I would suggest trying it for a few day rides and see how you get on as that will give you a good idea of what’s likely ahead.

does the Thames have a tow path all the way to Oxford?

NOt exactly… but, ish… sorta… mostly… ish.

I have a vague recollection of somebody doing this (or similar) route a few years back on here, Birmingham to London or thereabouts. I quite like a pootle along canal towpaths I always find them relaxing and enjoyable. Shame my nearest one is about 80 miles away.

I doubt I’d go straight into Brum then out again. Maybe Stratford on Worcester and Birmingham to Bromsgrove then cut across through through Chaddesley way.

it isnt something I’d like to do.

You aren’t 10.

NOt exactly… but, ish… sorta… mostly… ish.

I gather some isnt cycling legal but that doesn’t really bother me. You can ride the track from Caversham to Pangbourne on the opposite side, not sure what happens after that tbh.

I could just plot a quiet doubt north from Newbury to Oxford.

YOu could easily plot it from Newbury over to East Ilsley/Compton/Aldworth, then shoot onto the Ridgeway and hit Streatley/Goring to pick up the Ridgeway to Wallingford then over to Oxford on the Thames path.

land owners near Goring/Streatley are cutting down on cyclists on footpaths, after Streatley became the place to be for teenagers in the June lock down. More locked gates, more barbed wire on top of gates etc. Theoretically there’s a towpath (footpath) either side, but….

And Pangbourne to Goring is a spectacular stretch. Just be aware of the Whitchurch steps…

Canal tow paths can be a hellish soul destroying experience when out of the way and not maintained.

You would really struggle to ride from Wallingford to Oxford on the Thames Path in my opinion.

Awwww i thought that would have been pretty easy from what i’d heard.

On the canals, just check the towpath is still open.
In the NW we’ve had so many breaches, land slides, collapsing retaining walls, etc from Storm Christoph, blocking quite a number of routes, and are going to take months to repair.

Stoppages (navigation and towpath closures) are on the Canal & River Trust website for their canals. The Thames is EA, so I’m assuming they have something similar.

When you get there and a Brummie inevitably reminds you that Birmingham has more canals than Venice remind them that the B&Q in Sutton Coldfield has more paint than the Sistine Chapel, it’s not really about quantity…

You would really struggle to ride from Wallingford to Oxford on the Thames Path in my opinion.

Good to know cheers

Reading to Wallingford is easy via Caversham Mapledurham and Whitchurch on bridleway, then Thames Path to edge of Goring, then Ridgeway to Carmel College and then bridleway to Crowmarsh. After that it is footpath from Wallingford onwards which a. Is footpath, and b. is covered in Stiles and kissing gates. You can take bridleways from Shillingford Bridge to Days Lock. After that I can’t think of a way to get to Oxford offroad unless you are happy riding popular footpaths and lugging your bikes over Stiles and through kissing gates on the Thames Path. Bearing in mind the number of locks with lock keepers and towns and villages you will be passing through I would expect you to come under criticism as you will be travelling through a busy stretch of well used riverbank.

Agree about the Thames path, its nice from Caversham to Streatley, but I wouldn’t bother after that. It’s footpath and not much fun, plus it meanders loads as you get further up and it’d feel a really long way between towns/way points. Sustrans route 5 might be worth a crack to get to Oxford (with a few short cuts), you could pick it up from Streatley by going to Ipsden or Wallingford. Quite a nice route from the stretch I did reading – Didcot. Also broadly follows the route of the Thames just on lanes and tracks.
Also, agree with weeks, might be nicer going north first on byways and picking up the ridgeway to goring. Shorter but not as easy for a 10 year old…

Actually, thinking about it, you can follow my previous comment to get to Days Lock from Reading (with just road between Crowmarsh and Shillingford Bridge via Wallingford), then take road via Little Wittenham to Long Wittenham and then join the cycle path to edge of Didcot, around the old power station site to Sutton Courtenay. Then take the Hanson Way to Abingdon which is another cycle path. From Abingdon then ride on road to Oxford via Radley and Kennington.

Job done 😃

picking up the ridgeway to goring

Especially not at the moment. I went up the Ridgeway yesterday with the boy, and it’s the worst I’ve seen it in the 20 years I’ve lived here. I don’t know if it’s the persistent rain, or the deep freeze, but it’s a 6 inch deep chalk soup at the moment, interspersed with much deeper puddles. Not pleasant, and not easy cycling.

Assuming this was a dry weather ride.. Otherwise not much fun in plenty of places…

LOL the bit by the A34 crossing just up from East Ilsley is honestly ridiculous. Tractor central it seems to be over the last few months.

This thread may help too

Stafford to London by bike by canal

Newbury to Reading is pretty much fine at present (apart from on utterly knackered field after the Tyle mill lock in Sulhampstead, some twazzock decided to put stampy horses there while the field was waterlogged/flooded)…

TBH I’d cut Reading out go through Theale, hop M4 (footbridge to the back of Ikea) and take the farm road/trail that pops you out on quieter roads at the bottom of Sulham hill from where you can pedal to Pangbourne. go through Pangbourne over the river and pedal up through Whitchurch and then you can pick up the Thames path that takes you all the way to goring (you’ll pop out not far from the train station).

The trouble is from Goring onwards you’re going to have to do at least a few sections on busier B-roads (in Oxfordshire, home of the enthusiastically driven Range rover)…

TBH I tend not to head much further up the Thames from Goring, I’d normally turn Left, go through Streatley and pick up the bridge, or Right Head off towards Henley or Caversham rather than strike too much further north…

But yeah, definitely cut out/skirt Reading, you’re not missing much…

Some good info, thanks, might just cut out Reading and head straight north from Newbury. Hermitage, Compton etc up to Didcot and pick up the Sustrans route.

the B&Q in Sutton Coldfield has more paint than the Sistine Chapel, it’s not really about quantity…

I intend to use that when I next get the chance.

I did the Thames Path start to finish this time 2 years ago. So if you’ve got any questions on that section fire away.

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/trip-report-cycling-the-thames-path/

Never had any bother from walkers. We did our best to be respectful and polite.

There is an old Roman road that can take you from Wallingford to the Cowley end of Oxford, about 95% offroad and shouldn’t be too bad if it’s a bit wet. Basically you can ride Wallingford-Shillingford-Dorchester-Berinsfield-Little Baldon-Baldon Row. PM me if you want any more details on the route.

…Compton etc…

Pre-emptive ear worm:

You will now be mumbling swears as you trundle through a little Berkshire village with your child… Enjoy!

I’m pangers based. agree with Cookeaa on first leg , Newbury – Theale – back of Ikea and down Nunhide Lane to Pang, pop over bridge then out towards Goring etc. Nice one

grand union to brum, then via wolverhampton and the netherton tunnel and you’ll pop out right next to the shops in kidderminster and happily from wolves to kiddy it’s all either flat or slightly down hill

if you don’t want to stick to the canal come out of brum on the B’ham worcs until you get to kings norton, then take the Rea valley route to Waseley, then via Clent/blakedown to kiddy

Is the netherton tunnel the one that pops out at The Black Country Museum? Good place to stop for fish and chips if so!

Is the netherton tunnel the one that pops out at The Black Country Museum? Good place to stop for fish and chips if so!

Sadly not, it’s a horrible wet and spooky half mileish challenge that needs lights as you literally can’t see a hand in front of your face in let alone the other end of the tunnel. Some big holes full of water to keep you on your toes too.

Part of my loop is Thatcham to Theale, Nunhide Lane to Sulham. Up into Sulham, across to back of Purley ,down to Mapledurham Lock. Then Thames to Pangbourne. Over Whitchurch Bridge and up to the bridleway to Goring. The steps arent there anymore now and then into Streatley. You are 20 miles by now. I found the ‘bridleway’ just after the pub by the church, on the right, is highlighted a red arrow and Byway. This then becomes a hated cyclists route, weirdly. I forget getting to the river and head up to the playing field and playground back to the Wallingford rd. Commes out near the Wantage Rd, which I then ride up, to the Golf club and onto the Ridgeway. But you could head along the road and intowards the Leathern Bottle and pick up the river again. It seems a bit bitsy as I think you then cant get passed the boarding school grounds. I was hoping to get there from the river and head up by the railway bridge/ petrol station back up to the byway on the Wantage Rd.
It is really bitsy , although from Blewbury you have a route towards Didcot on the old railway line.

steps aren’t there anymore now

oh they are. They’re just not completely across the path now
Steps stuff

Those steps were good fun back in the 90’s on a fully rigid bike with cantilever brakes and xc height saddle. Can ride down it on the gravel bike now which is just not the same ☹️

The lack of [proper] steps does enable you to get up the other side a lot easier now though!

Sadly not, it’s a horrible wet and spooky half mileish challenge that needs lights as you literally can’t see a hand in front of your face in let alone the other end of the tunnel. Some big holes full of water to keep you on your toes too.

Netherton Tunnel is not fun. I’ve ridden it a few times and would avoid again if you can, it’s spooky, dark and very wet. You also occasionally encounter the odd “character” in their too. It’s also longer than you think, 1.7 miles according to Wikipedia.
You can go over the top of it through Rowley Regis, it adds very little distance but does add some elevation, it’s basically straight up and straight back down again.

The steps during the summer were dust filled and you never noticed them compared to what used to be there. Even managed to singlespeed up the other side this year which was the first time ever. That Whitchurch mag is on line and is total comedy . Read a few during the summer . Its done by villagers who now are waiting for god. Dont ever think about a dandelion in the front garden, hell no 🙂

grand union to brum, then via wolverhampton

Quite far North to come back down to Kidderminster though?

Why not Brum – Dudley – Brierley Hill- Stourbridge-Kiddy? Lots of descending and a nice route from Stourbridge IIRC. And there’s the most excellent Batham’s Brewery/taphouse at 9 Locks/Delph to celebrate the final descent from the Birmingham Plateau. Sounds pash dowit? Platow.

Sorry i can’t help, and sorry to take this slightly off topic, but this just highlights the poor level of safe cycling infrastructure in the UK.

Planning a long distance ride with your 10 year old and having to try and rely on canal towpaths to get a safe route and hoping the towpaths are all rideable. When there are no other long distance safe cycle paths that could be used.

Not knocking the riding on towpaths, wish it was something I could do, but unfortunately none near me.

Enjoy your ride. Hopefully you will get a nice safe route sorted