Walking The Thames Path: Windsor to Maidenhead

In 2015 I begun a new personal challenge to fulfil a sense of discovery and exploration by walking the Thames Path, its namesake being England’s longest river whose impact upon the denizens of this fair city can be traced from Neolithic times to its current role as a means of transport and entertainment to residents and visitors alike. The Thames Path walking route, running a length of 180 miles whose finishing point is found at The Thames Barrier encompasses the urban and rural environment alike, intersecting the nation’s capital and beyond into the very heartland of the countries green and pleasant land.

The next stage of our walk along The Thames Path covered a ten mile stretch between Windsor to Maidenhead pushing further into this beautiful part of the English countryside in the county of Berkshire. On this walk, we would begin our journey travelling on the Great Western Railway between Windsor to Slough before boarding the new Elizabeth Line towards Maidenhead where we would start our ten mile walk along the River Thames. It would provide an opportunity to see a little more of this Royal Borough, starting in the market town of Maidenhead, going through a period of transformation and finishing in Old Windsor with a view of the Castle looking down upon the River. On a clear, late Autumnal day in November, it made for an enjoyable walk besides the river, heading south towards Bray, beneath the M4 motorway, skirting close to Dorney Lake and Eton. From there, a requirement to follow the river around Windsor Racecourse, following the curve of the water then one final crossing over The Thames with a majestic view of the Castle at the end of this walk.

To undertake this next part of the walk required a degree of preparation though thanks in part to good forward planning and a railway system operating effectively and to time we were able to travel between Windsor and Maidenhead in short order. There is no direct train service between the two towns however it is well served and provides a convenient start and end point for this particular stretch of the river. On this particular walk we had a choice of two starting points that were an equal distance from the river itself, opting for Maidenhead in the end and concluding our walk where we finished almost six months ago. Back in May, our journey from Staines to Windsor took us off the River Bank in part as the water way passed beside the Royal Estate restricting access to a degree. Moving away from the Castle, this next section of the River Walk was more accessible to walkers, affording views of the River and the opulent riverside homes in equal measure. With a little warmth in the air it made for ideal conditions to undertake this particular part of the Thames.

Two Equidistant Points

We begun our journey on a warm, late Autumnal day in November arriving by car at Windsor and Eton Riverside Station where our journey concluded over six months ago. The station, with its proximity to the riverbank would provide a convenient space to park but to reach our starting point in Maidenhead would require a short walk up the hill to the central terminus station and an opportunity to experience the short connecting service to Slough. This particular Victorian railway station in Windsor is an enjoyable attraction in itself, a boutique retail shopping experience with preserved elements of the original station architecture. Walking around to the platform, it was lovely to see the recreation of the ‘The Queen’ locomotive in the shopping centre serving as a visual attraction before stepping aboard the shuttle service to Slough. These walks have provided an opportunity to experience these short branch lines as we’ve moved further away from London with specific starting points, this was certainly one of the more memorable from a visual aesthetic perspective departing on time from Windsor with its historic and stone built architecture and arriving a short time later in the more industrial and developing town of Slough.

Crossing over to join the new Elizabeth Line service out towards Reading, this local stopping service connecting East to West provides access to the River alighting at either Maidenhead or Taplow, both an equidistant measure to the Thames. On this journey, we departed the Elizabeth Line at Maidenhead, enjoying a short walk through the town experiencing a transformational change and modernisation around the Stadium to start our journey back towards Windsor. It felt a little more traditional, a little older here as you join the river. The Thames Path crosses the river at this juncture, an opportune moment to capture a picture or two before walking down the access track besides a rowing club and private residence. The path opens up after a little navigation through public access tracks, on a clear day it was a wonderful way to pause to experience The Thames as you finally reach the riverbank. From here as the walk begun in earnest, it’s a six mile stretch back to Eton and Old Windsor. It felt more secluded, the façade of civilization giving way to a more rural experience in short order with the path moving away from the waters edge into a wooded and secluded trail.

The gentle hum of traffic breaking the serenity of the countryside does elude to the fact you pass beneath the M4 motorway traversing through Berkshire out towards Bristol and the River Severn. Unlike the more isolated open path of the Grand Union Canal, the Thames has a greater sense of life and character about it no matter how far you travel along its secluded shores. Pleasure craft and private moorings berthed besides large private residence giving indication to the wealth and opulence a short distance away. You feel a small measure of envy staring wonderingly up at the large houses and homes rising up gently on the slopes surrounding this part of the River, but fleeting glances and quickly consigned to memory as you continue on your journey back towards Windsor. After a short while, you begin to notice through the open tree’s the straight open expanse of water at Dorney Lake. A purpose built rowing lake that was used during the Olympic Games held in the UK in 2012. Completed in 2006, this private body of water owned by nearby Eton College is a visually impressive straight body of water close to the natural curves and bends of the river that contrast by design.

I really enjoyed the landscape around Windsor and Dorney, the path at times moved through the most glorious, green wooded terrain before emerging back onto the river bank with the open expanse of the river and a sense of grandeur before you. Certain parts of the walk have felt a little constrained or reserved, hidden behind treelines or pushed away due to access constraints, here you felt and could appreciate visually the appeal of the waterway for those that live by it, and visitors like us who pass fleetingly taking only the memories away. Like the manmade reservoirs near to where we live in London that we passed on another walk along the Canal, the straight design of the rowing lake added another visual dimension to this experience that added a sense of character and fascination to the occasion. From here, as we approached the boundaries of Windsor, the River would start to circumnavigate around Eton college presenting a longer finale to this particular part of the walk but one that would reveal some memorable views.

The Long Way Around And A View Of The Castle

The long way around, following the curve of the river is always a challenge as the aches start to emerge in your legs and you stare longingly at your destination a short distance away that will take longer to reach following the riverbank. Equally however to overcome this physical challenge we were blessed with a beautiful late Autumnal day, perfect conditions to walk with a temperate feel and good solid footing making ideal walking conditions. A few additional miles in these conditions was an easy challenge to face into. As with other stretches of the Thames you are confronted with the most unique sensation of being surrounded by nature, open fields and the waterway a consistent feature but only a very short distance from civilization a stones throw away with the open highways and residential domains on the horizon. We cherish and respect the River to a degree building some distance away and preserving the natural beauty of the area but there is a degree of civilization making inroads where necessary to provide convenient links and access. These small touches of human presence can make interesting points of interest as you journey on. A small local church almost abandoned, or a rowing boat decorated with flowers and floral designs.

Here the River Thames opens up in equal measure, the pristine, perfect lawns of the college grounds opposite and the more rural nature of the riverside path. It does provide for an interesting photo or two, and holistically I suppose reminds you of the divide between those with wealth and privilege on one side of the water to the other. An almost unique feeling given the proximity to the Castle a short distance away and the physical barriers experienced the last time we approached Windsor from the opposite direction. Entering the grounds of the playing fields owned by the college, you are presented with an image of Windsor Castle sitting above the town that brings to mind how invaders may have felt seeing this structure centuries ago. Though perhaps not the most imposing or spectacular castle in contrast to the palaces in Bavaria for example, its stature and design, and prominence in the cultural domain in recent years does inspire a feeling of humility when you look up upon its structure. But pleasing to see so many people still enjoying the beauty of the natural environment in the open parks with such a majestic building as a backdrop to a day together outside.

One of the more disappointing aspects of our last experience in Windsor was the restriction to access pushing us away from the river around the royal estate and boat yards that did feel a little punitive to the common man. Understandable I’ll concede but still a fairly despondent way to conclude that part of the walk. Though in part the college does own I imagine a great deal of the grounds and open spaces there is a clear, accessible walkway for all that is maintained and guided providing views of the area and key landmarks. Unlike the canal paths which were a requirement to pull the old cargo boats by horse a century or two ago, the right of way along the River Thames has been a little more contested in how open and accessible it can be preserving the right of the individual whilst allowing explorers and visitors the means to enjoy the beauty of the waterway. From this direction, in contrast to our last adventure in the local area, that balance felt a little more even providing clear access and rewarding those making the long walk with a stunning view as you approached by water.

With tired feet and a short walk ahead, the path diverged from the Thames at this juncture creeping up between old stone buildings towards a footbridge that had a feel of Oxford or Cambridge in the design and style. This part of Old Windsor certainly is an attraction in itself, a lovely way to visit the town and castle rising above. Also, an opportune spot to capture a view of the River back towards Staines and up towards Maidenhead. From here, the station is a short walk away but on a clear day, it provided an opportune time to climb the gentle slope up into Windsor itself to spend a few moments enjoying the local shops, stopping for a delicious Gluten Free brownie we discovered a year or two ago when we visited the Castle at Christmas. The Castle is a central attraction, bringing in both domestic and international visitors though unlike other similar attractions of its nature hidden away in a field or at some historical strategic location, the proximity to the town makes this quite an enjoyable, unique place to walk around enjoying a delicious brownie overlooking a castle of its stature and history. An unplanned but perfect way to bring this part of our walk to an end.

Closing Thoughts

One of the more memorable and picturesque sections of the Thames Path, this enjoyable walk provided an opportunity to see a little more of Windsor beyond its Castle and market town. As we venture beyond London into the home counties, one of the real pleasures has been the opportunity to travel by rail using the shorter branch lines that show a different side of the local area away from the roads. The service from Windsor and Slough is an interesting trip to take by rail, your journey beginning surrounded by old, stone work buildings and landmarks, concluding in short order in a modern industrial retail suburb. The opening of the Elizabeth Line has made this journey easier and more frequent to undertake with stopping points at reachable junctures. Staring in Maidenhead, it was interesting to see how this town is transforming from a once, traditional market town to a more modern business and residential focused development area outside of London. Any remnants of the sleepy, quaint little town I visited a number of years ago banished as it transforms to suit the needs of a modern, hybrid working community.

This stretch of the river was a joy to walk on a clear, warm day. Certain parts have restrictions in place for access though these are few and far between. For the most part it tracked along the riverbank providing some wonderful views of the waterway, the rowing lake and Eton College along the way. And after the last experience walking into Windsor which had a slightly disappointing conclusion to the journey, this part of our walk finished with a memorable ending as the Castle rose above the open areas surrounding Old Windsor and felt like a wonderful way to end this particular part of the river. Our next stretch of the Thames will take us out beyond Maidenhead as we push out towards Marlow and another journey by rail to start our walk. As we move further away, the logistics and planning for each walk will become a challenge in itself, relying on public and private transport to bring them to life. This part of our journey, a relaxing and memorable experience, moving forward, will prove to be a more demanding prospect. Until then.

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