Marlow To Henley Walk Via The Thames Path

For a leisurely stroll with stunning scenery and breathtaking views, look no further than the Marlow to Henley walk via the Thames Path! This 9.6-mile (15.5 km) stretch of the Thames Footpath takes you past some of the most idyllic villages and countryside of the UK while winding along the picturesque River Thames. With an estimated walking time of 3 hours and 40 minutes, it’s the perfect outing for visitors and locals alike. So break out your walking boots, and get ready for an adventure you won’t soon forget!

In this article, I go through 2 different trails you can follow to join Marlow to Henley following the River Thames. The first one is the shortest, starting on the Eastern bank and crossing over to the Western Bank at Temple Lock. The second trail is slightly longer, as you remain on the Eastern Bank until you reach Hembleden Lock, jumping from riverside paths to meadows and forested routes. Take a look at the table below for more information!

At A Glance

In a hurry? Check out the table below detailing the stats of the 2 walks from Marlow to Henley-on-Thames. All you have left to do is to pick the one you like. In this post, I go into more detail about each walk.

	Distance	Total Ascent	Duration	Difficulty
Marlow to Henley Walk 1	9.6 mi (15.1 km)	62 ft (19 m)	3 hours 40 min	Intermediate
Marlow to Henley Walk 2	10 mi (16.1 km)	135.5 ft (41 m)	4 hours	Intermediate

Logistics of the Marlow to Henley Walk

Walk 1

Walk 2

Highlights of the Marlow to Henley Walk

Marlow to Henley Walk Guide

So now we covered the basics, let’s get to the walk!

Marlow

Our journey starts in Marlow, a lovely Georgian town on the bank of the River Thames. Situating in the Chilterns, an Area of Outstanding Beauty, this charming place has a lively town centre with listed buildings, shops and restaurants. At the end of the eighteenth century, Marlow became a trendy destination, attracting new residents such as Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein.

When you come out of the train station, make your way towards the Thames. You pass by Marlow Road, the continuation of the High Street, where you can find places to stop for a coffee before starting the walk.

You pass by All Saints Church before arriving at Marlow’s most iconic landmark: the Suspension Bridge. Designed by William Tierney Clark in 1832, the bridge is a smaller version of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest, also conceived by the same architect.

Go down on the right of the suspension bridge to get to the Thames Path toward Henley-on-Thames.

Temple Lock

You leave Marlow and a mile (1.6 km) down the Thames Path you see the squared tower of Bisham All Saints Church on the opposite side of the river.

Bisham is a village in Berkshire, the counties of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire being separated by the River Thames and linked by the Marlow suspension bridge. Further down the path, you can guess behind the trees, the thirteenth-century Grade II building of the Bisham Abbey and its priory.

Continue on the towpath with golden fields on your right and reb bricks blocks of flats on your left. You soon arrive at the Temple Lock. There is evidence suggesting the existence of a lock here since the sixteenth century. The current lock is a replacement for the one built in 1890.

Warning: Please note that due to safety concerns, the footbridge at Temple Lock is closed until further notice at the time of writing this article. Therefore, you won’t be able to continue your journey towards Henley-on-Thames following the Thames Path. Below, I go into detail on the deviation route.

Option 1

Cross over Temple footbridge and a little further down you need to cross again to get to an island in the middle of the River Thames. Walk past the Hurley Lock and as you get to the end of the island, transit back to the Western bank of the river. You are in the village of Hurley, Berkshire. As you descend from the footbridge, if you continue straight, you arrive at the St Mary the Virgin Church and the Hurley Priory. Founded in 1086, the Benedictine monastery was dissolved in 1536 by order of King Henry VIII.

Hurley has a public house, the Olde Bell Inn, in operation since 1135, making it one of the oldest still-in-activity inns in Britain.

Continue on the Thames Path, crossing through meadows alongside the river until you reach Magpie Island. Here, the path diverts from the river bank onto the fields and then you arrive at the hamlet of Aston. Walk back towards the river and continue your journey by the water until you get to Hambleden Lock.

Option 2

If the footbridge at Temple Lock is still closed, here is the self-guided deviation route.

Harleyford Golf Club

Before arriving at Temple Lock, you find a footpath on your right, leading inland. Take this footpath bordered by vegetation forming a tree tunnel and walk until you see a red brick house at the end of the lane. Turn left and take the footpath going across a field. You arrive at the Harleyford Golf Club at the end of this path.

The golf course is dotted with driftwood sculptures from artist James Doran-Webb representing horses, stags and different kinds of birds.

Hurley

After you reach the clubhouse, take the designated footpath going alongside the golf course. Then turn left and walk under a tunnel before reaching the bank of the River Thames.

However, this time you are not walking on a towpath alongside the river but in a forested area with fences on both sides of the path. Finally, the fences stop and you get closer to the water where you can look back to see Hurley in the distance.

Medmenham

It is time to head back to the mainland through a forested area. As you get closer to the main road, you start seeing some houses in the woods

Just a few steps on the A4155, and you find the continuation of the footpath on your right. This time you set foot on a green field dotted with yellow flowers. On the other side of the meadow, you can discern a wooden barn. Get closer and you can see goats grazing in front of the shed.

Mill End

Leave the field via a path going through a forested area. Take a left on Ferry Lane and you are back on the river bank.

Walk along the Thames, the blue of the water on your left and the greenery of the hills on your right. It is not uncommon to encounter RV campers on this part of the Thames, enjoying a barbecue and sunbathing as walkers pass by.

You encounter horses at the first house on your way up to the hamlet of Mill End and a few meters further down the lane you are finally back to civilisation!

Hambleden Lock

You reach Hambleden Lock, with a footbridge spanning over the River Thames, linking Mill End to Aston on the opposite bank.

At the same location where the Hambleden Lock stands nowadays, a mill was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. The first lock was constructed in 1770 and has since been rebuilt several times. In 1777, the bizarre and unconventional Caleb Gould became the lockkeeper. He was baking bread and selling it to the bargemen. He died at the age of 91 years old and is buried in Rehmenman, a village we walk past on our way to Henley-on-Thames.

Fun fact: Hambleden Lock is mentioned in Charles Dicken’s novel “The Phantom of Regatta Island”

Take the walkway over the river, and you reach the Berkshire bank where we meet with the Thames Path described in Option 1.

Thames Path to Henley

You are now back on the Thames Path, heading towards Henley-on-Thames. On your way, you can see on the opposite bank a White House-like building with a flag on top. It is one of the premises of the Henley Business School.

Temple Island

Continue your walk alongside the sinuous River Thames, and you arrive at an island with a dome structure at the front. This is Temple Island. The folly was designed by the architect James Wyatt and constructed in 1771 for the Fawley Family as a fishing lodge. In the nineteenth century, following a change of ownership, it underwent some remodelling. Nowadays, the venue can be hired for private events and weddings outside of the regatta period.

Rememham

As you start getting closer to the final destination, you walk past the village of Rememham, where you can see the Riverside Barns and the top of the square tower of St Mary and St Nicholas Church behind.

Henley-on-Thames

If you do this walk close to the regatta period, you can see the preparations such as marquees and bleachers being put on by the river. You notice the top of the St Mary’s Church tower behind the houses on the river bank.

Walk across Henley Bridge to get to the heart of the city.

Henley’s history traces back to 43 AD when Britain was under the Roman Empire. The very first record of a settlement where Henley stands nowadays is dated 1179 when King Henry II bought the land. During medieval times, the town prospered and expanded on the west bank of the Thames. It suffered great damage during the Civil War. Its economy recovered during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries thanks to the manufacturing of glass and malt.

The town’s main landmarks are:

• Henley Bridge, built in 1786
• Fawley Court designed by Christopher Wren in 1684
• Henley Town Hall, built in 1900
• The Old Bell Pub, situated in a building dating 1325
• St Mary The Virgin Church, erected in the thirteenth century

To end the walk, head to the Bell on Bull Street pub for a rewarding Sunday roast. With a choice of traditional British pub indoor space and modern courtyard seating, you can enjoy a delicious meal in the perfect setting.

Bon appetit!

Marlow to Henley Walk Map

Do you want to walk from Marlow to Henley via the Thames Path? Download the map of both Option 1 and Option 2 walks below. Click on the link to download the GPS map and learn how to upload it onto your navigation app by following my step-by-step guide.

Final Thoughts on the Marlow to Henley Walk

In conclusion, the Marlow to Henley walk is a stunningly beautiful route that should be on the radar of any fan of the outdoors, or anyone looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With its unique blend of scenic views, charming towns, and historically significant sites, this walk is an excellent way to enjoy all that the countryside has to offer. With its alluring beauty and endless possibilities, it is an ideal way to explore and appreciate nature.

And you, what is your favourite Thames Path walk? Let me know in the comments below.

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