Folly Bridge by Thames path to Botley Road, Port Meadow and Aristotle Lane, Oxford, May 14th 2024

I follow the Thames in the other direction, north. This involves walking from Folly Bridge along Jubilee Terrace, then along the edge of a nature park, past Osney Lock, across Botley Road, and along the east bank of the Thames north of Botley Road to Port Meadow. Unlike the southgoing stretch, it's not dominated by rowing, and is a nice peaceful countryside stroll. I do, though, meet problems in the form of unrepaired bridges — one of which makes necessary a diversion along Abbey Road — as well as encountering Oxford University's notoriously ugly Castle Mill flats.

Be warned. You will see footage of me walking across a little "rainbow" bridge off the end of Abbey Road, just after I get off Botley Road. At the north end of this bridge, you could go almost straight on up the Thames as I did, or turn right and go under the railway bridge. But the second, right, path is no longer passable. Keir Construction walled it off the following day, as I found out at the end of    • William Lucy Way and Port Meadow to T...   . Asking around, I was told they'd decided to demolish a building next to it — the erstwhile Turbo Ted's, a nursery for commuters' children, I suspect. Unfortunately, they didn't warn locals or put up any maps showing what was blocked and what alternative paths they'd arranged.