The walk starts from Abingdon Bridge and is along the Thames Path, passing St Helen’s Church on the right.
Near where a board walk has been placed over some boggy ground, Abingdon Marina comes into view on the other bank.
Just before the red DANGER sign, in the middle of the river – where the navigation channel to Culham Lock divides from the main flow, there is a cutting, in the opposite bank, that will one day become the Wilts and Berks Canal.
Follow the Thames Path until you come to a steep up and over footbridge. Turn right over the bridge and follow the path by the hydroelectric power generator, round Sutton Pools towards Sutton Courtenay. On reaching a road turn right. All Saints church is sometimes open and worth a look round. There is information about Eric Blair (pen name George Orwell) in the church. His gravestone is in the churchyard with other celebrities including Herbert Asquith, Primeminister 1908 to 1916; David Astor, newspaper publisher; and less well known, but very pretty with the snow drops rounds the gravestone, is the painter, Joyce Haddon.
Continue along the road over Ginge Brook until you come to a turning for Peep-o-Day Lane / Sustrans Route 5. Peep-o-Day starts as a causeway, and then becomes a road for a while – quite wet and muddy with lorries going from and to the quarry. Then after some concrete blocks the way turns back to a cycle / footpath.
Beyond the quarry there are some private fishing lakes to your right. One is called Phil’s Lake. The water treatment works to your left can smell a little. Then comes Abingdon Marina.
Follow the road until you come back into Abingdon and the view of St Helen’s Church.
The circular walk is probably about 5-6 miles and very pleasant on a sunny day.
