9.6 miles 15.4 km Difficulty 2/10
Follow the conventional route or take a diversion deeper into Burnham Beeches with its elderly gnarled trees and a mysterious ancient moat. Your destination, Cookham, is associated with the artist Stanley Spencer whose memorial stone is in the churchyard. There is a Stanley Spencer Gallery in the town, open till 5:30. Traces of an 8th century monastery were recently found in the churchyard.
Travel: get the 10:13 Aylesbury train from Marylebone arriving Gerrards Cross 10:32
Return from Cookham at 15:15 16:15 17:32 18:38 19:08, changing at Maidenhead for Paddington. Or the 1803, changing at both Maidenhead and Slough,
Note that the journeys out and back are on different lines and require different tickets. You need a single from Marylebone to Gerards Cross and a single from Cookham to London. (Or an All-Zones Travelcard and singles out from and back to the zone 6 boundary). Freedom Passes are valid on Tfl trains back from Maidenhead.
Lunch The directions recommend the Jolly Woodman, 01753 644350, which has a sizeable garden.
If taking the Burnham Beeches diversion, you reach the Blackwood Arms first, 01753 645672. You are advised to phone for both. There is also an earlier pub, the White Horse in Hedgerley (01753) 643225.
Tea: There are a few places in Cookham High Street.
Infusions 01628 528 537 has a garden.
There are pubs too - the Kings Arms 01628 530 667, the Bel and Dragon 01628 521 263 and two more on the way to the station.
It is still 15-20 mins to the station from the High Street so allow time for that - and to get your ticket if necessary.
Walk directions here
The optional detour adds about 3 km, 1.5 miles onto the overall length. You can find the route in the online directions.
T=1.40
4 comments:
Detour to Burnham Beeches now incorporated in to the on-line Walk Directions.
Intend going
Hope to make walk. Weather looks to improve. However, if it doesn't the White Horse Hedgerly usually has enough beers to keep the weather nice and relaxing.
N=16 set off in changeable weather, w=mostly-sunny-with-occasional-short-showers About 7 went for the detour. It was agreed to be worth doing, even if the directions need a few tweaks.
About 7 stopped at the Blackwood Arms for lunch. There were favourable reports. Another 4 stopped at the Jolly Woodman where they also liked what they got. The Jolly Woodman was only accepting cash. Someone had spilt some drink in the server or something. It has to be said that 3 of the “Woodman 4” were already a bit jolly, having paid an extended visit to the White Horse. The two factions combined for the final push to Cookham. Near the end, I had arranged for a local farmer to plough a field to provide a little more texture to the walk. This worked a treat. It’s a long time since there was so much boot kicking and scraping at walk’s end. We arrived in Cookham too late to make the 16:15. At least 2 went in the museum. A sizeable number congregated in the Crown – a pub with no beer! Most had tea. 2 had cider. Most got the 17.32. No sign of the churchyard snake.
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