Most of the paths in the Marlow area are very familiar to us, but we're on a mission to complete Adventurous Pub Walks in the Chilterns, and there's a walk from Marlow to Medmenham and back, so off we went despite the recent rain.
The book starts the walk from Marlow, but the car parks are limited to four hours. We weren't sure we'd have time for the walk and a lunch stop, so we parked at Bovingdon Green and headed for Homefield Wood, then South to Medmenham, emerging at the Dog & Badger.
The route was supposed to take us across the fields between the Marlow-Henley road and the river. However, previous experience told us that those fields get very sodden after rain, so we walked along the roadside verge to the join the path as it heads back to the river at Danesfield. The path skirts round the hotel grounds, which are surrounded by a fence more suitable for a prison. Are they trying to keep people out, or to keep the guests in? I'm not keen on this hotel - I was once there with a group from work that included an Italian in the smartest jeans you can imagine (he looked much smarter than most of looked in suits), and we weren't allowed to eat in the restaurant because of the jeans.
We were then faced with the choice of a short cut back along a path into Marlow, or the proper route along the towpath. We chose the towpath (passing Bisham Abbey), which turned into something of an adventure on account of the mud and puddles. We were lucky to avoid slipping over.
Our lunch stop was at the 'Cafe in the Park' in Higginson Park, which is lovely. Perhaps the best hot chocolate I've ever had.
The route back to the car through Marlow was via paths we didn't know existed, one of which went alongside some allotments, also protected by a prison fence.
The route was supposed to take us across the fields between the Marlow-Henley road and the river. However, previous experience told us that those fields get very sodden after rain, so we walked along the roadside verge to the join the path as it heads back to the river at Danesfield. The path skirts round the hotel grounds, which are surrounded by a fence more suitable for a prison. Are they trying to keep people out, or to keep the guests in? I'm not keen on this hotel - I was once there with a group from work that included an Italian in the smartest jeans you can imagine (he looked much smarter than most of looked in suits), and we weren't allowed to eat in the restaurant because of the jeans.
We were then faced with the choice of a short cut back along a path into Marlow, or the proper route along the towpath. We chose the towpath (passing Bisham Abbey), which turned into something of an adventure on account of the mud and puddles. We were lucky to avoid slipping over.Our lunch stop was at the 'Cafe in the Park' in Higginson Park, which is lovely. Perhaps the best hot chocolate I've ever had.
The route back to the car through Marlow was via paths we didn't know existed, one of which went alongside some allotments, also protected by a prison fence.
View Marlow And Medmenham in a larger map
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