Henley-on-Thames circular walk via Hambleden

Last updated on 3 May 2022 by Thierry

Are you looking for nice family walks around Henley-on-Thames?
The route we recommend is a gentle circular walk between Henley and Hambleden, with varied landscapes (the Thames banks, lock and weir, meadows, traditional English village, woodlands, hills).

The walk starts and finishes in Henley-on-Thames. It is a relatively safe route mostly away from roads. You shall pay attention to the proximity of water of course.

Note: be careful, it is not what one could call a pushchair friendly walk. There are several small kissing gates on the way. A part of the trail is also poorly maintained (a narrow passage amongst overgrown vegetation). That makes walking with the pushchair more difficult but still doable.

There is plenty of choice for drinks and food in Henley-on-Thames, before and/ or after the walk. The Stag & Huntsman, perfectly located midway, in Hambleden is also a very good choice.

Finally, the trail is accessible all year long. You may want to take a pair of wellies after rainy days, as the meadows tend to be boggy and the woods muddy.

How do I get to Henley-on-Thames?

Henley-on-Thames is in the Chilterns AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), located on the River Thames in Oxfordshire and located between London (60 km/ 37 miles/ 1 hour), Oxford (38 km/ 24 miles/ 40 minutes) and Reading (13.9 km/ 8.5 miles/ 25 minutes).

By car, it is easy to travel to Henley and there are several car parks in the town. The Greys Road car park, perfectly located in the centre, has a time limit of 3 hours, unfortunately. You may prefer the train station car park not far away as an alternative, or if you can walk a few minutes more, parking for free in the residential streets of the town.

Henley can also be reached by train. There is no direct line to/ from Oxford or London Paddington, so it is necessary to change in Twyford. You can check the trains on the GWR website.

Description of the walk

The walk starts and finishes in Henley-on-Thames, near the Leander Club (RG9 2LP). It is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world, founded in 1818. You can walk the loop in both directions, either starting or finishing along the Thames. The path is detailed on the map.

Along the River Thames

We have chosen to start along the Thames, spending a bit of time in the Singers Park close to the Henley bridge. Nelly has made new friends with the swans!

Despite the cloudy sky as can be seen in the pictures, the weather was actually good and made for a lovely day out.

The first stretch of the walk is very pleasant. We had the chance to see the beautiful passenger steamer ‘Alaska’ that was built in 1883. This is the oldest passenger boat operating on the River Thames. The ‘Alaska’ has a very interesting history that you can check on the website of Thames Steamers Limited.

This part of the circular walk ends at Hambleden Lock, which we need to cross, walking along the walkway above the weir and reaching the old mill on the other side of the river.

Towards Hambleden

Leaving the Thames at Mill Ends and after a few hundred meters along the road, the pathway leading to the village of Hambleden enters some pastures. Most of the year sheep are grazing. From time to time an adventurous young sheep will get close enough to please parents and children alike! 😃

At the end of the pastures is the village of Hambleden. It is one picturesque village with typical brick and flint cottages, in one of the most attractive valleys in the Chiltern Hills. The village is very ancient, already mentioned in 1086 in the Doomsday Book, the great inventory of England carried out for William the Conqueror after the conquest of the country by the Normans.

In Hambleden, The Stag & Huntsman is a good place to stop for a drink and/ or a meal. The pub has a spacious garden at the back for sunny days!

Going back to the River Thames

The path from Hambleden to the River Thames goes up the hills on the east side of the valley with great views of the surrounding area.

As explained at the beginning of the post, this walk is not pushchair friendly. There are not only some narrow kissing gates but also some parts of the trail that are not maintained properly. The trail is reduced to a very narrow path with overgrown vegetation on each side. We managed to go through by covering our pushchair with the rain cover, to protect our child from brambles and nettles, but we would advise using a child carrier.

After the open views of the valley, the footpath enters North Cot Wood.
This pleasant stretch ends on a sunken lane from/ to the hamlet of Rotten Row with trees hanging on each side and finishes down into the valley, where we catch up the road to Hambleden.

Finishing the walk heading back to Henley-on-Thames

The loop, after crossing again the Thames at Hambleden Lock goes towards the village of Aston before heading back to Henley-on-Thames following the Chiltern’s Way, offering once again beautiful open views of the countryside.

A passage in Remenham wood concludes the arrival to Henley, with a last narrow kissing gate to negotiate.

What to do next?

Ending the walk and being back in town does not mean the day is over.

Henley-on-Thames is one of the most beautiful towns in England and an active one on top of it. If you are lucky, you might be able to attend one of the diverse events occurring each year in the city.

The town has also historic importance, and with more than 300 buildings of historic or architectural interest, there is plenty to see. For example, the main street has many Georgian frontages, often covering older buildings.

If you just want to chill and enjoy the ambience of the town, take a seat outside of one of the several cafes surrounding the paved marketplace.

Have a look at the Henley town council website for more information about what to do in Henley-on-Thames.

If you are interested in more walks in the Chilterns, check our other posts! 👍

Do you enjoy this walk in the Chiltern Hills?

What do you think about walking around Henley-on-Thames and in the Chilterns?
Do you have a similar local walk you would recommend?

Please let us know in the comments so that we can add them to our to-do list!