I’ve often started these accounts of the daily walks with an account of the weather, and today was a mild day (for December) with some pleasant sunny spells. And the warmer temperatures that we seem to have had this year have led us to have a particularly wet autumn. Since I arrived at Maidenhead at the end of October, a lot of water has passed under the bridge, and on arriving at Maidenhead Bridge this morning, there was still a lot of water passing underneath it. The river was high, as I’d suspected, but the Environment Agency website said that there was no flood warning for this stretch of the Thames, so all should be well for a walk to Marlow. But the river was definitely higher, flowing faster, and browner – a sign of more silt and mud being carried.
The path from Maidenhead follows the road north to Cookham as far as Boulter’s Lock. This entrance to the lock is marked by a small hump-backed bridge, and it was a surpise to see the lock immediately behind it. Since I last went walking the river has closed up for the winter. Many of the locks are now shut, some are being refurbished and the cruisers are tied up in the marinas. After Boulters, the path moves off road once more, passing some large houses once more, including Maidenhead Court. Oddly, these big piles are larger than the houses south of Maidenhead, but they don’t look as grand. Many seem to have been converted into flats and retirement homes with the odd harsh warning sign to deter trespassers – one giving details of laser powered concealed CCTV.
Soon there are just fields and trees all around and the path starts to get a bit muddy. To the right, on the opposite bank, the high escarpment of the Cliveden Estate is showing off the last of its autumn colour. If I’d been down here a couple of weeks ago I suspect it’d have been a riot of oranges, browns and red, but by now most of the leaves had dropped. Sadly you don’t get a view of Cliveden itself, but you do see the manicured lawns and chocolate box cottages on the bankside, and a round tower folly high up on the hill.
At this point, where there used to be a ferry for the horse drawn boats, the path turns away from the river, down pathways and lanes towards Cookham village. Cookham is a typical English village with a scienic view down the high street. Around the corner and the path passes through churchyard of Holy Trinity Church, a beautiful 12th century church with square tower. This leads straight down to the river, just upstream of Cookham Bridge. The riverside path passes through Cookham Reach Boat Sailing Club and then onto the open marsh land.
Through a gate and we’re onto National Trust land, signed as Cock Marsh. This leads the path up to the Bourne End Railway Bridge where the path passes across the footbridge towards Bourne End village. Turn left and down a narrow path way to the riverside boathouses. The river now turns westwards and once past the long run of these boathouses the path comes to the edge of Spade Oak Meadows. Here the train line from Marlow comes very close to the river and very close to the path. Here the trains run very slowly – perhaps because of the waterlogging.
I assume that the river did flood over here earlier in the week, as the meadows, particularly the first field, are very very muddy (I should have worn my walking boots!). The sun was getting low now and reflecting off the river as we approached the large villas on the opposite bank, some clinging to the slopes of Winter Hill. Some are particularly stunning (but the best are hidden on the other side of the island – having sailed down this stretch in the summer I can vouch for that). Then the path curves round and heads towards Marlow. Under the by-pass bridge and into a park the path moves away. Here its worth just nipping down a side path to see a stunning view of Marlow from Marlow Lock. Historically the horse drawn barges had to untie their horses along this stretch and the horses were led around Marlow streets and the Seven Corner Alley, a narrow high-walled path around the backs of Marlow’s buildings. Emerging from the alley I drew my walk to an end and headed for the station.
The path from Maidenhead follows the road north to Cookham as far as Boulter’s Lock. This entrance to the lock is marked by a small hump-backed bridge, and it was a surpise to see the lock immediately behind it. Since I last went walking the river has closed up for the winter. Many of the locks are now shut, some are being refurbished and the cruisers are tied up in the marinas. After Boulters, the path moves off road once more, passing some large houses once more, including Maidenhead Court. Oddly, these big piles are larger than the houses south of Maidenhead, but they don’t look as grand. Many seem to have been converted into flats and retirement homes with the odd harsh warning sign to deter trespassers – one giving details of laser powered concealed CCTV.
Soon there are just fields and trees all around and the path starts to get a bit muddy. To the right, on the opposite bank, the high escarpment of the Cliveden Estate is showing off the last of its autumn colour. If I’d been down here a couple of weeks ago I suspect it’d have been a riot of oranges, browns and red, but by now most of the leaves had dropped. Sadly you don’t get a view of Cliveden itself, but you do see the manicured lawns and chocolate box cottages on the bankside, and a round tower folly high up on the hill.
At this point, where there used to be a ferry for the horse drawn boats, the path turns away from the river, down pathways and lanes towards Cookham village. Cookham is a typical English village with a scienic view down the high street. Around the corner and the path passes through churchyard of Holy Trinity Church, a beautiful 12th century church with square tower. This leads straight down to the river, just upstream of Cookham Bridge. The riverside path passes through Cookham Reach Boat Sailing Club and then onto the open marsh land.
Through a gate and we’re onto National Trust land, signed as Cock Marsh. This leads the path up to the Bourne End Railway Bridge where the path passes across the footbridge towards Bourne End village. Turn left and down a narrow path way to the riverside boathouses. The river now turns westwards and once past the long run of these boathouses the path comes to the edge of Spade Oak Meadows. Here the train line from Marlow comes very close to the river and very close to the path. Here the trains run very slowly – perhaps because of the waterlogging.
I assume that the river did flood over here earlier in the week, as the meadows, particularly the first field, are very very muddy (I should have worn my walking boots!). The sun was getting low now and reflecting off the river as we approached the large villas on the opposite bank, some clinging to the slopes of Winter Hill. Some are particularly stunning (but the best are hidden on the other side of the island – having sailed down this stretch in the summer I can vouch for that). Then the path curves round and heads towards Marlow. Under the by-pass bridge and into a park the path moves away. Here its worth just nipping down a side path to see a stunning view of Marlow from Marlow Lock. Historically the horse drawn barges had to untie their horses along this stretch and the horses were led around Marlow streets and the Seven Corner Alley, a narrow high-walled path around the backs of Marlow’s buildings. Emerging from the alley I drew my walk to an end and headed for the station.
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