Cookham Circular

14 March. The village of Cookham is less than a mile to the East of Cookham station. It is a popular destination for walkers and tourists with its attractive riverside, lovely churchyard and the Stanley Spencer Gallery.

However, our group of twelve headed westerly through the local park and via an uninspiring housing estate to reach open fields below the posh part of Cookham Dean.

We stopped to admire the view towards Maidenhead and Clivedon and agreed that we could make out Windsor Castle on the horizon. The day turned out to be beautifully clear with wispy clouds; warm enough so long as we didn’t linger.

The route becomes more muddy through the wooded area and especially on Cookham Common. Our lunch spot was then in easy reach, the churchyard providing more views and seating for the picnicking,

We were joined by two visitors in the pub which was friendly but busy. The locals gave one of our party a lift back to Cookham, another taking the short cut to the station.

Our group of ten then enjoyed some country lane ups and downs, passing some attractive old buildings on the way. A nice footpath took us back down towards the river Thames. We stayed a fair distance above it on Winter Hill for a mile or so as extensive flooding had necessitated a change fro the originally planned route. Kites flew low over us and (we think) kestrels hovered above their prey.

With an hour to spare before the train home, we eventually detoured for a stroll along the riverside, before skirting the edge of Cookham to reach a cafe stop near the station.

Thanks to Christine M and Mary-Jane for the photos.