Join him for an illuminating stroll past meadows, churches and palaces, country estates and council estates,
factories and dockyards. Setting forth in the summer of Brexit, and
meeting a host of interesting characters along the way, Chesshyre explores the
living present and remarkable past of England’s longest and most iconic
river.
About the author
Tom Chesshyre’s train travels include an 11,000-mile
jaunt around Europe for his book on the European high-speed train
revolution, and thousands of miles more across the UK for his weekly
hotel column in The Times. Tom has visited 94 countries for his writing.
Reviews
‘Chesshyre cuts an engaging figure… He has a true journalist’s
instinct for conversational encounters – Kurdistani picnickers in the
river meadows upstream of London, pub thugs in the badlands of the lower
Thames, other Thames Path pilgrims he rubs up against along the way. He
also demonstrates a nose for a juicy tale, from a pre-Raphaelite
ménage-àtrois at Kelmscott Manor to the discreet nookie column in the
Marlow Free Press. Chesshyre’s journey is rich in history and thick with
characters, fables and happenstance – a highly readable and
entertaining saunter along England’s iconic river.’
Christopher Somerville, author of Britain’s Best Walks
‘Chesshyre’s book stands out from other accounts of walking the
Thames Path in its contemporary (post-Brexit, pre-Trump) immediacy. A
portrait of England and the English in our time, it is peppered with
fascinating historical and literary markers. It’s also a usefully
opinionated guide to watering-holes and B&Bs from the sleepy
Cotswold villages to the dystopian edgelands of the estuary.’
Christina Hardyment, author of Writing the Thames
‘Beautifully written and exquisite in observation, Tom Chesshyre’s latest book, From Source to Sea is a fitting tribute to the mighty Thames that flows like a golden thread through the history of Britain.’
Harry Bucknall, author of Like a Tramp, Like a Pilgrim
