Alternative ending at Marlow: 16.1km (10 miles) * T=2.7
* A pre-lunch shortcut reduces either walk by 1.8km (1.1 miles)
10.08 GWR train from Paddington to Twyford, arriving 10.37, changing there for the 10.45 to Henley, arrive 10.57.
From Ealing Broadway get the 9.57 Elizabeth Line train to Twyford, arriving 10.33, changing there as above. This train leaves Paddington at 9.49, but note that there are NO Liz Line trains between Liverpool Street and Paddington today. This means this train will depart from the main line platforms, not the Liz Line ones underground. The Circle, Hammersmith and City and Bakerloo lines are operating as normal.
Buy a day return to Henley-on-Thames (NOT -in-Arden).
This once popular walk has not been done by the SWC since August 2020. Perhaps its short length has counted against it, though at this time of year that should be a virtue. It is a very scenic walk, with a morning stretch along the wilder bank of the Thames at Henley, and a short wooded section before lunch in Hambleden. Autumn colour may be getting faded by now, but this is a fine landscape in which to see what is left.
The lunch pub is the familiar Stag & Huntsman, which usually has room for us. If not, there is a village shop, or the possibility of a late lunch (on the main walk) at the Flower Pot Hotel in Aston. This has had a major revamp since 2022 and now looks quite upmarket. It serves food to 3pm.
The standard afternoon is a largely open walk, with fine valley views, back to Henley. The alternative is to carry on over wooded hills to Marlow, a good option if the autumn colour is still good. Henley has the Chocolate Cafe and other tea options: Marlow is stuffed with cafes of various types.
It is nearly a full moon tonight and if skies are clear you could walk southwards along the riverside at Henley or either way along the river from Marlow to enjoy it. Marlow eastwards along the river to Bourne End is 3.4 miles, and you can get the train from there.
Trains back from Henley are at at 00 and 30 past till 20.00, then hourly
Trains back from Marlow are at 00 past the hour. A day return to Henley should be accepted on this, but in the event you get any grief about this, you would need a single from Marlow to Maidenhead.
10 comments:
I was so looking forward to whizzing through London on the Elizabeth Line :-(
However as Walker mentions, those with freedom passes can still travel on the 9:48 Elizabeth service from Paddington to arrive at Twyford at 10:34 FOC. Just a Day return from Twyford to Henly-on-Thames ticket required.
Eastenders who wish to use this Elizabeth Line service might like to consider travelling to Lancaster Gate on the Central line and then to walk up to Paddington Station via Sussex Gardens and Spring Street where the Elizabeth Line Platforms are accessible at the Southern tip of the Station (see https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5141838,-0.1768498,615m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu )
Yes, sorry about that Mike. I feel your pain as I have got used to whizzing from Tottenham Court Road to Paddington in five minutes.
It is also worth mentioning that there is a secret tunnel from the Bakerloo platforms at Paddington to the Liz Line ones, without the need to walk across the main station concourse (past all those tempting coffee and croissant stands...) Look for the signs at platform level on the Bakerloo. (This is only useful if you have already bought your ticket, though...)
You might want to check which platform the Elizabeth Line trains are departing from. If there are no through trains from Abbey Wood I'd expect them to be leaving from the suburban line platforms on the north side of the main concourse, not the new platforms on the through line.
Good point. I hadn’t thought of that!
OK, Mike has now checked and the Liz Line trains will go from the main line station today. So forget the stuff about secret tunnels.
Yes just to confirm National Rail are indicating 9:49am Departure from Platform 10 for Elizabethans
10:08 didcot pkwy is cancelled, as are all following trains
Getting the 10:19 reading via twyford, platform 11
GWR stopping trains to Twyford were mysteriously cancelled all day. The 16 who got the Liz Line at 9.49 were unaffected. 10 more of us, who had intended to get the GWR train, got the Lizzie at 10.19 and so started the walk half an hour late. I hear one came by car and acquired a spouse en route, so that makes n=28 all told - an amazing turnout for a Thames walk.
Day it was, oh what a - w=glorious-sunshine. We were owed this after so many wet or grey Saturdays. Alas, the autumn colour has almost gone. Even late season trees like alder bare: weeping willows turned yellow, larch golden, oaks faded to rust: the end of days, the start of winter.
Pubs recently have not been busy, but the Stag & Huntsman decided to be an exception. No bookings accepted between 12.45 and 2.15 yadda yadda. Kudos to the walker who booked for 12.15 and then texted to say she would be late - neat! About 15 ultimately ate there.
Most did the short cut before lunch. Those who didn’t saw a 20-30 metre string of fungi in the beech woods. Arriving in Hambleden I eschewed the pub and sat on a bench in the sun, enjoying a hot sausage roll, carrot and coriander soup and tea, all from the village shop. Life does not get much better.
After lunch, two or three got a taxi, at least three walked to Marlow, and the rest of us stuck to the main walk, to make the most of the sun. We had a lovely afternoon, the highlight for me being the walk over Hambleden Weir, the floodgates open and the water foaming in the golden light.
In Henley 14 of my cohort had tea in the Chocolate Cafe and most presumably got the 5pm train. 4 of us walked under the full moon to Shiplake, an entrancing walk, during which we might have seen a passing satellite or space station. Afterwards we hooked up with a fifth who had kindly bought a bottle of wine and snacks, which we enjoyed on the cosy train home.
There's a few photos at https://photos.app.goo.gl/T31KFZCx5UzBJwGN7
GWR excelled themselves with a stream of misinformation/cancellations and uncancellations, but this was more than compensated by the cloudless skies, tranquil river and meadow vistas and of course the sharp wit of SWC's finest.
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