How to walk from Marlow to Maidenhead: Thames Path Day 11

Today’s walk from Marlow to Maidenhead is short and sweet. Lots of easy path, meadows, plenty of benches, and generally more people. It was a lot more people heavy than any of the previous sections I have done along the Thames. Also lots of people playing on the water. It looked fun.

A small sailing boat on the river, on the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead. There is a person in the boat. There is a green with trees on the other side of the river.

What to expect on the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead

From Marlow, you need to leave the river for a moment and navigate through the residential areas to get back onto it.

You will then first have a long stretch of easy path with some of the most impressive houses so far to look at on the other side. This is followed by a long stretch of meadows to reach the Bourne End Marina. If you fancy, you can do some boat activities here.

A wide path leading ahead through the grass field lined with trees ahead, near the start of the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead.

Looking over the tall grass to the river and a big house on the other side, when walking from Marlow to Maidenhead. The house is partially hidden by trees.

Looking along the river bank with the river to the left and field to the right. The bank is lined with a few bushes. There is a bench facing the river.

A dirt trail through the grass on the left with the river on the right. There is tall grass and bushes lining the river edge. There are two people walking along the trail ahead.

Looking under a metal bridge over the river, to some houses on the other side, partway through the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead.

Then it’s a bit more gentle riverside walking to reach the next village where you navigate away from the river briefly.

Looking over the bushes to a white walked thatched roofed cottage on the green on the other side, on the walk between Marlow and Maidenhead. There is a wooden boat garage in front of the cottage.

Looking over the tall grass to the river and houses and trees on the other side.

The last stretch along the riverside trail is very green and lush (in summer it is anyway), before you reach Maidenhead.

Looking across the river to a mass of green leafy trees on the other side, on the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead. There is a small red boat on the river. The river is a shade of green.

The not so nice…

I didn’t enjoy the Maidenhead bit. First, it’s about 1 mile along the roadside promenade.

A pavement leading ahead, with the road to the right and metal railing and river to the left.

Then to get to the station you need to walk away from the river to the other side of town, which is a solid 30min of walking. It looked so close on the map. It was loud, with so many cars along the big main road, and such a hot day. It felt like a waste of 30 minutes. If you are following the Thames Path in its entirety, I’m almost inclined to say don’t stop at Maidenhead and just continue Windsor which is a further 6 miles along the river.

Or, what you could do instead, is catch a bus to the station. If you turn right on the big road at the bridge, there is a bus stop a bit further along. The 6 and 53 take you to the station. I will certainly be getting this when I return for the next stage of the walk.

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Logistics

Start: Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
Finish: Maidenhead, Berkshire.
Distance: 7.6 miles
Time: 2h20min
Difficulty: Easy
Option to shorten the walk: Yes. 3 miles in is Bourne End train station.
Terrain: Path, dirt trail, grass.
Dog friendly: Yes
Time of year: I walked from Marlow to Maidenhead in mid June.

Read the previous section here: Henley to Marlow

You can see a bit of what the area looks like in winter in the Little Marlow walk here.

Amenities/Food

Marlow: Marlow is quite the Michelin Star place. You have the Coach with one star, and the Hand and Flowers with two stars. Then you have a few places which don’t have a star (at the time of writing), but are in the Michelin guide, such as the Butchers Tap and Grill, and the Oarsman. There are also a lot of other pubs, cafes, coffee shops, and chippie for the regular people.

Along the route: Lots of benches the whole way. 3 miles in at Bourne End there is a Spanish taps Bar, or after you cross the river, if you walk back in the other direction there is the highly rated Bounty Pub. A few pubs and teashop in Cookham 4 miles in.

Maidenhead: Large selection of resultants/pubs/cafes etc in the town centre. And a brownie shop. Along the river there are a few places, such as The Boathouse at Boulders Lock, a riverside cafe, and Thai. If you fancy, you have a few other Michelin guide places here, Seasonality, the Crown, and Roux at Skindles which is the other side of the river. Or if you head a little further past Maidenhead, you will reach Bray with the famous Fat Duck.

Public transport

Marlow and Maidenhead both have train stations. They are on the same train line, so if coming from London Paddington you can buy a return ticket to Marlow and it will cover your return back from Maidenhead. Maidenhead is direct from London, and for Marlow you will change trains at Maidenhead. The Elizabeth Line underground also goes to Maidenhead.

Journey time varies between weekend and weekday (weekend is quicker). Maidenhead is 20min journey from London Paddington, and Marlow 50min.

Accommodation

In Marlow you only have expensive. You can see what your options are here. Airbnbs aren’t much better.

Maidenhead is more budget friendly. Along the river you have the Wilson Lodge, or the Thames Hotel. Both are reasonable price (comparatively). Neither are pet friendly if this is essential for you. In fact, I looked at so many places in Maidenhead and the only pet friendly I could find is the Travelodge. It’s more expensive than the other places I mentioned. Not many Airbnbs around here when I looked. You might have better luck though. You can see your other options for Maidenhead here.

There doesn’t seem to be anything in the way of campsites for this stretch.

Map for the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead

Route description: How to walk from Marlow to Maidenhead

If you have arrived from the station, to get onto the riverside path you don’t actually walk into the centre of Marlow.

From the station, walk to the main road and turn left at the Marlow Donkey.

Looking across the road to the red bricked walled Marlow Donkey Pub. There are a few people walking next to it. — Turn left here

Follow this road all the way to the end, then turn right and the path will be just ahead on the left. Follow this and you will reach the river. When you get there, walk with the river to your right.

A metal light pole with thames path sticker pointing ahead with a white arrow. There is a pavement leading ahead with the road on the right and a Woden fence on the left. There are green leafy trees behind the fence. There are cars parked on the right side of the road.

A path curving to the left, with neatly cut green grass on the left of it and green leafy bushes on the right.

A path leading ahead, lined with tall bushes on the right and a neatly cut grass field on the left. There is a picnic bench on the field.

A path leading ahead to the left, lined with tall grass and masses of trees had. The river is to the right.

Start to riverside walk from Marlow to Maidenhead

You will be on this easy path for quite some time. I’ve walked along this stretch before and it looked totally different.

That time I walked it in winter. Now we are in summer. Scraggly leafless trees were replaced by big bushy masses of green. It all felt so lush.

A path leading ahead, lined with tall grass and trees, at the start of the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead.

For a moment there I wondered if I really had walked along here before. It all looked so different. Until I saw the houses. They were the same. This time partially hidden behind the trees.

Looking through a gap in the trees to a grand house with opulent front lawn with shaped hedges in front.

A path leading ahead with tall bushes to the right and grass field to the left. There is a person walking on the path ahead.

Walk through the meadows

You then go through a gate to enter the meadows. In winter this was all short grass. Now it was all tall and overgrown.

A meadow with tall grass and cut strip for the trail through it. The river is to the right.

In some parts the river was so clear and calling out to be swam in…then I thought about the sewage. Best not.

A small patch of white sand in front of the grass bank with the river with clear water, on the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead. The other side of the river is lined with trees.

Bourne End

After lots of meadows, you will be on a neat path again as you head to the Bourne End Marina. Passing by lots of raised houses. Smart.

A wide dirt path lined with hedges and a small brick wall. Some houses are visible ahead.

A path leading ahead with slope to the river on the right. There are sailboats on the ground on the left and one on the right in the river. There are a few people walking ahead.

If you want you can hire a boat, or book a boat trip from here. There was an England match today, and there was a free boat crossing to get to the pub on the other side to watch it.

A signpost pointing in all directions in front of a hedge. There river is to the right. There is a wooden bench facing the river with three people sitting on it.

When you reach the bridge, go up the steps to cross over to the other side of the river. Then turn right, so the river is now on your left.

Steps leading up, with metal railings. There are two people at the top of the stairs.

Looking along the bridge leading straight ahead, lined with metal railings. There are two people walking along it ahead.

Looking down along the river to boats and houses further along, partway through the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead.

Continue along the river

It’s a bit of river side path, then more meadows, to reach Cookham. There were lots of people playing on the river here. How nice to have the river as your playground.

A rugged path leading ahead, lined with tall green grass, bushes and trees.

Black cows standing next to the river, on the walk between Marlow and Maidenhead. There are hoses and neatly cut lawns on the other side of the river.

A dirt trail leading ahead through the grass field, with the river to the left and a few small sailing boats in the river.

A wooden stump with white acorn and yellow arrow pointing ahead along the path.

Leave the river through Cookham

Look out for the junction with trail sign. This is where you take the path leading away from the river for a short road and residential stint through Cookham.

A path junction with a trail sign in the middle. There is a grass patch between the junction. — Turn right here

The path will lead you through a church and graveyard to some quite lovely white walled houses on the other side.

A narrow straight path leading through the neatly cute grass of the graveyard with some white walled buildings ahead. There are tree branches hanging into the frame from the right.

A big white walked house with black details, next to the road.

When you reach the main road, turn right, then follow it as it curves around. Stay on the road left of the Stanley Spencer Gallery. You will get a view along the high street which looked quite lovely.

Looking across the road to a big white walled house in front of a brick wall on the other side. — Turn right onto this road

Looking across the road to a big white walled buildings with 'Stanley Spencer gallery' in red writing on it.

Keep going for a bit, then turn left onto Mill Lane. Keep going all the way to the end to reach the big footpath sign.

A thames path sign on the pavement pointing left across the road. There is a trick wall with metal railings to the right. There are bushes with green and red leaves behind the railings.

A road sign saying 'mill lane' in the grass front lawn. There is a white walled house behind partially hidden by big leafy trees and a white wall.

A brown sign saying 'footpath' with a white arrow pointing along the dirt trail through the mass of bushes, partway through the walk between Marlow and Maidenhead.

A bit before this is a Thames Path trail sign directing you into a narrow overgrown bit. You don’t need to do this, as it leads you to the big footpath sign anyway.

It’s now a long stretch of woods to reach the river again.

A dirt trail through the woods, and lined with green leafy bushes.

Looking across the river to a Tudor style cottage on the other side, on the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead. There are tree branches with green leaves hanging into the frame from above. There is a mass of green leafy trees behind the cottage.

The final stretch of the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead

This bit of the river is quite lovely. So incredibly lush on the other side.

A dirt trail lined with tall bushes and trees, forming a trees tunnel ahead.

Looking through a gap in the trees, across the river to a Tudor house on the other side, near the end of the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead/ There is a neatly cut lawn in front of the hose and a mass of big green leafy trees behind it.

A dirt path leading ahead, with the river to the left and mass of bushes with trees overhanging the path on the right, near the end of the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead.

The dirt trail will then start to become a bit neater. It started to feel like I was entering an area of rich people. All the big impressive houses are now on this side. I could smell barbecue. I was a bit jealous.

A path leading straight ahead, lined with yellow flower bushes on the right and a wooden fence on the left. The river is on the left side of the fence.

Looking through an ornate black metal gate to a neatly cute lawn and big white walled house, near the end of the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead.

A wooden walking way on the edge of the river with a small table and two chairs on it, facing the river. There is a mass of green leafy trees on the other side of the river.

You will then reach the road. From here it’s about 1 mile of roadside to reach Maidenhead Bridge where todays walk ends…sort of.

A pavement leading ahead, with the road too the right and strip of grass then the river to the left. There are people walking along the pavement.

A walkway leading ahead, with metal railings and river on the left, and bushes and apartment buildings on the right. The archway maidenhead bridge is crossing the river ahead.

Once you reach the bridge (in the photo above), it’s a right turn to head towards the town centre. A good 30min of walking to reach Maidenhead station on the other side of town. Good luck.