Thamespath long distance walk: 2a. From Greenfields to Henley-on-Thames
After a good nights rest followed an early rise, a shower and a bit of reading in my Thames path guide to plan todays walk.
Then I left my room and walked over the terrain towards the river and the towards the main building for breakfast.
Entering and walking through that building made me feel very privileged and humble…
After breakfast overlooking the river Thames, I left and walked across a grass lawn towards the river and towards the entrance of the path to Henley-on-Thames that I completely missed yesterday evening.
The Wandelgek started to follow this path which followed the river bench all the way to Henley-on-Thames. The sun started to break through the clouds and a promise of a bright and sunny day emerged…
After a passage through a beautiful hedgerow, another grass lawn opened up…
I walked more and more towards the river and there I saw many flocks of water birds like ducks, geese and swans, specially around Temple Island…
Some times a small trinklet of water streaming towards the river had to be crossed…
When The Wandelgek had reached the Temple Island Meadows, he looked back at the Temple Island, now gleaming in the full sunlight…
Then he crossed another wee river into the Temple Island Meadows and couldn’t believe it was late summer. The colorful flower bursts, exploding from the lush green were that numerous…
And it was even getting warm now as I was nearing Henley-on-Thames where I could join the Thames path again…
Then the path past (Remenham was now on the other side of the river) the pastures of beautiful Fawley Court (College)…
On the last stretch towards Henley-on-Thames, The Wandelgek saw lots of swans floating on the river…
The path now made a sharp turn away from the river towards Marlow Road. The Wandelgek walk passed Rupert Close into Town…
The sign of Marlow Road was now in full sunlight and The Wandelgek wondered how he could have mistaken the South Oxfordshire sign for an arrow pointing left, but hey, he did…
The Wandelgek had chosen this part of the Thamespath because of its association to Wind in the Willows, the children’s classic by Grahame Green and because this area was the inspiration for E.H. Shepards drawings. The River & Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames has a Wind-in-the-Willows-gallery and obviously that was where The Wandelgek was heading for…
But first a bit more about Henley-on-Thames in blog 2b.