An Afternoon Made for Walking

Marlow has a particular talent for slowing people down. Arrive mid-afternoon, leave the car behind, and the river soon does the work of convincing you that there is nothing urgent left in the day. The Thames Path runs directly through the town, which means you can step out of a guesthouse door and be walking beside water within a few minutes, with no need for a map, a plan or anything more ambitious than comfortable shoes.

This is gentle walking in the truest sense. The going is flat, the surface is firm, and the route follows the river rather than fighting it. An hour and a half to two hours is enough to cover a satisfying stretch and still be back in time for tea.

Starting Out at Marlow Bridge

The natural starting point is the suspension bridge that carries the road across to Bisham. Look upstream from the middle and you get the classic Marlow view: the weir, the church tower behind the rooftops, and the long green sweep of the river heading away towards the hills. Cross to the Bisham bank if you prefer the quieter towpath, or stay on the Marlow side and follow the path through Higginson Park, where the grass runs right down to the water and there is usually somebody launching a paddleboard or tinkering with a boat.

Whichever bank you choose, head upstream. The path passes Marlow Lock, where you can stand on the footbridge and watch a boat rise or fall a metre or so — an oddly hypnotic business that eats up ten minutes very happily. Beyond the lock the town noise thins out and the river begins to feel like countryside.

The Stretch Towards Temple Lock

From Marlow Lock to Temple Lock is a little under two miles and forms the heart of this walk. The towpath is wide and level, shaded in places by willows and alders, and the water stays close enough to touch for almost all of it. Across the river, the red-brick buildings of Bisham sit low among the trees, and behind them the ground rises sharply into beech woods that turn copper and gold in autumn.

Keep an eye on the water. Herons stand motionless in the shallows with the patience of statues, and red kites have become a common sight overhead, circling on thermals above the valley. Swans will approach with intent if they suspect you are carrying something edible — they are optimistic creatures and best not encouraged.

Benches, Pauses and Places to Linger

One of the quiet mercies of the Thames Path here is how well it is supplied with benches. There are seats at the edge of the park, a few tucked into the hedge line along the towpath, and one or two positioned at exactly the right height above the water to watch the current slide past. Take advantage of them. A walk that includes two or three proper pauses is a far better walk than one that includes none.

Useful places to stop:

• Higginson Park — open grass, plenty of seating and a clear view back to the bridge.
• Marlow Lock — a footbridge over the weir and a front-row seat for the business of locking through.
• The towpath benches between Marlow and Temple Lock — quieter, shadier and usually empty on a weekday afternoon.
• Temple Lock — the natural turning point, with a small picnic area and a lane leading up towards the village if you fancy a longer loop.

Practical Notes for an Easy Afternoon

Timing. Allow two to two and a half hours for the round trip to Temple Lock and back, including a couple of stops. If you have less time, walk twenty minutes in one direction and turn around — the view is good the whole way.

Footwear. Trainers are fine in dry weather. After rain, the towpath holds puddles and a little mud in the shaded sections, so waterproof shoes or boots are sensible between October and March.

What to take. Water, a light waterproof and perhaps a small bag of bird food — oats or seed rather than bread. Binoculars are worth the weight if you have them. The path is a public right of way, so expect the occasional cyclist and give way with good grace.

Getting back. The return leg is straightforward: simply retrace your steps along the river. If legs are tiring, the walk back into Marlow is flat, and the bridge comes into view earlier than you expect.

Light. In winter the sun drops behind the hills early. Aim to be back in town about an hour before dusk, when the water turns silver and the streetlamps begin to come on.

Coming Back to Marlow

Arriving back in Marlow with the light going soft is one of the nicest ends to a day in the Thames Valley. The riverside fills with the smell of somebody else's supper, the bridge lamps come on, and the water carries the last of the afternoon's reflections downstream.

This is the moment when a bed and breakfast earns its keep. A short walk from the river, a hot bath, a proper pot of tea and the knowledge that breakfast is already arranged for the morning — there is no better way to round off a gentle afternoon on the Thames Path. And if the weather holds, you can do it all again tomorrow in the other direction, towards Cookham and beyond.