17km Henley on Thames (Royal Regatta home) and the Oxfordshire Way trail

📏 Key Info:
• Distance: 11 miles (17km)
• Grading: Intermediate
• Ascent: 240m
• Hiking time: 4.5 to 5 hours
• Cost: £33 plus Eventbrite fee they charge including the guided hike and return train travel, click “Get Tickets” to join.

Payments are refundable upto 7 days in advance, after that they are non refundable and non transferrable.

• Toilet Breaks: On the trains, at the lunch stop, and at the end pub

📍 Meeting Point
• Location: Paddington station. Meet at the entrance of the main ticket office - MAP
• Time: Meet 8:35am, leave 8:55am for the 9:08am train
• Return: 5:20pm arrival back in London (you’re committed until then)

🌟 Highlights
• Follow the rural River Thames as it winds through the Oxfordshire countryside
• Visit Henley-on-Thames, home of the world-famous Henley Royal Regatta
• Explore the time-preserved village of Hambleden, dating back over 1,000 years
• Cross the dramatic Hambleden Mill weir footbridge, 61m across the Thames
• Enjoy a mix of river, meadow and woodland trails on the Oxfordshire Way
• End in Henley, with a riverside pub stop and a high chance of spotting Red Kites soaring overhead

🥾 Hike Description
Our hike begins in Henley-on-Thames, a town world-renowned for its annual rowing regatta and its picturesque riverside setting. The wide, meandering Thames here is one of the most scenic sections of the river, framed by historic architecture and gently flowing waters.

Following the riverbank, our trail passes the striking Fawley Temple, built on an island in the Thames in 1771 as a fishing lodge for a wealthy local landowner. We then continue to the Hambleden Mill weir footbridge, a 61-metre crossing that provides dramatic views of the river below. Beyond the bridge lies the historic village of Hambleden, beautifully preserved with traditional cottages and a history stretching back over a millennium.

Leaving Hambleden, we make our way through Great Wood, with its peaceful woodland paths, before emerging into open fields and wide water meadows. This stretch of trail forms part of the Oxfordshire Way, one of the county’s finest long-distance routes, leading us back towards Henley.

The day concludes with time to enjoy a well-earned drink in a delightful riverside pub in Henley, with outdoor seating right by the Thames. Throughout the hike we are also very likely to see Red Kites wheeling gracefully overhead — a rare and beautiful bird of prey that thrives in this part of the Chiltern Hills.

🧭 Guide:
• Leader: GRAHAM
• Contact (hike day only): 07796 098487

🍽️ Food:
• Bring a packed lunch
• Pub visit after the hike (drinks optional)

🎒What to Bring
• Hiking boots/shoes
• Water (2 litres minimum)
• Packed lunch
• Waterproofs (jacket and trousers)
• Hat and gloves if cold
• Train tickets are arranged – just meet us at the meeting point

⚠️ Safety
Your guide is a trained hike leader and Outdoor Activity First Aider

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