Henley-on-Thames Circular Walk
14 miles (22.5 km)The popular market town of Henley-on-Thames has a number of excellent waymarked trails to explore. Set beside the River Thames, the attractive riverside town is particularly well known for the annual Henley Royal Regatta, one of the highlights of the British rowing calendar, held over the first weekend in July.
As you explore the town, look out for the Grade I listed Henley Bridge, with its five arches spanning the River Thames.... Built in 1786, the bridge is one of Henley's best-known landmarks. Other historic buildings include the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, which dates from the 16th century, and the Old Bell, a historic inn dating from 1325.
Henley is also easy to reach by public transport, with trains running to the town from Twyford and direct services from London Paddington during peak hours.
This long circular walk makes use of the Thames Path, the Chiltern Way and the Oxfordshire Way to take you on a tour of the countryside surrounding the town. These three long distance footpaths all pass close to the town. They are a good way of exploring the area as they are waymarked and of a good quality.
The walk starts in the town centre near the river and follows the Thames Path south to Bolney Court. This section passes Park Place, Marsh Lock weir and Ferry Eyot island. Here you turn west along the Chiltern Way and head towards the village of Binfield Heath via Harpsden Wood. You then turn north and head past the woodland of the BBC owned Crowsley Park estate. From the public footpaths there are views of Crowsley Park House, a Grade II listed 18th century mansion house.
After leaving Crowsley Park you continue north to the splendidly named Rotherfield Peppard village. Here you will find the lovely Peppard Common which has nice walking trails through woodland, lowland heath and grassland.
The walk continues through the fringe of Nettlebed Woods before turning south along a section of the Oxfordshire Way. This takes you past the villages of Bix and Middle Assendon before coming to Henley Park. Shortly after you return to the town and the finish point.
Pubs and More Info
The Angel on the Bridge is a pub of some note and welll worth some investigation. It's located in a great spot next to the river and has a nice outdoor terrace with fine views to enjoy with your meal. Inside there's a charming interior with original beams and a cosy fireplace. The pub also has an interesting history dating back to 1728. With its fine architecture and riverside location it's one of the most photographed and painted pubs in England. You can find the pub at postcode RG9 1BH for your sat navs.
To continue your walking in the area try the Henley via Stonor Circular Walk. This long walk explores the woods and countryside to the north west of the town. The walk also visits the splendid Stonor Park. The park has been the Stonor family's residence for 850 years making it one of the oldest family homes still lived in today. There's wonderful gardens and parkland with resident deer to see here.
Just a couple of miles north west of the town you'll find the National Trust's Greys Court. There's some lovely walks around the estate which includes a 16th century mansion, woodland and tranquil gardens.
Also of interest are the picture postcard villages of Fingest and Turville. The scenic nature of these historic villages has lead to them being used as a filming location for many films and tv series. In Fingest you'll find a 12th century church with a particularly noteworthy saddleback roof which is one of only two such designs in England. There's also a splendid 18th century pub just opposite the church. Turville is well known for its picturesque windmill which was used in the 1967 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when it was cosmetically restored for filming.
Just to the east of Marlow is the neighbouring village of Little Marlow. Here you can explore the wildlife rich Spade Oak Nature Reserve and visit the historic 14th century church and 16th century pub.
For cyclists the town makes a good entry point for the epic Chilterns Cycleway. The signed circular trail runs for about 170 miles through the Chilterns AONB on quiet country lanes, visiting a series of delightful villages.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Oxfordshire Walks and Chilterns Walks pages.
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Marlow to Henley Thames Path Oxfordshire Way Chiltern Way Chiltern Way Berkshire Loop Mapledurham House Warburg Nature Reserve Henley via Stonor Circular Walk Greys Court Fingest Turville Nettlebed Sonning Common Binfield Heath and Crowsley Park Wargrave Stoke Row Shiplake to Henley Walk
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