Henley II, 772817, 14 miles, Explorer 171, ( Henley, Shiplake, Dunsden Green, Chalkhouse Green, Crowsley, Harpsden, Henley)

Park in car park at the end of Mill Lane. Exit car park and turn left, go straight ahead over walkway to the end of Marsh Lock, continue ahead with river on your left. Footpath eventually bears right away from river to cross footbridge and into enclosed footpath. Go ahead at crossing track and exit onto road. Where road forks take left. In about ½ mile from exiting footpath, in front of Rivermead house bear right behind hedge and go straight ahead, crossing track, at railway line turn left, ignore path ahead crossing railway line. At road turn left over level crossing. Immediately beyond the Baskerville Arms pub turn left. In 600yds, ignoring New Road on right, turn left towards Lashbrook Farm. Cross bridge and in 15yds turn right through kissing gate, cross field to second kissing gate, through and follow path down right hand edge field. Cross track and at road turn right, where wall ends turn left towards lock. Immediately before lock turn right through kissing gate to again follow river.

Cross field, then over stile, where path opens out go forward on bridleway between Clubhouse and Boathouse (here our path leaves the Thames Path). Where path meets track bear sharply right to continue on bridleway uphill to Shiplake church. Keeping the church on right follow the church lane down to main road, here cross into Plough Lane with the Plowden Arms pub on left. In 300yds from the pub (just beyond Tudor Cottages) turn left onto farm track. Where track bears left go forward through kissing gate to follow fence line up field. At field boundary go over stile and immediately right. Where fence on right finishes turn left towards a small clump of trees, ignore footpath joining from right, just before first wooden pylon after clump bear right to diagonally cross field. Cross track and continue towards Shiplake Copse.

Follow track through wood to stile, cross and keeping wood later hedgerow on left continue to road. Turn left at road and in 150yds turn right into Green Lane. Where lane ends in front of wooden garage turn left onto footpath. At road left then immediately right to cross field to thick hedge here right to follow hedge on your right. At corner of field where path ends at track turn left onto Tagg Lane. In 400yds at crossing footpath turn right over footbridge. Go over lawn to second footbridge, bear left in field to follow hedge to road. At road go right and immediately left into broad track, go under power lines and at next road turn right (Row Lane). At main road go ahead and in 100yds from joining this road go over stile to left, cross field half right towards red roofed house. Over stile onto road, left then right onto metalled track (take left fork). At low stone/brick wall ahead turn left and continue ahead with hedge on your left. Where footpath forks take the right, follow path through to road there right then left into Tower Close.

At main road in Emmer Green go right then left into track (Chalkhousegreen Lane). Continue ahead to riding stables on left here path ahead narrows, go ahead.  This very muddy path eventually becomes a metalled road, where this turns sharply left turn right on footpath into Thimble Cottage. At rear of cottage over stile into enclosed path, over next stile and half right across field to further stile across this field with fence on the right. Go half left across next field towards houses and road. At the road turn left, ignore road to right, take footpath  on right opposite Winters Folly house to cross field half right to road. Cross road to right of Bird in Hand pub, in 50yds bear left onto footpath waymarked Crowsley Park. Over stile and follow fence line down field, over a double stile and the up field to far left corner of Morgan’s wood. Over stile and across field to stile and enclosed path. Bear left on track and turn right at road. At fork go left. Turn left at main road and first right through formal gates into Crowsley Park. Pass in front of Crowsley Park House and go through a metal gate to take an initially enclosed footpath on right. Cross field to left of a clump of chestnut trees to stile.

From stile aim for wooden waymark post in middle of field, at second post bear left to go down field to exit onto road. Here right and immediately right again to follow bridleway waymarked Binfield Heath. Ignore crossing track to North Lodge and continue ahead through wood ignoring paths left and right. At wood edge bear right to follow hedge to track (Bone’s Lane) and ‘T’ junction. Turn left on to Harpsden Road. Where wood starts on right turn right onto bridle path through wood. At road continue ahead and 25yds go over stile into field, follow hedge on your right to next stile and crossing footpath, ignore this and continue ahead. Go over fence and through gate onto road. In 200yds fork left onto footpath, cross road and follow footpath ahead an then down hill into Harpsden. At road bear right to pass church  on right. Ignore road to right and follow Harpsden Way around to the left. At top of hill where Peppard Lane crosses road turn right onto bridleway. Where path meets road go ahead, at main road cross right to go down Mill Lane.

If you encounter any problems with this walk please contact Richard or Nick.