Etohor two

Verified Slow Way

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Eton to Horton 2 (Etohor 2) review.

A Slow Way which passes the playing fields of Eton, the rivers Thames and Jubilee, and Datchet green spaces on the way to Horton.

The route starts on Eton High Street and follows the B3022, leaving it for a park walk (Photo 1). Pococks Lane has the Eton playing fields opposite (Photo 2).

The Thames is briefly visited at the Eton boathouse, then a bridge crosses the Jubilee (Photo 3). The Slow Way leaves the rivers for a footpath along the edge of a golf course (Photo 4).

Datchet has plenty of options for a break point. The busy Horton Road is avoided for a while via a recreation ground (Photo 5) and Datchet Common.

Eventually Horton Road is rejoined, and the rest of the walk into Horton is unfortunately along a pavement which switches sides a couple of times. Horton has a convenience store on the village green.

An interesting route through Eton High Street and the playing fields. After the golf course there's a busy road to cross in Datchet. Shops and plenty of cafes here. The route across the recreation ground is fine but Datchet Common paths are rather overgrown with nettles in places and there's a small tree fallen over the path (but not impossible to pass under). The road into Horton is not that interesting. There's a general store in Horton Village. Plenty of planes overhead quite low on the way out of Heathrow!.

I walked this on a mostly overcast afternoon, from Eton to Horton.

I started at Pococks Lane, where I finished Etoslo 1 (photo #1). The first section, following the Jubilee River (photo #2, #3, #4) and the Datchet Golf Club was pleasant. Windsor Road into Datchet had pavement parkers (photo #6). Datchet has refreshments (photo #7). The route has you leaving Horton Road go to through the park and a little nature reserve (photo #8). But I found the route blocked by horses. I had to backtrack to Horton Road along residential streets. The stretch along Horton Road wasn't very nice with lots of cars and narrowish pavements. It did feel safe though (photo #9).

I can't really see an alternative following the Thames Path though. Near Sunnymeads there isn't really a crossing point.

I made this route to replace Etohor One, which has an access issue at Eton.
I walked from Horton to Eton. The first part of the route between Horton and Datchet is the same as Winhor Two. The two routes split after Datchet, one crosses the Thames to Windsor, this one stays on the north side of the river to Eton.

From Horton the first two kilometres are along B road. There is pavement throughout, but sometimes it is narrow. In places the pavement is on one side of the road only, so there will be sections where the traffic is coming from behind. Because of this section I've knocked a star off the rating, so 4 stars from me. There is no alternative, although I looked longingly through the security fence at the lovely grassy landscaping around the Queen Mother reservoir, including sheep, and wondered if maybe in time there could be an off-road footpath made for us Slow Wayers to use!

After 2 km the route turns left off the B road onto a track which accesses various businesses and housing, and then it goes behind the houses onto Datchet Common. The common starts as rough heathland and then turns into playing fields. Walk across the fields (or around if there are matches on.)

There's now a section through the middle of Datchet, which is a small village at the meeting of roads, traffic magnet. There's a pub, cafes, takeaways etc, and a railway station (trains to Windsor / London Waterloo).

After Datchet the route turns off the road and goes alongside a golf course, crosses the Jubilee River, and approaches Eton through the college playing fields, alongside the renowned Eton Wall. I really enjoyed this part of the route, and overall I think it makes up for the unexciting start.

If I had to choose between Etohor Two and Winhor Two I would pick this one because I found the section between Datchet and Eton more interesting than the section between Datchet and Windsor.

Accessibility - I don't think there's any steps on this route but some of the paths and tracks are narrow, muddy, and there's at least one kissing gate.

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