Thames Path East

Make your own way to Henley-on-Thames a small attractive town, famous for its annual rowing regatta and other rowing events. There is an attractive main street with small shops and pubs and there is an award winning 'River and Rowing Museum' by the river. The town grew prosperous in the 17th and 18th centuries due to glass and malt production and trade in corn and wool. The town supplied London with timber and grain. Accommodation: An attractive B&B is set in a mature English garden with a large and private sunny patio. There are 4 well furnished rooms, most fully en suite, and a comfortable lounge. Wireless internet is available throughout the house and all rooms have satellite television. This is on a room only basis

This first day is a very pleasant introduction to the walk, the shortest day of the tour, it gives you plenty of time to explore both Henley and Marlow and lull around the river in between. The walk follows the path of the Henley Regatta to Hambleden Lock and then the last mile or so you are following the route of the Marlow Town Regatta into Marlow. In between are delightful river settings, locks and an extensive deer park with white deer. The last half a mile takes in a famous Victorian view towards Marlow and its suspension bridge, the model for the much bigger one in Budapest. Accommodation: in a suburban guest house about 15 minutes walk from the centre. There are 8 'luxury' guest bedrooms with WiFi and the place is beloved for its breakfasts. You may instead be at a pub B&B in the town centre, which also does some great pub food.

This is the longest stage of the week, leaving Marlow and out into the meadows beside the winding river. You switch to the south bank of the Thames at Bourne End and along to Cookham, where you will find the gallery museum to famous local painter, Stanley Spencer. The village could make an ideal coffee stop before following the woody river bank along a pleasant shady stretch before the commuter town of Maidenhead where you will find the famous Boulters lock. Here the fashionable Victorians and Edwardians used to parade on the river. After the bridges of the town, including a Brunel masterpiece with the widest brick arches in the World, you follow the meanders of the Thames taking you out into the countryside again passing Monkey Island and Eton’s rowing lake (Dorney Lake) and the beautiful flint stone church of St. Mary Magdalene. Finally you cross the last water-meadows reaching Eton and Windsor. The famous castle holds out to near the end when it suddenly appears across the river. Note that if you have the time an extra day here is advisable giving you extra time to explore the castle and its grounds. Accommodation: We use a number of different accommodation in the busy town of Windsor.

From the crowds at Windsor, stroll through Home Park with more views of Windsor Castle. Then reach the meadows of Runnymede. You will need a long zoom to see the Magna Carta temple on the other side of the river donated by the American Bar Association in 1957. Somewhere hereabouts it is traditionally believed that King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, an important stage in the centuries-long process of the move to constitutional law, and which influenced the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The path crosses the river at Egham and Staines with some attractive walking before reaching Chertsey Bridge via Laleham. Accommodation: A modern pub hotel which overlooks the river here. Many rooms have views over the river and the beautiful bridge. Perhaps the closest accommodation we use to the Thames Path.

This is one of those days where it feels as if you are walking for the most part through a big park! There are beautiful tranquil sections of the river on shady riverside paths and also through meadows passing houseboats, islands largely built on with little chalets, boat yards, and of course pubs and cafes. There is a tiny ferry to take early in the day which is the only one on the tour. There is plenty of time for you to visit perhaps the historical highlight of the day: Hampton Court – Cardinal Wolsleys famous palace from 1515. Although this can be very busy, it is an amazing place and you will have time for 2 hours or more to explore! Then there are just 5km left to Kingston, a busy modern and yet historical town. It was at Kingston that 7 Saxon Kings were coronated, underlying the historical importance of the place. Accommodation: a pub hotel and a small hotel, both in historical buildings may be used on either side of the river, but still very convenient for the walking route.

A fairly long stage takes you through the attractive towns of Richmond and Kew where a diversion may be contemplated to visit Kew Gardens which is just by the Thames. We recommend that you stick to the south side of the river. You will however have to watch out for cyclists who also share much of the route today. However the track is on the whole quite wide. When you reach Barnes Bridge you will realize that central London is quite near and soon after a final breathing space provided by the presence of the London Wetland Centre nearby, ‘The City’ in the form of Hammersmith and Putney soon engulfs you. Accommodation: you will be staying in a chain type hotel either side of the river in Putney or Fulham just across the bridge. Clean reasonably sized standard rooms.

Today’s walk is a busy hike along the central London sections of the Thames Path. You could once again follow either north or south sides of the river, but we would recommend the south side route, because you spend less time by busy roads and get very good perspectives on the central London / Westminster area. You can always use one of the numerous bridges to cross The Thames to visit any of the attractions on the North bank such as Tate Britain, Westminster Abbey, St.Pauls and The Tower of London. There are a whole host of tourist sites and also, there will be sections such as around Tate Modern and the London Eye popular with tourists. Accommodation: Standard chain hotels are used either on the north or south bank in the Tower Bridge area, very close to the Thames Path.