So back to the Thames Path, a further block of four days. Not a good nights sleep before this walk as I’d been double jabbed the day before and was some what paranoid about the way I’d feel in the morning! All good! Sadly SPR still haven’t got transport so it was suggested that we meet at Wallingford and catch the bus to Henley. We’d been alerted that the bus stop had temporarily moved but we planned to meet in good time. A bigger group for this section. Andrew joining for the day, Richard who had been part of the first group and Jenny and Mirella – all of whom I’d walked with before. Fiona plus her husband who had a rare day off had gone straight to Henley.
Well we got to the bus stop in very good time and waited and waited, checked with others that it was the correct place and waited and waited. Forty minutes after the bus was due we took the executive decision to get a taxi. Enough was enough.
We arrived at the bridge over the river in Henley and Fiona and Darren joined us- it seemed ages since we were at this point in September.
We crossed the bridge and we’re on the opposite bank to the previous section having left Oxfordshire and arrived in Berkshire. The river is straight and wide at this point making it a suitable site for the Henley Regatta. Before long we can see Fawley Court, now slightly concealed by trees and on a little further is Temple Island. Now used as the starting point for races, this building was built as a fishing lodge but also as a ‘folly’ to be seen from the large house.
The river makes a big curve round at this point. And we’re heading for Hambledon Lock where I’ve suggested we should have our first break seeing we all started our day quite early. This looks quite a good place to explore on another occasion and there are some interesting buildings, one of which is a mill – now restored and repurposed!
Although it is still a little overcast it is beginning to warm up and slightly more blue sky is appearing. We stay by the river for a while and then take a short lane into the hamlet of Aston before we come out by the river again just below Culham Court. Having trained at Culham College near Abingdon this obviously attracts my attention. A handsome house with some unusual sculpture in the grounds and then white deer in the park.
An interesting building up on the hill, called Culham House but following Fiona’s research that evening it transpires it is a quite newly built Catholic chapel – the owners of the estate are Swiss.
We have noticed several cormorants along this stretch of the river. I found it rather strange at first as usually I’ve spotted these at the seaside – later in our walk a notice board confirmed our identification. Some interesting farm buildings which are using the local materials of chalk and flint.
The river continued round and we went past Frogmill Spinney which was an extensive mobile home park- difficult to tell if these were residential or holiday homes – some looked very established – we discussed the fact that you are only suppose to be in them for a limited time. Onwards. We can see a very large white Hotel at the top of a hill on the opposite bank – the area is marked on the map as Danesfield and also has an old fort. The river is splitting into about four channels here and we go by the lock near to Hurley which is apparently equidistant from Oxford and London. Another site of a Benedictine Priory. We also noticed very full grown cygnets that still hadn’t quite changed from ugly ducklings! After the lock we cross the river, we are now in Buckinghamshire, our third county today and a feeling of greater affluence and busyness is apparent. A marina and many more boats moored.
As we begin to approach Marlow we can see Bisham Abbey on the opposite bank – this is a National sports centre where various teams and individuals train. We can just about see some playing fields but not much else. The area has obviously been repurposed and it’s good to see that the church is still part of the complex.
There are more people on the path as we get closer to the next town and our destination for the day. The chain bridge over the river at Marlow is soon apparent. We need to leave the river here and walk into the town to find the bus stop to go back to Henley and then a second bus back to Wallingford.
We note that there are some good looking shops in Marlow, a good place to visit again but content ourselves with tea and coffee on this occasion as we still have to find the bus stop!
Today’s walk was very enjoyable and quite short – warming us up for what was to come on the next days! About 15.5 km so about 10 miles.
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 