# 🥾 Walk 49 - Thames Path, Henley to Marlow

I didn't quite make this one, although I had intended to. I overslept! I've pieced together this description from an email sent to me by Christine (the walk leader) after the walk. She also provided the photos.

Christine told me that she only met two other walkers on the train to Henley-on-Thames and was worried that there might be a poor turn-out. However, she was greeted at the station car park by a party of walkers, making a total of twelve people (and a dog).

Two of them were locals, which was fortunate because they were able to inform those choosing to park in Henley of the local bus service. The return journey from Marlow to Henley by train, involving the two branch lines, would have been very tedious.

![Ducks on the river, near Hurley.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume4/images/ducks_near_hurley.jpg)

This walk was a repeat of the one led by Jean-Paul in January when we had snow. Today was quite different, with dry and bright weather. The post boxes in Henley, which had been painted gold during last year's Olympic Games, looked resplendent in the glorious sunshine.

The marquees on the bank and structures in the river (presumably for the regatta) were more advanced, than when we did the first leg of the Wokingham Way, but were still far from complete.

The river was a hive of activity with rowers, pleasure craft and even one working barge. On the wildlife front there were grebes, unusually close to the bank, many ducks, geese and swans accompanied by their young, and one solitary heron just after the lock at Mill End.

![Almost a group photo on the Thames Path near Medmenham.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume4/images/thames_path_near_medmenham.jpg)

The group stopped at the lock for a tea break and a quick rest.

On the approach to Hurley, the grass had been selectively mown so that we had short grass to walk on but there was a riot of colour with wild flowers in the longer grass.

Our lunch stop was on the grass at Hurley lock, and some of us were able to take advantage of the benches. Then onward to Marlow and the second gold post box.

![Approaching Marlow on the Thames Path.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume4/images/approaching_marlow.jpg)

Three of the group returned by train, although there was a replacement bus between Marlow and Maidenhead. There is no ticket office or ticket machine in Marlow. The bus driver was not paid to collect fares and there was not the usual guard to come round collecting fares, so despite their intention to pay, they weren't able to. (Oh dear! Never mind!)

![Plenty of activity on the river at Marlow.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume4/images/river_at_marlow.jpg)

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