Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

DRIVE 7: Through the Chilterns 87

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A one-hour walking tour
From the car park, walk down Market
Street and cross Bell Street to Hart
Street, dominated by the red brick
Victorian Town Hall 1 , built in 1901.
Walk down Hart Street to the Church
of St Mary 2 with its 16th-century
stone and flint tower. The stucco
almshouses to the west date from
1830 and the red brick
ones on the east were
originally built in the
1660s and rebuilt in

1884. Beside them is
      the Grade I listed 16th-
      century Chantry House,
      overlooking the churchyard
      (with Dusty Springfield’s grave) and the
      river. At the bottom of Hart Street
      look across the bridge (built in 1786)
      to the headquarters of the Henley
      Royal Regatta to the left and the
      Leander Club – the world’s oldest
      rowing club – to the right. Turn right
      for a saunter down Thames Side,
      passing the half-timbered Old
      Granary 3 , located on the corner of
      Friday Street. Next, go past the
      Hobbs of Henley Boatyard 4 , a
      good place to start a motor launch
      trip or a cruise along the river. Head
      down Meadow Rd to the River and
      Rowing Museum 5 (open daily;
      http://www.rrm.co.uk)) with its fun Wind in the

EAT AND DRINK

AROUND WEST WYCOMBE

Bull and Butcher moderate

This 16th-century real-ale pub, in Turville

near Fingest on the route to Henley-on-

Thames, serves dishes such as rib-eye

steak, cod in batter and hearty puddings.

Turville, RG9 6QU (9 km/5 miles from

West Wycombe); 01491 638 283;

http://www.thebullandbutcher.co.uk

HENLEY-ON-THAMES

Loch Fyne Bar and Grill moderate

This popular restaurant and oyster bar,

part of a small chain, serves fresh and

smoked fish, shellfish and meat options.

20 Market Place, RG9 2AP; 01491 845

780; http://www.lochfyne.com

Green Olive Meze Bar & Restaurant

inexpensive–moderate

There is something for everyone –

including vegetarians – on the pick-and-

mix menu of light bites and mains.

28 Market Place, RG9 2AH; 01491 412

220; http://www.green-olive.co.uk

AROUND HENLEY-ON-THAMES

St George & Dragon moderate

Cross the river and go south on A321 for

5 km (3 miles) to this riverside pub

offering plain or more ambitious fare.

High St, Wargrave, RG10 8HY; 01189 404

474; http://www.stgeorgeanddragon.co.uk

7 Henley-on-Thames
Oxfordshire RG9 2EB
In its leafy setting on the Thames, this Georgian market town, famous
for its July Royal Regatta, offers a mix of the historical and fashionable.
A graceful 18th-century, five-arched bridge spans the river – a dynamic
and defining presence; beautiful, recreational and a haven for wildlife.

Willows Gallery. Children will be

enchanted by the models of Mr Toad,

Ratty, and Mole, faithful to the

illustrations of Ernest Shepard.

Retrace the route to turn left onto

Friday Street and right onto Duke

Street, noticing Tudor House 6 , a

venerable-looking antiques’ shop –

actually a pastiche built in 1934.

Cross Hart Street and

go down Bell Street,

where, on the left, is

the Bull Inn 7 , one of

the oldest inns in

Henley, with walls up

to a metre (3 ft thick). It is

rumoured to be haunted by

the ghost of a young woman. Turn

right onto New Street to pass the

Kenton Theatre 8 (www.kenton

theatre.co.uk), opened in 1805, and

the former Brakspear’s Brewery,

opened in 1779 and now the Hotel

du Vin. Turn right again onto

Riverside and once more, onto Hart

Street to return to the car park.

To extend the walk, follow the

Thames Path from Thames Side

south for 3 km (2 miles), crossing the

river at Marsh Lock to Shipton. Or

cross the bridge and walk 3 km (2

miles) north to Hambleden Lock. For

more walks and information, visit

http://www.thames-path.org.uk.

Henley On Thames

sign of bridge

Above The 16th-century Church Loft with

original clock, West Wycombe

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under £25; moderate, £25–£50; expensive, over £50

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