We've arrived at Streatley and that means we have reached the halfway point both metaphorically and physically. Tomorrow morning we cross the River Thames and leave behind the North Wessex Downs to say welcome to the Chilterns. For the first few miles we will be walking along the east bank of the Thames. Last year when we were walking the Thames Path we walked along the west bank of the river from Streatley heading for Wallingford. Tomorrow we are heading for Wallingford once more, but this time by a different route.
This morning Ed transported us back to Bury Down where we had finished yesterday and he had picked us up. The first mile or so was on more wide grassy track and if it hadn't been for the A34 might have been peaceful. Once through the tunnel that passes under the A34 we were heading through fields and as we made our way along the path we caught glimpses of East Ilsley where we had stayed the night. Peace had finally returned, broken only by the sounds of birdsong and the sound of horse riders galloping past. Red kites soared overhead at regular intervals. After a flat stretch the path turned left and we began to make our way downhill. While looking for some nearby tumuli I noticed an old friend in the distance .. the cooling towers of Didcot power station. I'm sure eventually it will disappear from view! :-)
At the bottom of the hill we crossed a disused railway - the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Junction Railway. The cutting is nowadays totally overgrown and I'm sure will eventually totally disappear from view. What goes down must inevitably go up and we could see track rising up ahead. As usual we made our way steadily uphill and took advantage of a grassy bank for a break.
At this point in the path there are a large number of tracks that criss-cross each other but with good signs all along the way (and the guide book as backup) it is difficult to go wrong. Further on along the path the ground drops away dramatically on the right .. this is Streatley Warren. The path begins to go downhill at this point and it continued like this for the next mile or two.
Earlier on we had passed, and then been passed by, another walker carrying the familiar looking national trail guide that I am using. This seems to be par for the course on these long distance paths. You see people early in the day and spend the rest of the days walk passing and re-passing each other.
The downhill stretch eventually flattened out as we reached the outskirts of Streatley. The track joins a road which passes the local golf club .. the road becomes lined with more and more houses and joins a more major road .. eventually this road joins the main road heading for Reading. We knew we had arrived properly when we began walking down the road on a (gasp) pavement and were pleased to see the Bull at Streatley appear in view.
Stats time! The total mileage is now 44.4mls. We have completed half the path but I can see from the guide that after the flat path along the Thames, there is a fairly flat stretch to Nuffield. Unfortunately, after we reach that point I can see that over the next few days, the hills ahead seem bigger and steeper than anything we have walked on so far.
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