The Thames Path Project is a personal mission to walk the entire length of the Thames Path from the Thames Barrier in London to the river's source in Gloucestershire.

I was looking forward to getting the project going again after a long 'financial' break but it wasn't until I actually started walking that I remembered just how enjoyable it was. I couldn't stop smiling as I walked under a cool canopy of trees with only the sound of birdsong to accompany me - soaking up the fresh air and sunshine.

The destination for this stage was picked simply due to transport options. It's going to get harder from now on to find appropriate start/end points - particularly after Oxford. I would have liked to have made this a couple of miles longer, but in the end the walk from the path to Cholsey station and the walks between home and Staines made it about 14 miles - a good work out.

One of the highlights was seeing a pair of Red Kites (I think!) provide a personal aerobatic display for me on the road to Cholsey - incredible site!

I was caught out again on the lunch front - my anticipated stop over turned out to be a restaurant rather than a pub and they were fully booked. I ended up eating 2 cereal bars in a churchyard! I did get my pint at the end of the walk - just what I needed after the hottest, sunniest stage yet.

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