Delayed posting – blame the bank holidays!
The trouble with the May Bank Holiday is that it always sneaks up right after Easter. We’d barely unpacked from our Easter grand tour and suddenly it was time to hit the road again! After a bit of indecision, we landed on Walton on Thames—perfectly placed for a visit to Keith’s dad in South London and for ticking off more miles along the Thames Path.
We stayed at the Camping and Caravanning Club site in Walton, which is quite different from other club sites we’ve visited. No facilities block means it’s much quieter—a welcome change this time of year. There’s a large field with no electric hook-up (ideal for off-gridders like us), as well as standard hardstanding pitches with electric if needed.
We chose to go off-grid—the first time this year—and it felt so right. Somehow, being off electric always helps us switch off mentally too. Why is that? Still a mystery!
We pitched right next to the River Mole, and it was absolutely idyllic—peaceful, calm, and just what we needed.
Friday night:
BBQ time and relaxation mode: perfect after a busy week at work
Saturday:
We had a well-earned lie-in followed by a proper fry-up.
The bus stop is just a 10-minute walk away, so we hopped on a bus to Kingston upon Thames to continue our Thames Path adventure. The walk was beautiful, and we especially loved the drinks at The Mitre Hotel—right on the river next to Hampton Court Palace. It honestly felt like we were abroad!
We walked all the way to the outskirts of Walton on Thames before catching a bus back to the site.
Dinner was chicken gyros and a big ol’ chill-out session. Perfection.
Sunday:
Another laid-back morning with breakfast baps, then we picked up where we left off—bus to Walton outskirts, then walked to Chertsey.
The transformation of the river from urban to rural was stunning. A highlight for us was the foot ferry near Shepperton—a charming part of the national trail.
A couple of pub stops later, we arrived in Chertsey. Another cracking day of walking.
There’s a club site in Chertsey too (we’ve stayed there before), but we’ll definitely be returning to Walton on Thames. It was utterly lovely—tranquil, scenic, and with great public transport links. You could even get into Central London in about an hour!
Dinner was salmon and asparagus pasta.
We were chuffed to bits with how all our off grid gadgets worked. The joolca hot tap being the start of them all- instant hot water for showers and washing up is absolutely a game changer! read about it here
Next up:
The stretch from Chertsey to Marlow is calling! 🚶♀️🚶♂️
If anyone has off-grid campsite recommendations along the Thames Path—we’d love to hear them!
Until next time,
x
