The route is the same as Henmai for a large part of the route. There are longer and more scenic alternatives to this route but this is reasonably direct (a slow way requirement) and still very lovely, but you have choices if you have time to wander. I was lucky to meet a chap called Mátt Helson who allowed me across the bridge, otherwise I would have had to walk a longer and less attractive route along the diversion as described above (see picture)....

Strider

The path for the next 5km is flat and quite muddy in places (its a flood plain!) with several very muddy kissing gates along the way. Not for wheels, very narrow in places, lots of stiles, some quite rickety....

Strider

At Blues Farm there are some great views, before the route continues through Shillingridge Wood, where the path was a bit up and down-y. Lots of the rest of this route is on a path through the trees on the edge of fields, which was nice as it blocked the low sun from reaching my eyes....

Derick Rethans

At Bourne End you can detour across the river on the railway bridge to reach the Bounty pub, a very pleasant place for refreshments (though rather dog-infested)....

Ianschagen

An excellent Slow Way which essentially follows a stretch of the Thames Path, albeit with two divergences from the riverside path. The Thames Path is then followed through a deer park and beside the river. Otherwise, the Slow Way returns to the Thames Path at the riverside....

Martin Ellis

I walked this from Beaconsfield to Marlow on a bright but cloudy May morning. After some in-between-the-fence walking in Bourne End, the last section was along the lovely Thames following the Thames Path into Marlow where the route ends....

Derick Rethans

There was a little bit too much urban walking in Maidenhead, otherwise this would have been a 5 star route. Out of Marlow you cross the Thames on a lovely bridge and after a little bit along a street you cross a field to go underneath the A404....

Derick Rethans

Very pleasant coming out of Marlow through residential areas, skirting Marlow Bottom and then into open countryside with birdsong. Toilets in Marlow Higginson Park, at the two petrol stations in Cressex, and at HW station and bus station....

Sumaria

You then join the Chiltern Way, and once well away from the M40 and the playing fields, it's delightful to Wooburn Green, mainly in woods. From Wooburn Green to Bourne End is dreary, hence my 3 rating, behind an aggregate works and other buildings - surely there's a nicer footpath?...

Sumaria

Lovely river walk, mostly following the Thames Path. If you don’t like hills or stiles, or want to see the beautiful weir and lock at Mill End, stick to the river path. You will see bird life, dog walkers and people messing about on the river, and cross the river on attractive bridges. Stick to the obvious river path....

Sumaria

Near the end of the route, the footpath was blocked by a Homebase and other large stores, which forced me to walk around them and on the other side of a small canal (York Stream), see attached image. The route finished in central Maidenhead, near the library....

Sumaria

Instead of taking the Chiltern Way up the hill out of Mundaydean valley, turn left and walk half a mile along the very quiet road and turn right up the grassy hill. To reduce climbing and shorten the route, but with more mud, and more tarmac, do not climb out of the Mundaydean valley. Continue straight up the very quiet road in the MundayDean valley, which becomes a muddy footpath, rejoining route at the entrance to Shillingridge Wood2...

Sumaria

The hills are quite long out of Marlow and steep on the High Wycombe end so need some stamina to deal with them....

BakewellShark

Nice exit from High Wycombe via the Rye but a long climb to contend with....

BakewellShark

I walked this route from Marlow to High Wycombe. The middle section between Marlow and High Wycombe among the hills was very gorgeous, peaceful, and lovely walking, and I did appreciate how the route did a very good job bringing you through quiet areas as much as possible outside of High Wycombe. I think other routes attempting different approaches into High Wycombe could be beneficial, but this route really was overall sufficient to be included in the network....

mtormey

I walked this route starting at the Maidenhead train station. It was just a short walk to the start in Maidenhead town centre. I thought the route through the town was pleasant, and a brief pass under an underpass led to a long stretch out of Maidenhead through really lovely parks and open spaces tucked among residential neighborhoods. At this point, the route takes you on a diversion to get to a pub, but I just skipped that and followed Winter Hill Road north. I never had to do any road walking along Winter Hill Road - paths are there, it just took a bit of searching to find them!...

mtormey

The Golden Ball pub (Photo 4) is on a short loop off the road....

Martin Ellis

The route into High Wycombe avoids the street walking problem via a wooded path around Keep Hill Wood (Photo 5) and across The Rye: a park with a picturesque watermill. I suggest trying the alternative (Marhig 1) route out of Marlow, which meets up with this route outside Marlow Bottom....

Martin Ellis

This is a good route, but beware that some of the paths are quite narrow and are prone to become quite overgrown. I did this route with friends at the beginning of July 2021 and parts of it were a battle against quite dense foliage so I would definitely recommend trousers to protect from nettles....

al_eardley

I did this route with friends who had their daughter in a pram and there were no obstacles that prevented a pram from doing the whole route....

al_eardley

It passes a pub at the mid-point as well as the entrance to the National Trust 'Brick and Tile Works' woodland. Then the route descends into Maidenhead along country lanes and mostly off-road footpaths....

SofaJockey

It joins the Chiltern Way to go through Marlow Bottom, and then climbs up through Hunt’s Wood and follows a series of jitties to reach Marlow near the river. A better alternative to avoid the first section would involve climbing up through Keep Hill Wood and heading south and west to join the Chiltern Way near the Three Horseshoes pub....

Ianschagen

Between the towns, the whole route is along well-marked footpaths or extremely quiet country roads. Next time, I'll follow the river more closely between Aston and Remenham though....

TobyKo

I walked from the Maidenhead side where the route quickly attempts to take you down private roads, through buildings and along non-existing paths....

SofaJockey

This route is a little more than the 7 miles quoted and there is quite a steep climb through the woods....

Lisa Matthews