Book 1, Walk 9: Shiplake to Henley (or Shiplake Circular)
Length: 14.7 km (9.1 miles). Circular walk: 18.2 km (11.3 miles)
Toughness (both): 4 out of 10
London Paddington: 10-27 hrs Oxford service. Ealing Broadway: 10-36 hrs
Arrive Twyford: 11-12 hrs
Leave Twyford: 11-21 hrs Henley service
Arrive Shiplake: 11-28 hrs
Return: Henley-on-Thames to Paddington (again, changing at Twyford): 15-24, 16-20, 17-09, 17-46, 18-17
Return: Shiplake: 4 mins after departures from Henley
Rail ticket: buy a day return to Henley-on-Thames
This is my favourite bluebell walk, so I'm hoping the little whatsits are out and in bloom. In the hope the 'bells say hello to us today, we will take the High Wood option for this walk, which takes us through this large and impressive bluebell wood in the morning. It's onwards then via Crowsley Park and through a stud farm to lunch in Rotherfield Greys at the usually excellent, and popular, Maltsters Arms - 'phoning ahead essential to reserve a table: your e.t.a 1 pm (01491-628400).
After lunch you descend through a smaller bluebell wood and then head for Greys Court (worth a visit if you have time), and well worth a walk through its magnificent bluebell wood. You now have to negotiate Lambridge Wood, where many a SWC walker has gone astray and gone a-wandering, lost amongst its dense trees. If you take care in following the walk directions, you should emerge (eventually) onto a golf course. Cross this, then its a kilometer or so's walk into the centre of Henley. If ending your walk here, your suggested tea stop is the popular (with SWC walkers) Chocolate Theatre Cafe (previously the Henley Tea Rooms), 5 mins from the railway station.
However, as you missed out on the River Thames start to today's walk - by taking the High Wood option - you might like to get your water feature fix for today by returning to Shiplake along the Thames, a lovely, relaxing riverside stroll. Your tea stop in Shiplake is the Baskerville pub, almost next door to the railway station.
T=1.9
Walk directions here: L=1.9
Next week, Wednesday 03 May - Book 2, Walk 5b: Tring to Berkhamsted via Dockey (bluebell) Wood
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n=8 today for this bluebell extravaganza, although as we found the day before, the woodland flowers really do need a good drink. That said, the weather forecast was correct for once, and we had one heavy shower during lunch and one light shower as we crossed the golf course above Henley. Otherwise, it was pleasantly w=sunny-all-day. The bluebells in High Wood and in Greys Court Spinney were in full bloom although gasping for water. Two in our group enjoyed their sandwiches in my "private" bluebell paddock, leaving the rest of us to head for the Maltsters Arms, where five of us had an excellent lunch: the Maltsters seldom disappoints. More bluebells in the woods as we approached Greys Court, to admire their display in the Spinney, then onwards to Lambridge Wood - more carpets of bluebells - and over the golf course, now in much needed rain - before we descended into Henley. Tea and slabs of cake were taken in the usual Tea Rooms, before we said farewell to the youngster in our midst who made his way along the Thames back to Shiplake. Having had our bluebell fix for the week, if not the year, we were now all in good humour as we boarded the 17-09 hrs train back to London. Two or three on our walk are heading for the Brecons this coming weekend, and we wish them and the main SWC cohort a most enjoyable time there.
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