[OSS Oxon] Proposed 'exploratory' swim on the River Thame

[James Lowe]

Hello,

I have done some scouting about and around the Thame between Great 
Milton and where it eventually joins the Thames proper at Dorchester 
looking for a new and interesting swim.

I have come up with a speculative route (it could be done 'in one' or 
split into two parts) which I'll list below, however I have no idea if 
the river in the proposed part is

i. Deep enough to swim on all the way down
ii. What the hazards are (if any)

There is no foot path that runs along side all the way like the Thames, 
but there are some parts where a foot path does come along side.

So this isn't really something I'd be comfortable doing with 'new 
comers' or those that don't know their own limits - so if you need to 
get out, how far you are from 'civilization' in case of cold or if you 
are nervous and would only want to swim part of it as there are no foot 
paths etc.

It isn't that long in terms of distance (no longer say than many of the 
swims we have done in the past - Buscot - Kelmscott for example) but as 
I simply cannot walk this swim prior to attempting it, I just am not 
sure how long it will take.

Hopefully I haven't scared you all off and wondered if any of you would 
be interested in having a go, with me on this. We would need a couple of 
cars (I have one) for the start/finish as walking back would be along a 
busy road and because of the lack of paths quite long.

One spot does finish at the pub so it isn't all bleak.

I wanted to try to get in the lesser known rivers of Oxofordshire this 
year and having done a big chunk of the River Windrush already in stages 
(which has been a 'hoot-an-a-half' so far) thought this might be a good 
one too.

I didn't want to advertise this as an OSS Social because I don't think 
this is really one for those that want to get head down and hammer along 
nor for those that just want a gentle plod (at least not until it has 
been swam once and then we will all have a better idea).

Here is are the proposed spots:

Here is a good start point

http://www.multimap.com/s/Mf9UyOf9

You can park the car about 20 yards in a lay-by and get in at the 
bridge. Maybe two cars max, it is a bit remote.

http://www.multimap.com/s/OZ5Q0JSB is a possible in/out point although 
Parking here is awkward as the river is in the grounds of the manor and 
although the foot path goes through it, there is a 'no parking' rule in 
force, it might be tricky to leave a car here, you could leave it at the 
end of the lane but even that is awkward and quite far away.

So we could swim on then to here:

http://www.multimap.com/s/Mf8cyBX9

A nice easy pub-by-the-river in/out point.

A bit further up is another easy in/out and park in lay-by here: 
http://www.multimap.com/s/Mb4T5CRC

then finally get out at the bottom of a lane here:

http://www.multimap.com/s/Na5f3JTD

You can park the car easily here - maybe a 2 minute walk.

The river is quite high at the moment, but it is a smallish one (about 
the size of the windrush at its largest) and I am not sure about depth 
all the way down, but it is a nice 'in the open and away from it all' swim.

There are a variety of paths that run alongside some of it and criss 
cross in places, so at a push we can get out legally.

Any one up for this?

James (aka Adam Smith)