Book 1, Walk 1 (R) - Henley Circular via the Great Wood
Length: 16.1 km (10 miles)
Toughness: 2 out of 10 (4 if muddy)
London Paddington: 10-11 hrs Reading service. Ealing Broadway 10-18 hrs
Arrive Twyford: 11-01 hrs
Leave Twyford: 11-08 hrs Henley service
Arrive Henley-on-Thames: 11-19 hrs
Return: Henley to Paddington via Twyford: 15-53, 16-24, 17-09, 17-46 and 18-17 hrs
As I do not intend to post this walk for New Year's Day this coming year I thought we would give it a Wednesday spin before current year-end. As in recent postings, doing the walk backwards (clockwise) is preferable in winter, as you can walk beside the Thames in failing light quite easily / safely.
I suspect all of you will have done this walk, albeit proper way round, so I will leave you to read the Directions to refresh your memory of its highlights ( The Oxfordshire Way, the Great Wood and the Thameside walk).
Lunch will be at the usually excellent Stag and Huntsman pub, Hambleden, a little over 2 hours into the walk.
After lunch we walk on the Thames Path back to Henley for tea at the Chocolate Theatre Cafe (formerly the Henley Tea Rooms) .
The railway station is nearby.
T=1.1
Walk Directions here: L=1.1
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2 comments:
N=11 on this walk. Speaking personally, I was looking forward to riding on one of the new electric trains, but diesel still rules it seems, filling the Paddington trainshed with particulates. Our train was 12 minutes late but the Henley connection was held. We made a long stop at Henley station to use the loos, all train loos having been out of action.
It was cloudy to start but things soon improved and it was w=mainly-sunny to lunch. I think we all agreed that this is a great walk to do in reverse. Navigation is not hard and one has a gentle climb, a pleasant walk along a lane and then a lovely descent through Great Wood with the low sun shining through the trees and illuminating the last dribs of autumn colour. You can lunch knowing the main effort is behind you.
Five of us lunched in the pub. A bit gastro - especially in portions, though also in prices: I was glad I had a thick parsnip soup to bulk out my micro main course. The kitchen seemed to be run on biblical principles - the first shall be last, good things come to those who wait. The sandwichers were long gone by the time we had finished, as is Midweek Walk tradition. One pub luncher went on ahead too. So four of us walked in part drizzle, part atmospheric dusk to Henley, where three of us had tea at the Chocolate Cafe.
Two then rushed back on the 17.09 to catch the height of the rush hour (another Midweek Walk tradition). One (me) walked down to Marsh Lock and back, enjoying (sadly brief) flashes of moonlight and got the 18.17..
Stunning views and good company on this walk.
Thank you to Marcus.
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