This was the first time we’ve had back-to-back Friday walks. All the previous ones had a few weeks in between, so returning to The Rose Revived just a week later, still in beautiful sunshine, with the gorgeous willow tree over the Thames greeting us was a lovely way to begin.

There were just four of us on this walk, and Jonathan was back too, so once again the group dynamic shifted. We did our check-ins, and I had the chance to walk and talk with Jonathan for most of the route - the first time that’s happened - which was really lovely.

It was another stunning day: the sun shining, the river glimmering, everything bright and full of life.

This walk took us away from the riverbank for a few kilometres as we had to divert around Bablock Hythe caravan park, where we stopped for lunch under the shade of some trees. We each shared our favourite moments of the journey so far, especially for those of us who have done every walk.

My reflection was that, despite the much greater amount of scheduling, admin, navigation, promotion, and general time that this has taken (more than I originally anticipated), I absolutely love the walks. Each one offers me a new insight, a personal challenge, and the opportunity to meet and connect with wonderful people I learn from every time.

There wasn’t much coaching during this walk, and I noticed that I missed it. It’s something to consider going forward: how we might make space for coaching even when we’re with a familiar group.

We did include a silent solo reflection section again, which was really lovely. I think we’ll continue that each time as it allows us to tune into ourselves and our surroundings in a different way.

On this walk, I particularly noticed the birds. We heard reed warblers, cuckoos, a woodpecker, and even saw a red kite circling overhead during the post-lunch silent section. There were also sheep and lambs - some still spindly and new, bleating for their mothers as we passed. Ann spotted a young deer kicking away into the field, just its tail bobbing behind. And with geese and ducks accompanied by goslings and ducklings, the signs of new life were everywhere, a contrast to the amount of roadkill I saw on my drive home. A quiet nod to the cycle of life we all play a part in.

Something new I’ve started doing on the walks is carrying a bag to pick up litter along the route. It’s a small gesture, but one that feels like a quiet way to give something back to the landscapes that are giving us so much. Even in these beautiful, peaceful settings, signs of human impact remain — and it feels right to walk gently and leave things just a little better than we found them.

We met a few others along the path, walking either the same way or the opposite, which is the first time I’ve noticed fellow long-distance walkers like us, beyond dog walkers. We also shared part of the journey with a man in a kayak who followed the same stretch of river for the first few miles until we reached a lock and he had to disembark.

There were a few locks along the route, and we crossed the river a couple of times. The eight miles passed quickly.

Once again, I was struck by the beauty of the spring/summer landscape and found myself wondering how different it will feel in autumn and winter. During our lunch break, Jonathan and I discussed logistics - it turns out ChatGPT hadn’t been as accurate as we’d hoped in estimating the next routes. Another big thank you to my husband, who has painstakingly plotted each route on OS Maps to give us a more reliable overview. We never claimed to be experts when we started this journey, we just set off in January with a vision, some excitement, and invited others along for the ride. To be honest, I’m not sure we’d have even started if I’d let perfectionism take over in the way I have in the past. This has been a lesson in just beginning and learning as we go.

One of the most beautiful moments of this walk was passing through fields of buttercups, all facing the sun, dancing in the wind, like a yellow carpet laid out along our path. We saw several fields like this, and each time we stopped to try and capture their beauty on video, never quite doing them justice.

And then it was done. Walk 6 ended rather abruptly as we emerged onto the very busy road at Swinford Bridge, with a queue of cars at the toll booth. We called quick farewells across the road and made our separate ways home.

Now we have a three-week break before Walk 7, which, thanks to some necessary route re-planning, will be split into two parts. What we thought would be a 7-mile stretch to Osney Bridge turns out to be closer to 14!

Fingers crossed we keep the sunshine, but I also hope nature gets some much-needed watering soon. After 25 days with little to no rain, it’s clear the landscape is feeling it too.

To see the full Source to Sea River Thames Schedule and to book to join us, head to the dedicated webpage here.