British Walking Federation

HENLEY  ON  THAMES  TOWN  AND   RIVER   WALK ORGANISED BY THAMES VALLEY WALKING CLUB

CONTACT :  Peter Tilbury, 116 Wykeham Road, Reading, Berkshire RG6 1PL     
Tel: 0118 966 6523   Fax: 0118 926 6303   Email: pntilbury@aol.com

DISTANCE:  20km
ENTRY FEE:  £1.00 per walker
(Cheques made payable to Thames Valley Walking Club)
AWARD:  Cloth badge at £2.00 each
START VENUE:   Town Hall, Henley on Thames      
Map 175 GR SU760826
DIRECTIONS TO START:  Follow signs to Henley and once in the town, there are several ‘Pay & Display’ car parks around the Market Place. From the train station, turn left & at roundabout turn right & follow road to reach Market Place on left hand side.
CAR PARKING:  Within 500m of start venue
PUBLIC TRANSPORT:  Bus and train service within 1km of start
TERRAIN: Urban areas, minor roads, farmland and riverside paths.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION (Updated 11 November 2009)

With the Town Hall steps behind you, walk down through the Market Square. At the traffic lights, turn left into Bell Street. At the next junction, turn right into New Street.

Q1. What is the name of the cottage at 58 New Street ?

As the road bears right, cross over and use the riverside path to reach the bridge (Henley Bridge). Turn left over the bridge to cross the River Thames & continue ahead, passing the “Little Angel” public house and “Henley Cricket Club” on your left.
Follow main road uphill, passing allotments on left and just after passing “Ivy Gate House” on left, turn left on footpath up steps. Cross driveway & continue ahead on footpath uphill with wooden fence on right. Go ahead on footpath through woods, following white arrows on trees & ignoring all turnings, to cross stile to reach road. Turn left & after 10m turn right on footpath. Go ahead across field to reach stile. Cross stile & continue ahead across next field, in same direction, to reach stile. Cross stile & follow path through woods to reach driveway.
Turn sharp left on second track (in direction of footpath sign), passing in a few yards sign “Yewgate Cottage (Private Drive)”. Follow footpath along track. At end of track continue ahead on narrow footpath between concrete posts to reach road. Turn right & follow road uphill past telephone box on left. Immediately before t-junction, turn left over stile onto footpath. Go diagonally left across field to reach stile at end of conifers. Cross stile and follow right hand edge of next field. At corner of field, by footpath sign, turn left & continue to follow right hand edge of field for approx. 400m. Just before wood, turn right through gap in hedge & through gate. Turn half left downhill across field, following line of marker posts, to reach driveway at kissing gate / cattle grid. Turn left on tarmac drive & at fork bear left. Follow drive downhill.

Q2. At entrance to “Deer Park”, what is the speed limit?

At entrance to “Deer Park”/Culham Court, follow footpath to the right, with deer fence on your left. Ahead downhill to wooden gate. Through gate and ahead to finger post. Turn left on “Thames Path”, passing Culham Court. Through 4 kissing gates & across field towards house and barns, with river on your right. Go through gate & follow path to reach driveway. Ahead on tarmac driveway to reach t-junction. Turn right in direction of “Thames Path”. After approx. 50m you reach “Remenham Lane”.

 Q3. What is the name of the Public House?

Turn left along “Remenham Lane” for approx. 1500m, to reach church. Turn right, keeping church on your right & follow lane to reach metal gate. Continue ahead on gravel track, through kissing gate then metal gate, to reach River Thames. Turn left on riverside footpath, with river on your right, & follow for approx. 1600m towards Henley.
Just before Henley Bridge, pass the “Leander Club” (pink hippos on gates) & bear left on footpath to reach main road. Turn right and cross road at traffic island. Turn right and follow road over bridge over River Thames. Turn left on road (Thameside) with “The Angel” public house on your left, following the Thames Path. At road junction, continue straight ahead on riverside footpath to reach “Hobbs & Sons Limited”. Continue ahead on riverside footpath for approx. 1000m, past Mills Meadows (toilets) & “River and Rowing Museum”. At far end of meadows, ahead to end of path. (* if using alternative start, join route here). Turn left over “Horsebridge” to reach “Marsh Weir / Marsh Lock”.

Q4. Who sponsored the “Salmon Ladder” at Marsh Weir?

Continue on “Horsebridge” & rejoin riverside footpath. Follow footpath & at far end of large meadow, bear right on footpath to cross over footbridge. Go ahead on footpath & follow footpath alongside wooden fence by driveway. (Note railway & “St Moritz” station in garden on your left). At end of footpath, continue ahead on lane. At fork, bear left on lane (sign post “Thames Path”) & follow for approx. 650m. Follow lane round right hand bend to cross over railway level crossing to reach “The Baskerville” public house. Ahead to cross roads.

Q5. What is the number of the Post Box opposite “The Baskerville” Public House?

At cross roads, turn right into “Northfield Avenue” (following direction of bridleway arrow). Follow lane & at end, go through kissing gate & follow footpath between wooden fences to cross stile and reach road. Cross main road WITH GREAT CARE & go ahead on bridleway. Follow track for approx. 700m, passing through wooded area & uphill to reach road. Cross road & continue ahead on bridleway (sign posted “Mays Green 1”) (on private driveway). Follow lane, bear right in front of “Upper Bolney Cottage”, then bear left & continue to follow lane for approx. 200m. Just after lane passes green sheds, ignore stile on your right, then after a further 10m, bear right on track with wooded area on left & field on right. Follow track, keeping field on right. Immediately before white house on your left, turn right on footpath between fence & hedgerow. Follow footpath to reach stile. Cross stile & follow left hand edge of field to cross stile & reach road. Turn right & follow road WITH CARE to pass between golf courses & then downhill through trees. At bottom of hill, at t-junction, turn right & follow road to reach “Harpsden Hall” on your left.

Q6. What are the dates on the Hall?

Continue on road & after approx. 30m, turn left on footpath (sign post “Henley”). Cross stile & go ahead steeply uphill, following left hand edge of field. Cross stile onto footpath. Follow footpath & at “Drawback House”, continue ahead on footpath through metal barrier. At end of footpath, go through metal barrier & turn right on road. 10m after unnamed road on your left, turn left on footpath, opposite “Vinehart”.
At junction with road, go straight ahead on footpath next to house no. 27. At junction with road, turn left. Follow road & at t-junction, cross road & go ahead on footpath to left of large white house (no. 7). At end of footpath, cross road & continue ahead on footpath. At end of this short section, turn left on road. Follow road, passing St. Marks Road &, as road turns right, go ahead on footpath between barriers, passing school on your left. Continue ahead to pass “Holy Trinity Church” on your left & go ahead on “Church Street”. At t-junction, turn right on road, Cross over road & turn left into car park. Walk through car park (toilets) to return to the Town Hall & the end of the walk.

PLACES OF INTEREST ON THE WALK

Kenton Theatre: This is the fourth oldest theatre in England, built in 1805 and is still in regular use.

Brakspear Brewery: Makers of Real Ale. Note bow fronted offices & opposite twin towers of malt house.

Henley Bridge: Built in 1786 to replace the former wooden bridge damaged in Civil War, then lost to floods. Note ‘Old Father Thames’ over central arch looking downstream over the regatta course towards London & ‘ISIS’ looking upstream towards Reading & Oxford.

Marsh Lock: Approached over Horsebridge (built for the barge towing horses), this is a spectacular setting.

Shiplake: Derived from the place name. Reputed to be a large flooded lake area of the Thames where the Danes marshalled their ships on the conquest along the Thames Valley. 

When you have completed this trail please use the  Permanent Trail Entry Form

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.  Every effort will be made by the organisers to make this a safe, enjoyable and memorable event.

This trail is registered until 31 December 2010.