Thames Path Section 18: Cricklade to the Thames Source

Route Overview

This combined finale links Cricklade back to the rail network at Kemble, then continues to the Thames source near Thames Head before returning to Kemble station. It is a long day and should be planned around the Swindon-Cricklade transfer and the final train from Kemble.

Bus / Taxi Warning

This section cannot be completed by train alone. Cricklade has no station, so you need a bus or taxi from Swindon at the start; Kemble is the railhead for the finish and the source link.

Train, Bus and Taxi Notes

Use Swindon for the outward train, then Stagecoach routes 51 or 53 to Cricklade where the timetable works, or a pre-booked taxi. Return from Kemble by GWR, often changing at Swindon. If you need a shorter finish, Kemble also has limited Stagecoach 882 bus links around the Cirencester/Tetbury corridor, but the train is usually the cleanest London return.