Walks Near Marlow: 2 Walks Between Hills And River

Perfectly located between the hills of the Chilterns and the river Thames, Marlow has a lot to offer for hikers and walkers at all levels. In this post, I am taking you through two walks, a challenging and an easy one, you can do near Marlow. As usual in all my posts, these are walks I have done myself.

Logistics for the walks near Marlow

1 – Marlow loop via High Wycombe

Read the Marlow loop via High Wycombe

2- Bourne End loop via Marlow

• Distance: 7.61 miles (12.24 km)
• Ascent: 445 feet (135 m)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Walking estimate: 2 hours and 45 minutes
• How to get there: There are no direct trains from London. You would have to get a train from Paddington Station to Maidenhead Station and change in Maidenhead for a train to Marlow
• What to bring: Comfortable clothing, if the weather is nice and the path is dry, a pair of trainers will suffice, nonetheless, if it has been pouring during the week, the path can get muddy so you would need a pair of walking shoes, snack, water (1 litre is sufficient for a short walk like this one)

Read the Bourne End loop via Marlow

Marlow loop via High Wycombe

Marlow & Marlow Bottom

In the event that you are searching for a difficult walk, then keep reading as this long and hilly walk is the thing that you need! Marlow, located 33 miles (53 km) from London, is known for being an upmarket countryside town, similar to the neighbouring town Henley-on-Thames.

We arrive at the station and take Glade Road followed by Oak Tree Road to leave the town and get onto the fields. We cut across Hunts Wood where we discover a swing hanging from a tree branch (and of course one of us had to go and try it).

Then, we follow the trail to Marlow Bottom. We stroll on the main road, admiring the houses sitting on the hills on both sides of the street.

Two forests and a clearing

We leave Marlow Bottom and proceed by walking alongside High Heavens Wood and Hollyhill Wood. At that point, we climb the hill leading to the hamlet of Booker, which has now been absorbed into the suburbs of High Wycombe.

We walk up the residential area of Booker Common, and once we arrive at the top we enter High Barber’s Wood. As we walk along the forest, we are surrounded by bluebells and therefore, I would unequivocally recommend that you go in April to see them. As we emerge from the woods we arrive in a clearing where we stop for lunch.

More forests and a long road

When lunch is over, we take the path between Stonneybottom Plantation and Hellbottom Wood. We encounter two men in a Jeep who caution us to remain on the tracks as there is a shooting taking place. That is somewhat scary but we comply without a doubt.

We leave the forested area and we walk up to a farm and some sheep looking for some shade under a tree. We proceed with our ascension and cut across Wheeler End Common where there is a picnic area. If we knew this before it would have been a much better place for lunch. We are then back onto a road leading to a footpath to get across the M40. On the opposite side of the motorway, we arrive in the village of Lane End. We progress forward on the main road and cross Moorend Common.

From that point onwards and until reaching Marlow Common, we are following Frieth Road, where there is no sidewalk. We are therefore walking onto the main road and stopping each time there is a car passing by. This is not the most delightful part of the walk yet it is the best way to return to Marlow. The good news is we are going downhill on this stretch of the hike.

We leave the main road at Holme Wood and continue our path through the forest. We emerge from it onto the fields and start climbing a path cutting through meadows where sheep are grazing.

To the pub!

We arrive in Marlow Common and Davenport Wood where we start our descent towards Marlow.

We are late for our booking at the pub so we rush through the residential area all the way to The Marlow Donkey. We show up 15 minutes late for our booking but they are really nice and understood that we were hiking so they let us have our table. Starving, we go for the Sunday Roast menu: lamb for my friends and vegetarian one for me. The portions are big and the food is delicious. Bon appetit!

Walks near Marlow: the Marlow loop via High Wycombe map

Bourne End loop via Marlow

Bourne End to Marlow

On the off chance that you are searching for an easy and scenic walk, this is for you. From overlooking the River Thames from the top of a hill to strolling along the Thames path, this is ideal for a sunny weekend walk.

We start our hike in Bourne End which was initially a hamlet until 1854 when the railway connecting Maidenhead to High Wycombe via Bourne End was built. The railway created more travel opportunities which had a positive impact on the local economy. Among its famous residents are the crime authors Edgar Wallace and French aviator Louis Blériot.

From the station, we turn right on the main street and afterwards go right on Camden Place. What initially appears to be a dead-end street actually links to the Thames Path. As we emerge from the street, we come face to face with a bridge. We climb up the stairs and cross over the River Thames.

On the opposite bank, we set foot onto green fields and can see the hill in the background. No need to worry if you are not an experienced hiker, this is not a steep hill. We walk along the river, admiring the boats moored along the bank and the bungalows aligned on the edge of the water.

We continue on this path until we encounter a gate blocking the road. At this point, we deviate from the river path and start walking across the fields in the direction of the hill. We start our climb and stop from time to time to admire the view over the river with the fields in the background.

Closing the loop

As we get to the top, we enter the forest of Quarry Wood. We walk on this path until we reach the edge of the forested area. Here, we get onto the main road and come across stairs leading to a motorway bridge over the Thames. we endeavour to follow the path on the side of the hard shoulder yet the speed at which the cars are coming towards me truly frightened us so we turn around. I would not suggest that you use that bridge to close the loop as it is excessively risky. We found another way a little bit further down.

Shaking from our experience up on the bridge, we get back on Quarry Wood road. We continue along that road until we reach Marlow Suspension Bridge which a much safer way to cross over the Thames. This Grade I listed building was designed by William Turney Clark and built between 1929 and 1932.

Marlow to Bourne End

On the opposite bank is the town of Marlow. We arrive by the Church and cut across the cemetery, take a couple of back streets and reach the Thames path. On the way, we appreciate the view of the houses and bungalows on the opposite bank. It is Sunday morning and rowing boats are out on the Thames. The walk is fairly flat on that side. It has been sunny all week so the terrain is dry but it is not paved so it can get really muddy if you are going after a few days of downpours.

Related Content: Marlow to Henley via the Thames Path

We arrive back at Bourne End by the marina and stop to look at the boats. We head back to the Station where we have 30 minutes to wait before the next train arrives. I would suggest that you plan your walk according to the train timetable as there are only two trains per hour. Alternatively, you can go for lunch in Bourne End, however, there are relatively few options and the only pub by the river was closed when I did this walk. We ended up eating a sandwich on a bench by the station. Bon appetit!

Walks near Marlow: Bourne End loop via Marlow map

I hope you enjoyed reading about these 2 walks near Marlow. If you are looking for more hikes in this area, why not check the following posts

Henley Circular Walk: From River to Woodlands

Wendover Circular: A Walk In The Chilterns AONB

Walk In Berkshire: The Goring & Streatley Circular

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