Cleeve Lock - Reach Above The Lock

Reach Above The Lock

The six and a half mile reach is the longest on the river. Much of it is open country apart from the small village of Moulsford and the larger town of Wallingford. There were formerly two ferries along the reach at Little Stoke and at Chalmore Hole near Wallingford because the towpath changed sides. Brunel's Moulsford Railway Bridge crosses at some islands near Moulsford, where there was formerly another flash lock. Winterbrook Bridge a new road bridge crosses just downstream of Wallingford, relieving traffic on the ancient multi-arched Wallingford Bridge. There were formerly two historic and interesting public houses along the river, but these have both been turned into expensive restaurants.

The river is an active rowing location with the Oxford University Boat Club and Oxford Brookes University boat club both having club houses on the reach near Wallingford, where Wallingford Rowing Club is also based. The Wallingford Long Distance Sculls take place on the reach in October.

The Thames Path keeps on the western bank all the way, but to compensate for thoses situations when the towpath changed sides it goes inland at Moulsford following the main road for quite a distance before returning to the river. There is also very small diversion away from the river in Wallingford and then the path stays on the western bank to Benson Lock where it crosses over to the other side of the river. The path is paralleled on the other side of the river as far as Winterbrook Bridge by the Ridgeway.