Strange title but the X40/39 bus route has given us and will continue to give us, some excellent hop-on, hop-off walks. The bus runs from Oxford to Reading, following along or close by many Thames-side villages. This gives great opportunities to plan walks along the whole of its route.The bus is frequent, usually a double-decker with top-deck views and unlike a lot of buses, doesn't stop at tea-time but runs well into the night with even a night-bus on Fridays and Saturdays if a night walk turns you on! Walk One is a gentle walk along the bank of the Thames and back again, Wallingford to South Stoke in Oxfordshire, pub lunch and return.
Firstly, the complicated bit: If you take the bus from Oxford you need to search out the correct stop in the myriad of choices of pick up zones that are too rapidly changing for me to try and suggest the correct one! Same with Reading, at the time of writing a notice had been pinned on our usual Station Road stop to say "as from June this stop is no longer…….." you get the message? check it out prior to wandering aimlessly looking for clues, Google and Thames Transport are bound to know. Our cities are in a constant state of change (mess)!
Back to our uncomplicated walk that started with a complicated procedure. The X40 dropped us off in the centre of Wallingford where a wonderfully timed, crew-change takes place. This might involve one driver leaving the bus and taking the next X40 back to Oxford or perhaps back to Reading. This time we witnessed our driver leaving our bus and hot-seating a small Thames Travel van that had just arrived, presumably with another driver to take over the bus. I am sure this is a well rehearsed plan to save, what would be a long 2 hour journey and then 2 hours back, between the 2 cities, for a single driver! What happens when traffic causes delays , I can only guess at, however, Wallingford has a wealth of coffee stops to while away the minutes and particularly fine is Catherine's Cafe, on the corner of High Street and St Mary's Street, decked out in bright yellow check table cloths and matching surroundings, is a refreshing 'blast from the past' in sixties styling, food and service. Leaving the cafe behind take the narrow road down towards the bridge and cross over the Thames to the other side of the bank. Look towards the left and a nice outdoor swimming pool that will be open if its summer! Its great for kids and has attendants on duty to keep a watchful eye. Just over the bridge a foot path leads besides Bridge Villa, camping and caravan site that we have used on several occasions. By the bye, It has some of the best loos and showers we have experienced on a site, pop in and check out the facilities if camping is your pleasure, this one is really nice. Back to the path, Just a short way in and a style takes you over into the fields, closer to the Thames. This is essentially a river walk but the alternative route in wet or flooded times is to carry on at this point along a well trodden path parallel with the camping site. Follow the path down to the river and pass the rowing club on the other bank. Keep to the path and take the general direction along the bank then towards Newnham Farm which soon becomes visible, but the path to it, less so. A friendly group of young heifers had gathered at the style into the farm-yard. This caused slight consternation with Lesley who has 'gone off ' cows, ever since the Health & Safety Executive, published stats for all to see of 74 deaths in the last 15 years! Walkers beware, but usually just gentle ,unhurried persuasion and always leaving both the animals and yourself an exit strategy. When mums are with calves, just give them a wide berth or give them time to adjust you being there and showing them you are no threat to their babies! The other trepidation of a gathering of these large animals at your style or kissing-gate, is the unbelievable amount of underfoot mess they make. Its a liquid slurry mixture of mud and cowpats that really do spoil the look of your pristine, freshly cleaned boots. Wind-on through the farmyard, again sometimes can be a ,fearful situation, as it wouldn't be the first time that we had encountered less than friendly farm-dogs. On this occasion, all was quiet. Joining the bridleway and passing the site of the now closed, agricultural information centre, under the busy A4130 where the path meets The Ridgeway long distance path. Don't take this path eastwards but continue straight on to Mongewell. A strange section this, with properties either side of the path that form or used to form, part of Carmel College. Closed in 1997, it was formally a Jewish co-educational boarding school, commanding fees of £10,000 per school term even back in 1966. Since closure the setting, close to the river Thames has been used for location filming, including pop videos for Kylie Minogue and the Kaiser Chiefs. Now looking a little past its sell-by-date, its a little sad that it has passed into history books.
So near but just the occasional glimpse of the river and feeling hemmed in both sides by an inevitable golf course, until just before North Stoke its worth taking a diversionary path down to the river for a view to the other bank. Back on track and through the sleepy but pretty hamlet where the marked path now makes its way through the church yard of St Mary the Virgin.This is a nice stopping place where a seat has been placed, just for this purposeI am sure. Moving on out of the village through the back of residents gardens and at last the path runs next to the Thames, under the railway line that is just being upgraded to overhead gantry-electric. A posh school can be seen across the bank, then onto Ferry Lane where a short walk will find a seat by the slipway into the river and a boat yard opposite. We are now entering our destination village of South Stoke where a walk along the 'High Street' passing delightful cottages the Perch & Pike comes into view on your left. A pretty village pub that is 'gastro' by nature, so food is excellent if not a little pricey.......but aren't they all now. Beer was excellent and the bar area very traditional. It was nice to see a busy pub where incidentally you can stop-over as it offers accommodation as well.
Retrace your steps where a view of the route going in reverse is always different! If you have time and the church is open, have a look inside the St Mary the Virgin in North Stoke.......it's well worth it, or continue back, avoid the cows, follow the bank of Thames upstream and back to the main road. Turn left over the path, over the bridge and back into Wallingford to wait for the X39 or X40 back to where you come from or where your train, bus or car awaits.