After many years of negotiation a long-distance walk along rights of way and permissive paths has finally opened up England's most famous river from the Thames Barrier to the source - marked by a stone under a lonely ash tree in the fields above Cricklade, in Gloucestershire. Following the river, this 180-mile walk not only crosses some marvellous countryside but is virtually a pageant of history. It passes the Millennium Dome, Runnymede of Magna Carta fame, Windsor Castle and the Oxford colleges to name just a few. Because of the ease of access those who may not wish to do the entire walk can easily tackle sections for ideal days out. There are sketch maps of each stage of the path and descriptions of the sights en route and their historical or literary connections.