Length: 19.4 km (12.1 miles) Option to reduce to 8.7 miles or 8 miles by finishing in Henley
Toughness: 4 out of 10 Some wooded hills in afternoon of Circular walk Remainder easy going
Either
London Paddington: 09-56 hrs Great Western service to Didcot Parkway Ealing Broadway 10-05 hrs
Arrive Maidenhead: 10-30 hrs Change trains
Leave Maidenhead: 10-34 hrs Great Western service from Maidenhead to Marlow
Arrive Marlow: 10-57 hrs
Or - for Freedom Pass holders
London Paddington: 09-43 hrs TfL Rail service to Reading Ealing Broadway 09-51 hrs
Arrive Maidenhead: 10-24 hrs Change trains
Leave Maidenhead: 10-34 hrs Great Western service from Maidenhead to Marlow - as above
Arrive Marlow: 10-57 hrs
Return
Marlow to Paddington, via Bourne End and Maidenhead: Great Western services at 16-00, 17-18, 17-47, 18-24 hrs and so on
Henley-on-Thames to Paddington via Twyford: 15-27, 15-57, 16-27, 16-59, 17-36 and so on
Rail ticket: Holders of London Councils Freedom Passes can travel on TfL Rail trains from Paddington to Maidenhead for free. That just leaves you to buy a day return from Maidenhead to Marlow (or Henley-on-Thames for Henley finishers). For travellers of all ages on Great Western trains out of Paddington , you will need to purchase day returns to Marlow (or Henley).
Some five months ago Wednesday walkers did one of the Marlow to Henley options of this walk, on a fine late autumn day, and very enjoyable it was, too. Today, I suggest we tackle the full 12 mile Marlow Circular walk, but those preferring a shorter walk by all means do the Henley ending.
From Marlow railway station we walk through this pleasant Georgian town and its park as far as the River Thames, where we commence a relaxing riverside path walk. We then continue over meadows and fields and back beside the river again before crossing fields to the village of Aston, for today's first lunch pub option - The Flower Pot Hotel which enjoys a nice setting, food passable (but not a patch on former times). Your e.t.a here is 1-15 pm.
Those heading for Henley leave us in Aston. The rest of us continue on to the pretty village of Hambleden, a good picnic spot, with its excellent pub The Stag & Huntsman, for a late pub lunch, your e.t.a here being 1-50 pm.
After lunch, on the Circular walk, we head up into woods and walk through a series of wooded hills back to Marlow. We might find the last of this year's bluebell displays still in some of the woods. For tea options please see the Directions. Likewise, directions from Aston to Henley for an 8 mile or 8.7 mile walk are in the Walk Directions.
If we are fortunate with the weather today this should make for a very pleasant Spring walk.
T=2.8
Walk Directions are here: L=2.8
1 comment:
Just n=7 on today's walk - perhaps the weather forecast put off our fair-weather friends. If so, they missed a treat - a lovely, varied walk in lush, green countryside. Yes - it did w=rain-all-day-mostly-of-the-drizzly-sort, but no-one minded, given the need for rain in South-East-England.
Most of the riverside paths were bordered by swathes of cow parsley which was everywhere. Bluebells, where seen, were now on their last legs - just a fuzz. Lots of other Spring flowers were still on show to enhance our enjoyment of the walk. Two geese were seen shepherding their new-born brood of ten goslings - all balls of fluff.
On reaching Aston five stopped at the Flower Pot pub-hotel - food OK but limited veggie options - whilst two of us continued on to the Stag & Huntsman in Hambleden, to enjoy a superb lunch. Six of the group reassembled outside this pub, with the seventh having opted for the Henley finish after Aston. Leaving Hambleden the rain intensified for a while before reverting to the steady drizzle experienced in the morning. The woods and hills in the afternoon made an excellent contrast to the Thames riverside and meadow walking in the morning.
We eventually arrived back in Marlow in time to enjoy refreshments in the Marlow Donkey pub and change
into dry clothing before catching the 17-47 hrs train to Bourne End, with connections to Maidenhead then Paddington.
Seldom has a walk in the rain been so enjoyable.
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