Bright January Days
31 Jan 2013 03:07
| Oxfordshire, Cotswolds, walking, Shakespeare's Way, Oxfordshire Way, hiking
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Sunshine, blue skies and clear views across North Oxfordshire in January.
Happy walking
Anne
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Walk Shakespeare's Way - 22nd April to 1st May
31 Mar 2011 12:04
| guided hike, guided walk, Shakespeare's Way, Walking holiday
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Shakespeare's Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon
Why not join us on a small group walking holiday from 22nd April to 1st May, along Shakespeare's Way travelling from Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon to Shakespeare's workplace, The Globe Theatre on the banks of the River Thames in London.
Shakespeare's workplace- The Globe Theatre, London
Springtime, when the beech woods and meadows are at their most beautiful, is the best time to do this walk. The hansom trees will be unfurling their fresh yellow-green leaves and the ground will be covered with a deep blue carpet of bluebells and a multitude of spring flowers.
Contact us to find out more.
Regards
Shakespeare's Way - Day 9 - The end of the road
14 Mar 2011 05:29
| hiking tour, guided hike, guided walk, walking, Shakespeare's Way, Walking holiday, hiking, walking tour
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Day 9. Kew Bridge to The Globe Theatre (16 miles / 26 km)
The last leg of the journey follows the Thames Path along the south bank of the River from Kew Bridge to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre at Bankside in Southwark. On the day I walked, it was rather a cold and damp February day and both the river and sky were grey, and although enjoyable and full of interest on a sunny day with blue skies the walk would be fabulous.
Hammersmith Bridge
Wandsworth Park
Over this section of Shakespeare's Way, the River Thames is wide and tidal and the route passes many of its famous bridges; from Kew in the west to Chiswick, Barnes, Hammersmith, Putney, Wandsworth, Battersea, Albert, Chelsea, Grosvenor, Vauxhall, Lambeth, Westminster, Hungerford, Waterloo and finally Blackfriars before reaching The Globe, with Southwark and London bridges visible just beyond.
Blackfriars Bridge with St Pauls and the Gerkin on the horizon
(it was a grey day and getting dark!)
And it also passes many famous London landmarks; the beginning and end of the University Boat Race at Putney and Mortlake, Fulham Football Stadium, the Houses of Parliament, Battersea Power Station, Tate Britain and Tate Modern, the London Eye, Saint Pauls to name but a few of the most well known.
The Globe Theatre
at the end of the Shakespeare's Way
And then there’s The Globe Theatre, the destination so longingly anticipated on the long walk over 146 miles of varied landscapes through central England. The round, black and white modern reconstruction with its dark thatched stands out from the rest, almost out of place amongst the stone and concrete buildings of the Thames embankment. A great place for a celebratory cup of tea, hunk of piece of cake (actually a pint of beer and plate of chips at The Anchor pub along the river!) and after a little rest, a tour of the extensive Shakespeare Exhibition.
Why not join us on the guided walk along Shakespeare's Way from 22nd April to 1st May, in the springtime when the beech woods are at their most beautiful; when the majestic trees will be unfurling their fresh yellow-green leaves and the ground will be covered with a deep blue carpet of bluebells and spring flowers.
Or self-guide the Shakespeare's Way and we'll book your accommodation and luggage transfer.
I hope you decide to come along.
Shakespeare's Way - A 146 mile journey of imagination - Day 8
05 Mar 2011 03:44
| hiking tour, guided hike, guided walk, walking, Shakespeare's Way, Walking holiday, hiking, walking tour
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Day 8. Iver to Kew Bridge along the Grand Union Canal (14 miles / 22.5 km)
Soon after leaving Iver we cross the M25 to walk along the Slough arm of the Grand Union Canal. This was the latest section to be built and links the brickfields east of Slough to central London.
Houseboats on the Grand Union Canal
We then take the towpath along the Grand Union Canal proper as far a Brentford where it meets the River Thames. The Grand Union was built in the late 18th century and was the main route for goods into the capital city, linking up with canals from other parts of central England. ‘Though not built until 200 years after Shakespeare’s death, it is for walkers a green corridor through northern suburbs into London!
The flight of locks at Hanwell
Once an extremely busy commercial highway it’s now used by house boats and leisure boats, and is the home to flocks of water birds, mute swan, mallard, coot... We walk down the Hanwell flight of locks and past the few remaining docks where industrial goods were loaded and unloaded.
Dry dock for river boats on the River Thames at Brentford
On reaching Brentford, the landscape changes, the narrow canal carrying long, low barges is replaced by the wide and tidal River Thames with larger river boats and working boatyards with dry docks. The last mile along the Thames to Kew Bridge is a taster of the last leg of the journey to the Globe Theatre.
Why not join us on a guided walk along Shakespeare's Way from 22nd April to 1st May, in the springtime when the beech woods are at their most beautiful; the majestic trees will be unfurling their fresh yellow-green leaves and the ground will be covered with a deep blue carpet of bluebells and other spring flowers.
Best Wishes
Anne M
Shakespeare's Way - A 146 mile journey of imagination - Day 6
16 Feb 2011 11:45
| hiking tour, walking, Shakespeare's Way, Walking holiday, hiking
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Day 6. The Chilterns: Britwell Salome to Marlow (20 miles – 32 km)
Day 6 takes us over the Chiltern Hills and back into the Thames Valley at Marlow. From Britwell Salome we start a gentle climb up the chalk escarpment to Cookley Green and from there on take an undulating route crossing dry valleys of the Chilterns with their beech woods and limestone grasslands. We leave the whitewashed and thatched cottages of the Thames vale behind and to find houses of brick and flint with red tiled roofs.
A Chiltern beechwood
Hambleden church built of flint with red tile roof
Stonor House
The pond at Rotten Row
Join us in spring, when the beech woods are resplendent with carpets of bluebells, on a guided walking holiday along (all or part of) the Shakespeare's Way from 22nd April to 1st May 2011.
Or hike independently on a self-guided walking tour and let us take care of the accommodation and luggage transfer.
Best wishes,
