Thames Canoes Routes 2009

Route	Start	Overnight	Finish
1	Culham Lock	Wallingford, Riverside Camping	Maple Durham
2	Maple Durham	Swiss Farm	Marlow Two Brewers
3	Marlow Two Brewers	Maidenhead, Amerdan	Runneymede

Thames Canoes (Route 1)

Culham Lock to Maple Durham

Quick Facts

Day one distance*

10.99 miles

Day two distance

12.23 miles

Total distance

23.22

miles

No of Locks

Suitable for all – very rural trip taking in the best of British countryside with much wildlife, landscape and architecture to be observed.

Type of trip – meandering, rural, green and pleasant – British Countryside at its best!

POI’s along the way – just a quick list of a few of the many interesting things to notice on the Thames.

Culham
12th Century Norman Hall in Sutton Courtney
Eric Blair – more commonly known as George Orwell buried in Sutton Courtney Grave Yard
Clifton Hampden Bridge – Red brick Victorian gothic revival architecture
The Barley Mow Pub at Clifton Hampden
ST Peters Church Wallingford – interesting pierced Spire design
17 Arch Bridge at Wallingford
Sinodun Hill – Iron Age Hill Fort – and wonderful views from the top
The Beetle and Wedge Pub – Moulsford (H.G. Wells wrote books here)
A fine Brunel railway bridge – Moulsford
The Goring Gap – boosts many fine houses.
Whitchurch Bridge – 19th Century iron toll bridge.
Pangbourne – by the river Pang - where Kenneth Grahame author of the Wind and the Willows spent the last years of his life.
Hardwick House - a handsome brick built mansion in the Tudor style

Overnight Entertainment.

Check out http://www.britinfo.net/index_Wallingford.htm

Public Transport options for this route

START – Culham train station 1mile
Abingdon Taxi 01235 470004
FINISH - Tilehurst Train station 1 mile
Mapledurham Taxi - 01189844593

Parking

There is parking near the route completion at Maple Durham – we suggest leaving your vehicle here

Recommended Accommodation all in the town of Wallingford with associated amenities

Camping**

Riverside Park Wallingford – Price per pitch per day
Off peak (non-school holidays) £11.00
Peak (during school holidays) £13.00

To book call 01491 835232 (in season) or 01491 577909 (out of season).

http://www.tiscover.co.uk/gb/guide/5gb,en,SCH1/objectId,CPS46728gb,season,at1/home.html

B&B / Hotels **

Something for everyone with 4 star hotels and many B&B’s close to the town and river

Look at www. google.co.uk (search for accommodation Wallingford). Or try http://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/abingdon.asp

*Recommended distance anticipates you will stay at the recommended camp site

** Please remember you are responsible for your boat and equipment security over night. Please bear this in mind when booking accommodation. We can supply steel cables you can put your padlock on to on request.

Maple Durham – Marlow (Route 2)

Quick Facts

Day one distance*

13.67 miles

Day two distance

8.35 miles

Total distance

22.02

miles

No of Locks

Suitable for all –rural trip taking in classic Thames towns of Henley and Marlow - much wildlife, landscape and architecture to be observed.

Type of trip – rural, green and pleasant – with pleasant towns to explore and an early finish at one our favourite Thames pubs (for great food and real ale).

POI’s along the way – just a quick list of a few of the many interesting things to notice on the Thames.

Reading
Start of the Kennett and Avon Canal
Sonning Bridge – soft red brick and dappled trees make this a very beautiful spot
Sonning Village – Charles Dickens spent time here and wrote of Sonning “A few minutes walk will disclose as pretty a little place as can well be desired.”
Henley
Henley Regatta in early July – in the eyes of the world “a major sporting occasion.”
Temple Island – the eye catcher for Fawley Court – a grand riverside mansion designed in 1771 by James Wyatt.
Greenlands House - now a college but the former home of W.H. Smith the high street retailer.
Hambledon Mill – delightful weatherboard mill listed in the Domesday Book.
The Flower Pot Inn – a short walk up the road for fine English dinning.
Hurley Lock – tea and cakes on offer and reputedly the warmest smile of any lock on the Thames.
Temple Lock - more tea and cakes – the name Temple comes from the Knights Templar (made famous recently by the Da Vinci Code book and Film) who were associated with Bisham Abbey.
Bisham Abbey – 12th century Abbey now used as a National Sports Centre where British football, tennis and athletes train.
Marlow – The prettiest suspension bridge on the river Thames tells you, you have arrived – The Bridge is a smaller version of the one in Budapest
Marlow – The take out – The Two Brewers Pub – great food and real ale, beer garden – very welcoming.

Overnight Entertainment.

Check out http://henleyonthames.org/

Public Transport options for this route

START - Tilehurst Train station 1 mile
Mapledurham Taxi – 01189844593
FINISH – Marlow Train Station – 0.5miles
Marlow cabs 01628 262628

Parking

Recommended Accommodation all in the town of Henley with associated amenities

Camping**

Swiss Farm –

2 adults – low season £11 per night, High Season £14per night, Peak £15 per night.

To book call 01491 573419. http://www.swissfarmcamping.co.uk/camping.htm

B&B / Hotels **

Something for everyone with 4 star hotels and many B&B’s close to the town and river

Look at www. google.co.uk (search for accommodation Henley). Or try http://www.visithenley-on-thames.co.uk/ or http://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/henley-on-thames.asp

*Recommended distance anticipates you will stay at the recommended camp site

Marlow – Runneymede (Route 3)

Quick Facts

Day one distance*

8.21 miles

Day two distance

11.42 miles

Total distance

19.63

miles

No of Locks

Suitable for all –rural / urban trip Taking in the royal town of Windsor. Slightly busier stretch of the river with all sort of architectural interests

Type of trip – rural / urban, lovely trip with plenty of opportunities for ice cream. Fairly leisurely short trip.

POI’s along the way – just a quick list of a few of the many interesting things to notice on the Thames.

Marlow
Marlow – The prettiest suspension bridge on the river Thames tells you, you have arrived – The Bridge is a smaller version of the one in Budapest
Cookham – featured in many Stanley Spencer pictures
Clivedon House- National Trust property – famous through the Astor family, to the Profumo affair, Margaret Thatchers cabinet meetings and now as one of the most splendid hotels in England.
Boulters Lock – during Edwardian times this was the epicentre of fashionable weekend river life.
Maidenhead – busy river town
Maidenhead Bridge – beautiful balanced series of classical arches.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s rail bridge - at 123ft still the longest and flattest brick arches in the world. Turners great painting ‘Rail, Steam and Speed’ shows a train crossing this bridge
Opposite Amerdan camping is the village of Bray – two Michelin star restaurants – The Fat Duck (Heston Blumenthal) and the Waterside Inn (Michel Roux).
Windsor Castle - the most famous skyline in Britain
Eton College – Henry VI’s public school
Romney Lock – the quintessential Thames side Lock cabin
Runneymede – the Royal Park.

Overnight Entertainment.

Check out http://realtravel.com/dc-17927-maidenhead_vacations or http://www.britinfo.net/index_Maidenhead.htm

Public Transport options for this route

START – Marlow Train Station – 0.5miles
Marlow cabs 01628 262628
FINISH – EGHAM TRAIN STATION 0.7MILES
Egham Taxis - 01784433933

Parking

Recommended Accommodation close to the town of Maidenhead with associated amenities

Camping**	Amerdan – 2009 rate not available at time of publication	To book call 01628 627461. http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=1002
B&B / Hotels **	Something for everyone with 4 star hotels and many B&B’s close to the town and river	Look at www. google.co.uk (search for accommodation Maidenhead). Or try http://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/maidenhead.asp or http://www.windsor.gov.uk/

*Recommended distance anticipates you will stay at the recommended camp site