Sonning to Marlow. 15.0 miles (24.0km)

It was a hot day on trail today. While it was shaded in many parts, especially in the morning, our 9.30 pick up from the Crown meant it was approaching 10 before we set off again. Just as the sun burnt through the cloud and we approached our high of 27 degrees. Which for a couple of people moving out of a pretty cool spring into summer, was plenty warm enough.

We paused at one field. Farm workers and their various vehicles were busy turning cut grass, gathering cut grass and wrapping cut grass. There must have been sufficient small rodents disturbed that it had attracted the greatest number of Red Kites we had seen over our two days on trail. Upward of twenty were wheeling, soaring and occasionally diving to the field, for what we never ascertained. It was quite a sight and as always, impossible to photograph.

Henley-on-Thames was reached in good time for a decent lunch at the Angel [on the bridge]. Somehow we found a table amongst the throng out enjoying the sun and a decent view. Breaking my preferred rule of no alcohol when I have a full afternoon of walking to complete, I ordered a couple of pints of Oxford Gold to accompany my ham and cheese sarnie, that went by another far more pretentious name, that added another twenty quid to my bill. Not complaining, but we really are in both tourist central and millionaires row round here. George Cloony’s pad was just down from our overnighter and Park Place, passed this afternoon was sold to a Russian billionaire for £140 million, making it the most expensive house in Britain.

Mrs Three Points of the Compass began to flag. Unsurprising as we were covering more miles than she is used to, in the warmest days we have seen in months. The trail itself was pleasant enough. Less dog walkers and cyclists than yesterday, a bit more river traffic.

Our most frustrating aspect was three diversions, each adding a little distance, taking some of the trail away and, the last adding some road walking, with no footpath, that coincided with an accident on the nearby A404. Making our quiet little road a rat run. I am still not sure how at least one of us wasn’t hit.

Our accommodation tonight is a guest house in Marlow. We had a walk of about a kilometre to get to it and, following our path diversion, were not overly pleased to be trudging past perfectly welcoming places in favour of something in some back street. But at least we were not panicking over meeting transport at a specified time like yesterday (not that we were panicking). I really don’t like the pressure of having to finish a day’s walking at a specified time and have met many people on other National Trails similarly frazzled over meeting transport. Thankfully, we have no more transport connections for the remainder of the Thames Path. This is supposed to be a holiday, after all. As it was, it was nigh on seven before we unlocked the door to our, admittedly, very comfortable rooms.

Welcome showers, change of clothes, and we were walking back the way we had just come in search of an evenings nosh. The first place we tried had an overly loud quiz in progress, but the second produced welcome pizzas and a couple of decent beers- Timothy Taylor Landlord and Rebellion IPA from the Marlow Brewery. At just 3.7% and malty, it was far removed from an IPA but such is marketing.

The Thames Path- National Trail

• The Thames Path
• The Thames Path: Kemble to Cricklade
• The Thames Path: Cricklade to Lechlade
• The Thames Path: Lechlade to Tadpole Bridge
• The Thames Path: Tadpole Bridge to Bablock Hythe
• The Thames Path: Bablock Hythe to Osney Bridge, Oxford
• The Thames Path: Osney Bridge, Oxford to Abingdon
• The Thames Path: Abingdon to Shillingford/Warborough
• The Thames Path: Shillingford/Warborough to Goring
• The Thames Path: Goring to Sonning
• The Thames Path: Sonning to Marlow
• The Thames Path: Marlow to Windsor
• The Thames Path: Windsor to Chertsey
• The Thames Path: Chertsey to Hampton Wick/Kingston-on-Thames
• The Thames Path: Hampton Wick/Kingston-on-Thames to Putney
• The Thames Path: Putney to Tower Bridge
• The Thames Path: Tower Bridge to Woolwich Foot Tunnel