Lyd Well

Lyd Well bubbles with surprising force, 

pumping water through the surrounding fields. 

Somehow it’s still easy to miss, hiding in a clump of trees,

behind a dry stone wall and a pool of water during wetter months 

but not during others.   

This is a seasonal spring so be careful with the timing of your visit. It is magical when bubbling but less impressive when dry. 

I have found it flowing in March 

but not this August, even though it’s been such a wet summer.

Trewsbury Mead

If you continue along the path from Lyd Well, over the fields, 

across the A433

and through a gate 

you will eventually come to a meadow known as Trewsbury Mead 

and the Source of the Thames marker.  

The Source of the River Thames…

This source is marked with a stone 

and a sign post – only 232 miles to the sea!

…Or Is It?

The ultimate source of the Thames is disputed with some saying the source furthest from the mouth of the Thames is Seven Springs in Gloucestershire.  

If you take Seven Springs as the source, it adds a further 14 miles to the length of the Thames. 

Seven Springs is a compact and easy place to visit for a paddle. It also flows throughout the year.

Old Father Thames 

In 1936, a statue of Old Father was placed in Trewsbury Mead to mark the source of the Thames.  

Sadly, it was vandalised and moved again to St John’s Lock, where it can still be found today. 

The Paths…and Stairs!

The paths leading to the source of the Thames are easy to walk on but are not surfaced and can be a little uneven 

and very muddy. 

There is a steep flight of stairs that you have to go up to cross the A433 crossing. 

I have taken a double buggy up these stairs but would not do it again.  

The stairs are very steep and lead straight on to the A433, which runs along the top.  

This isn’t a very busy road but it is fast – the cars fly past – and it’s not somewhere you would want children to stand around while you fiddle with a buggy.  

Nearest Town: Kemble or Coates, near Cirencester
County: Oxfordshire 
Nearest Postcode: GL7 6BS or GL7 6NZ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, eat at the Thames Head Inn (GL7 6NZ) or The Tavern Inn (GL7 6AX).
Facilities: None. 

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: I wouldn’t take a buggy because of the steep flight of stairs next to the fast road.  

Parking: Lay-by on the A429 – as you leave Kemble heading towards Cirencester, look out for a lay-by on the left and right of the road on a bridge over the river (GL7 6BS takes you roughly there). Alternatively, have a meal at the Thames Head Inn and then walk from there.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: March 2017 and August 2023

Our visit to the source of the River Thames at Thames Head or Trewsbury Mead between Kemble and Coates, near Cirencester, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Buscot Lock

Picturesque Buscot Lock is a working lock with a weir, bridges and swans.

The lock keepers we met were very friendly and showed my children how the manual lock works, much to their delight. 

The Thames Path

Walking from Buscot Lock to St John’s Lock took us about an hour and the paths were easy to walk along.  

We followed this circular path from the National Trust’s website. 

You walk from Buscot Village, past Buscot Lock, along the Thames Path, staying close to the river.  

When you reach the bridge you are almost at St Johns Lock.  

St John’s Lock

St John’s Lock is the highest lock on the River Thames.

It has toilets, a small picnic area and a statue of Old Father Thames. 

Old Father Thames 

Originally carved for Crystal Palace in 1854, Old Father Thames was moved to the source of the Thames in Trewsbury Mead in 1936.  

Sadly, it was vandalised and moved again to St John’s Lock.

The source of the Thames is now marked with a simple stone.  

The Trout Inn

We had lunch right next to the river at The Trout Inn,

which has a large garden and lots of tables. 

Buscot Play Area

Buscot Village Play Area has a long obstacle course.  It is conveniently located next to the Buscot Village National Trust car park and is a good place to play at the end your walk.

Nearest Town: Buscot, near Faringdon and Swindon
County: Oxfordshire 
Nearest Postcode: SN7 8DA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, eat at Buscot Village Tea-Rooms (SN7 8DA) or eat at The Trout Inn (GL7 3HA).
Facilities: There are toilets for customers at the Tea-Rooms and Trout Inn. There are public toilets at both locks.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: The paths are fairly flat and easy to walk on.  You could take an all-terrain buggy if you don’t mind bumping up and down some stairs. 

Parking: Pay and display car park at Buscot Lock or The Trout Inn’s car park at St John’s Lock. 
Cost of Parking: Parking at Buscot Lock is free for National Trust members; from £2 for two hours for non-members. Parking at The Trout Inn is free. 

Information Written: August 2023

Our visit to Buscot Lock near Faringdon and St John’s Lock near Lechdale, near Swindon, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Buscot Village Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• a large circular obstacle course with nets, tyres, ropes, logs and bridges 
• swings
• toddler swings
• a picnic table. 

Nearest Town: Buscot, near Faringdon and Swindon
County: Oxfordshire 
Nearest Postcode: SN7 8DA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at Buscot Village Tea-Rooms.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 30 minutes
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Pay and display car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free for National Trust members; from £2 for two hours for non-members. 

Information Written: August 2023

Our visit to Buscot Village Play Area in Faringdon, near Swindon, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Tumblestone Hollow Adventure Play Area

The equipment is said to be for children up to around 12 years old that includes:

• a huge, two-storey wooden village with climbing walls, nets, tunnels, ladders, rope bridges, wobbly bridges, balancing logs and a fireman’s pole
• two tube slides 
• a wooden climbing frame with nets and a balancing rope course
• toddler swings 
• swings 

• a treehouse with a slide, rope ladder and rope course 
• a zip wire
• animal springers 
• a spinning bowl 
• a tunnel through a hill
• a wide slide with a hut, net and ladder 

• a sand play area with chutes and pulleys 
• a water play area with a water pump, channels you can direct and a waterwheel
• a basket swing 
• picnic tables
• a covered seating area.

The Legend of Tumblestone Hollow

The adventure play area has been designed around a story book called The Legend of Tumblestone Hollow written by Amy Sparkes and illustrated by Steve Pearce. This book is available to buy at the Visitors’ Centre and will eventually be sold on Amazon so you can read it before you visit. 

The story is about a magical rock called the Glimmerstone and how it came to be at Tumblestone Hollow. 

Stonor Park

Tumblestone Hollow is in the grounds of Stonor Park, an old family house in the Chiltern Hills. 

The surrounding parkland has manicured gardens, woodland, a view point, an ancient stone circle and a herd of deer we encountered on the drive in. 

The Cafes

There are two cafes – one in the Visitors’ Centre and another in the adventure play area that is called The Rumble Hut and offers pizzas cooked in a wood fired pizza oven (but is only open on busy days).

Nearest Town: Henley-on-Thames
County: Oxfordshire
Nearest Postcode: RG9 6HF

Opens: Various times throughout the year – please check their website. 

Adult Cost Range: Various depending on when you go but generally between £5 to £9.99 
Child Cost Range: Various depending on when you go but generally between £5 to £9.99 
Free if: Under 92 cm tall

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Cafes, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly. 

Parking: There is a car with lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: Free with an entry ticket.

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, insects and red kites.

Information Written: June 2022

Our visit to Tumblestone Hollow at Stonor Park, near Henley, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Didcot Railway Centre

As well as two operational railway lines and a science exhibition,

a turntable, a workshop, a World War 2 air raid shelter

and an engine shed full of enormous locomotives you can touch and, in some cases, climb into.

Didcot’s Engines

Didcot is home to a large collection of locomotives from the Great Western Railway. Many of these have evocative names like Trojan, Teddy Bear, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Fire Fly and Lady Of Legend.

Steam Days

The engines can be seen on any visit but are operational only on certain days of the year, when they can be seen shunting or pulling carriages. 

To see when the engines are running, please see the Locomotive Roster on the Didcot Railway Centre website.

The Buildings

The Centre still has many of the original buildings from the Great Western Railway Engine Shed that was built in 1932, including the engine shed, turntable and Coal Stage. 

The Engine Shed

My children loved being inside the Engine Shed and enjoyed being able to climb inside the cabs. We couldn’t believe the size of the engines. Some have wheels taller than I am – I had no idea! 

Coal Stage

This was built to give the engines water and coal and you can often see engines being coaled during an operational day.

The Branch Line

This is a short, operational railway line that runs from Didcot Halt station, past a signal box, to a transfer shed. 

The Main Line

At half a mile, this is the longer of the two operational railway lines and runs from the main platform to Oxford Road station. You can either alight here and walk back through the Centre or stay on for the ride back. 

Day Out with Thomas

We visited during December for a Day Out with Thomas, which is a day when Didcot is taken over by Thomas the Tank Engine, the Fat Controller and friends. 

It was a magical day. We met the Fat Controller before riding on Thomas the Tank Engine to meet Father Christmas. 

Pendon Museum

If you are interested in railways then consider combining your visit with a trip to the nearby Pendon Museum, which is home to some exquisitely modelled railway landscapes.

Wilgrove Halt Play Area

Conveniently located next to the picnic area, Wilgrove Halt is small play area for children from 2 to 12 years old that has trains and train station offices to role play in.

Mistakes?

I would be the first to admit that I don’t know much about trains and railways. If I have made any mistakes in this post then please let me know so I can make the corrections! 

Nearest Town: Didcot, near Oxford
County: Oxfordshire
Nearest Postcode: OX11 7NJ

Adult Cost Range: Various
Child Cost Range: Various
Free if: Under 3 years

Opens: Various times throughout the year. Please see the Didcot Railway Centre website for details.

Where to Eat: Try the cafe, a local pub or bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Large car park
Cost of Parking: From £1.40 for the first hour.

Information Written: December 2019

Our visit to the Didcot Railway Centre (on a day when the engines were operational but without Thomas), in Didcot near Oxford, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Pendon Musuem

Amongst our favourite models were the enormous viaduct

the beautifully detailed cottage gardens complete with vegetables and flowers

and the relaxing outside the pub.

Audio Tours 

You are guided round the musuem with an audio guide and the staff are very friendly and well informed. 

Family Trails

There are also family trails for older children and drop in modelling sessions for older children.

We found the museum family-friendly but note that it is too small to accommodate buggies.

Modelling

We were really impressed by Pendon Museum. My children left inspired to have a go at modelling themselves and, as they love trains, we do expect to return.

Didcot Railway Centre

If you are interested in trains, consider combining your visit to Pendon Museum with a trip to Didcot Railway Centre, which is about a ten minute drive. 

Nearest Town: Abingdon, near Oxford
County: Oxfordshire
Nearest Postcode: OX14 4QD

Adult Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Free If: Under 5

Opens: Various times throughout the year. Please see their website for details.

Where to Eat: Small cafe at the museum or the local pub.
Facilities: Toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Buggies: Cannot be accommodated.

Parking: There is a small car park and some spaces along the road to the museum.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: December 2017

Our visit to Pendon Museum in Abingdon, near Oxford, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.