3 SWC regulars plus 2 friends of one of them on this walk, which had rain forecast from early afternoon. Just a sub-optimal walk posting, or the FWC (Fairweather Walkers' Club) in full operation?

We started in sunshine (one pair of sunglasses weas indeed worn) and kept up a good pace, while enjoying the views from the early ridges, with - initially - still the last of the overnight mist rising up from the valleys. Loads of kites and buzzards were circling above all day. The meagre leaf coverage on the trees enabled more intense study of more nearby sights, like some brilliant fungi and mosses on dead or live trees. The Rainbow Inn wasn't open yet when we passed (the Elenvenses word had been mentioned) and up we went again to another rounded ridge with views. After Stonor Park, 3 took the Shortcut and 2 the Main Walk. Picnic lunch was later had in the respective churches (Pishill/Bix Bottom).

The 2 caught up with the 3 just before George Harrison's former abode on Henley's outskirts.

The 2 then paid custom to The Rowbarge Inn, while the 3 walked on further for a sugar fix.

16.00 hours train for the 2, a later one for the 3 (presumably). And as we waited on the platform, the pitter patter of the first rain drops of the day became audible on the platform canopy...

Mud: not much, and never a problem.

Standing water: not really any, apart from a 10m stretch of a road just past Bix (but it was shallow and the shallowest bits could be easily identified).

Flooding: the Thames was very full indeed (it was lapping onto the riverside path in Henley) and also moving at great pace, and the landscape around Wargrave and Shiplake stations seen from the train had turned into a southern version of The Lakes.

A great winter walk, methinks.

5 dry

11 in cold mostly grey weather. 3 arrived on an earlier train and 8 did the shortest loop. Three (not the early starters) did the loop via Stonor. The Rainbow Inn had just reopened after a three week closure and the Brakspear’s beer had yet to be replenished. My order of ham, egg, and chips had lots of very cold ham but a minute portion of chips plus a small and rapidly cooling egg.

7 on a day that was cloudy and dry all day This despite a drizzly gloomy start to the day that probably deterred a few. Like for instance the walk poster. The Rainbow was a hit with 6 eating there. As was the Chocolate Cafe later. According to sources, the walk was enjoyed and autumn colour was experienced.

10 on a bright and sunny if cold day. Fshoom!! and we were off. Yours truly slightly slower than the rest. But not very. Trees almost bare but still some sparkles of colour. The slope down to Middle Assendon has been planted with saplings. Couldn’t help thinking that, soon, that particular view will be lost. 3 stopped at the Rainbow, 2 to eat, 1 to drink. Seemed good. Cash only today. Technical issues. Then off along the icy shortcut to Bix Bottom, kites circling overhead. A detour to the ruined church of St James for me. Still there. Still ruined. This put me further behind the others. Meanwhile, a drama was unfolding near Lambridge Woods. The dip in the road was flooded. Gasp! My spies tell me some managed to detour round. Others cadged a lift across in a range rover. My later attempt was only partly successful. Successful in that I got through. Unsuccessful in that so did the water. Nobody deserves wet socks, Not on their birthday.

And so to Henley where my spies observed 3 go to a Wetherspoons and 4 to the Chocolate Café. They had gone by the time I looked in. Most had got the 3:30. Just as well they went for that one because it was running. (There was only one an hour, not two as I had mistakenly posted). Caught me out, I can tell you . One walked on to Shiplake.

Good day out. Except for the socks.

8 got off an unusually crowded Henley train. We soon became a group of 5 & 3, with 4 of us doing the book long shortcut, 1 the full walk & 3 the short shortcut. muggy but dry and 7 met up again for the final stage into Henley. 2 on the 1601, the rest stopped for tea & cakes (I'm guessing at The Chocolate Cafe, which now has an outside seating area across the road).

Just to add to Pete's comment - five had tea and cake at Chocolate cafe (very pleasant outside seating by the river), we also met the one who did 14 miles who decided not to stop for tea. All of us caught 5:01pm train back - again the train from Henley to Twyford was quite busy. This was my first Saturday outing with the club since March last year, it was just like the good old days, a nice day out in good company.

Storm Ciara

Only 3 on this walk. Weather sun and cloud with one thirty second shower. The hillside view of Middle Assendon is stunning, but far too early in the walk to stop for lunch. Shortly after walking through Middle Assendon, one hawkeyed walker spotted an apple tree by the side of the road bursting with tiny, but perfectly ripe and delicious apples. These kept us energised until Stonor, where one continued on to the Crown Inn for lunch in Pishill and the other 2 shortcutted to picnic on the hill overlooking Stonor. Apparently, the pub setting and food were excellent, but lunch was a little slow in coming. Back in Henley, one went shopping, another gauged himself on tea and cake at the chocolate café before taking a short riverside walk passing Mill & Marsh Meadows and some very nice looking houses. He met up with the pub luncher on the 16.23 to Paddington. The other walker is presumably still shopping.

Thought I submit a brief report for this walk. 6 walkers at Henley on Thames station. A slight delay on starting as train loos were out of order and only 1 loo working at Henley station thus as usual que in loos! 4 ttok short and had lunch at Middle Assendon. 2 members head for Stonor and had picnic by Warburgh nature reserve and 1 decided to avoid Pishill due to tarmac walking. 1 member thats me spend 2 hours round reserve and found the rare Herb Paris in flower, Fly orchid not in flower while the early purple orchid passed its best. Despite the 2 hours exploring the reserve it was worth finding the Herb Paris in flower by 2 weeks early. Good day out for me and did not connect with the rest of the group again. Weather overall cloudy but rather cold due to the wind.

P/S Walker I shall try and post the photo of Herb Paris to you or the SWC website.

Monica.

6 cloudy aand cold

A good choice of walk, this, if you are feeling heat-stressed. There is plenty of shady woodland but also some good open bits with nice views.

NOTE: It is the Henley regatta this week-end so trains are likely to be very busy...

Hello, The Crown Inn at Pishill is closed for a private function tomorrow ( per their website). Do we have an alternative?

Also, the church by the river in Henley will be doing afternoon teas as it is Henley week if anyone fancies a church tea for a change.

Pishill pub closed today: sorry for this oversight.

The other pub en route comes too early.

The only realistic alternative is 15 minutes off route in Upper Maidensgrove: The Five Horseshoes, food to 15.00 hours. http://www.thefivehorseshoes.co.uk/

2 , hot in the exposed sections . Trains full but not unbearable. Both walkers were picnickers so not affected by the lunch pub's inavailability.

3 actually, with a third walker having started on a much earlier train, finishing back in Henley at 14.30! She reports that the Pishill church runs a "walkers' deli" in its porch, 'selling' home-made flapjacks for a donation, and providing a kettle for hot drinks...

Hi guys

This walks looks interesting and since I have not done this before hope there will be some attendance. Sunday bright and sunny and should be a perfect day.

Monica

I will be going.

Glad someone is attending this walk. See you at Paddington station.if you want to connect on the train my mobile is 07488410141.

Thanks

I'll board at Ealing Broadway.

sorry i could not make the walk as I forgot the clock went forward and too late for the train. hope you guys had a great time.

Monica

11 for this enjoyable walk, with lovely weather. 3 did the 12 mile, possibly 1 for the full distance leaving 7 for the short route. 9 had fast service in the pub with a limited Sunday menu.

PS Henley now has a 30 minute service on Sunday

20 people, most of whom did the proposed short walk. 2 did a longer loop and 2, who reckoned they’d found a shorter route, struck out on it and got lost. The Rainbow (who appreciated the advance warning) was welcoming and seemed to please. Fare seemed simple but of good quality– e.g. ham egg and chips, bubble and squeak with beans - and, for the epicures, haggis meatballs. (Sadly, the latter did not impress the token Scot). Limited choice of one real ale but it was a good one.

dry sunny mild am dry cloudy pm culminating in intense but brief hailstorm .

Most were in the Chocolate Café by the time the hail came. Not your’s truly, though. I never thought I would come to thank George Harrison for his overhanging Leylandii but I did so today. So thanks.

All agreed, Soup and Bread was the best at The Rainbow, Fish and Chips disqualified for our charter marks rating as it was not freshly battered, instead straight from the Freezer. Not the kind of pub I would expect in this affluent part of the country.

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15 walkers on this today in initially sunny weather , later turning a bit overcast. We got to the Crown Inn for 13.15, then dawdled to make sure that we all left together, incl. the slower eaters (and drinkers). The sandwichers had moved on by then and made the 16.24, we heard, after a stop at the Chocolate Cafe/Anchor Inn. Us lot comfortably made the 17.24 departure, w/o further stops.

CLOG were on the same train out in the morning (a smaller group than ours, but incl. one SWC occasional), but they were doing a different, shorter Henley walk, and returned on the same train in the afternoon.

3 guys then explored the two refreshment options in P'ton station: The Beerhouse by platform 10 (Greene King, and quite average), and the Mad Bishop & Bear on level 2 (Fuller's, and the better option).

Good day out, with very fine views, some beautiful woods, and a nice pub (although some of the food today was judged to be a bit average), with a bit too much tarmac, maybe.

5 on this walk I was, told.

17 on this walk grey with one shower then heavy rain from 4pm Lovely autumn colours: the first walk this year that really felt like "high Autumn": good and extensive tints on beech, Norway maple, field maple, hawthorn, blackthorn.... Lovely views and some saw a red kite land just in front of them. Near Pishill the woods were full of the strange bark of rutting fallow deer.

Having booked 10 for The Crown it turned out we had just that number, and the pub proved a delight: cosy, atmospheric and with delicious food. In the afternoon the colours were especially nice but even the walk author (me) got lost a couple of times due to holly growth in the beech woods (directions will be updated). The faster walkers probably got to Henley before the downpour started: we caught it about two miles from the town and so got quite soggy. Only two of our lot went for chocolate cakes: the rest went to the pub. Sadly no moonlight walk on this occasion though it was shinning bright when I got home.

The 6 “faster” walkers were back in Henley by 3pm. 2 stopped at the café for tea and cake. 4 comfortably made the 3.24pm and enjoyed take-away tea and cake in the warm and dry. A lovely day out!