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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Saturday 7 July 2018

Saturday Walk - A Shaded Walk Out West: Henley-on-Thames Circular via Stonor

Length: 22.2 km (13.8 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 545m; Net Walking Time: 5 ½ hours
Toughness:  7/10
[to shorten: two options, cutting out Pishill, for details see the webpage and the pdf]
                                                   
Take the 09.27 Didcot Parkway train from Paddington (09.35 Ealing B’way), change at Twyford (10.10/10.16), arrives Henley-on-Thames 10.27.
Return trains: xx.01 and xx.33 (change at Twyford, from 69 mins journey time, shave off a few mins by changing again at Slough).

This has been posted on a Sunday the last couple of times, so here’s a chance for the Sunday-Refuseniks to enjoy this pleasant Book 2 Classic...

Henley is normally thought of as a riverside town but, as this walk demonstrates, it is also on the southern edge of the Chiltern Hills, a charming area of hidden valleys, mixed wood and farmland, and largely gentle slopes (the main walk has one substantial steep hill after lunch, however). The walk takes you up one side and down the other of the long valley leading up to Stonor, with plenty of charming views over hills en route. Lunch is at a pretty and quiet pub in the village of Pishill, and the return is past hidden farms and through ancient woods into Henley, with its excellent tea rooms.

Lunch: the Crown Inn in Pishill (10.6 km/6.6 mi, food to 14.30).
Tea: a plethora of options in Henley, you will all have your favourites (see the webpage for details).

For summary, map, height profile, photos, walk directions/options and gpx/kml files click here.
T=2.6

7 comments:

Walker said...

A good choice of walk, this, if you are feeling heat-stressed. There is plenty of shady woodland but also some good open bits with nice views.

Anonymous said...

NOTE: It is the Henley regatta this week-end so trains are likely to be very busy...

Anonymous said...

Hello, The Crown Inn at Pishill is closed for a private function tomorrow ( per their website). Do we have an alternative?

Anonymous said...

Also, the church by the river in Henley will be doing afternoon teas as it is Henley week if anyone fancies a church tea for a change.

Thomas G said...

Pishill pub closed today: sorry for this oversight.
The other pub en route comes too early.
The only realistic alternative is 15 minutes off route in Upper Maidensgrove: The Five Horseshoes, food to 15.00 hours. http://www.thefivehorseshoes.co.uk/

Thomas G said...

N=2, w=hot-in-the-exposed-sections. Trains full but not unbearable. Both walkers were picnickers so not affected by the lunch pub's inavailability.

Thomas G said...

n=3 actually, with a third walker having started on a much earlier train, finishing back in Henley at 14.30! She reports that the Pishill church runs a "walkers' deli" in its porch, 'selling' home-made flapjacks for a donation, and providing a kettle for hot drinks...