TAPLOW CIRCULAR – EASTER MONDAY 10 APRIL

Ignoring the not very promising weather forecast, fifteen members assembled at Taplow station on Easter Monday 10th April for a circular walk of 6 miles in a rural corner at the far south end of Buckinghamshire. After crossing the busy A4 trunk road, we went down a quiet lane to a bridge over the Jubilee River. It is a man-made channel completed in 2002 which reduces the risk of flooding in Maidenhead, Windsor & Eton. It is about 7.5 miles long but initially we only followed it for a short while before heading across fields to the River Thames. Its waters were sparkling in unexpected sunshine as we walked alongside for about a mile past expensive-looking riverside properties before leaving the path near Dorney Lake, the site of the rowing events at the 2012 Olympics. Passing the listed Tudor manor house of Dorney Court, we crossed the Jubilee River again so that we could reach our lunch stop at the busy Pineapple pub in Lake End. Most of us sat in the garden, fortunately under cover, as the forecast heavy rain showers soon appeared. Suitably refreshed and the rain having stopped, we headed back to the Jubilee River and followed it to the M4 motorway bridge from where a muddy & overgrown path took us to Marsh Lane and back to Taplow Station.

Danny
Photos courtesy of Maggie Carman & Rochelle Bloch