Taplow – Jubilee River – Bray Lock – River Thames - Taplow

Mike Patefield

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Taplow – Jubilee River – Bray Lock – River Thames - Maidenhead Bridge - Taplow

This enjoyable waterside route visits two contrasting waterways. The Jubilee River, a flood relief scheme, is managed as a haven for wildlife and is quiet and peaceful. The bustling Thames, by contrast, is busy with craft of all kinds from rowing skiffs to cabin cruisers and watching their antics is always entertaining. The route starts in the old centre of Taplow, where there is a free village car park and on-street parking as well as an excellent traditional pub that welcomes both dogs and children. It has a varied bar menu and open fires as well as a patio well-positioned for views across the Thames Valley.

The route uses well-made field-paths and tracks to reach first the Jubilee River and then the Thames at busy Bray Lock, a convenient spot to rest and watch the world go by. The riverside path leads past Bray on the opposite bank, where there are some magnificent waterside properties to admire in this wealthy village, to reach Isambard Brunel's Maidenhead Bridge, famously depicted by William Turner in his great painting in 1844.

Here we leave the Thames to cross the Jubilee River again before a short climb leads back to Taplow. While I cannot guarantee that you will remain completely dry, the quality of paths and tracks means that this is a good walk for a wet spell in winter when many other paths are unpleasantly muddy.

England - Central England - Buckinghamshire - Thames Valley

Features

Birds, Church, Great Views, Mostly Flat, Pub, River, Wildlife

7/17/2023 - Martin Veasey

Lovely walk, however the broken bridge warning given by the original contributor in 2021 is, unfortunately, still in effect as of July 2023 with little sign of progress in fixing. The suggested advice given in Waypoint 9 is sound: walk through the estate, turn right just before Jubilee Mill and head up Mill Lane towards Taplow Village and Waypoint 10. Don't take the inviting looking footpath angled off the lane to the right as this goes back to the bridge - stick to the road.

7/15/2023 - Martin Veasey

As at July 2023 the bridge remains broken and inaccessible. The original contributors amendment remains valid - go through the housing area and turn right at the Jubilee Mill onto Mill Lane which connects back to the walk.

7/15/2023 - Martin Veasey

6/27/2021 - Mike Patefield

Thank you Ken for the information about the residential re-development. I have revised the walk to take this into account. Now there is a (hopefully temporary) problem of a broken bridge. The note at (9) describes a short diversion. The paths were perfectly dry in May 2021. Possibly the muddy paths mentioned by Jean Woods in 2016 were a consequence of storm Desmond.

3/31/2021 - Ken Howard

30/3/2021 Repeated this lovely walk after 6 years on a gloriously sunny March day. At (9) there has been huge riverside residential re-development and not only is the kissing-gate gone but a new park has been constructed. A new signpost points the way up through the park to cross the Jubilee River bridge and the way back to the parking.

2/5/2016 - Jean Woods

Did this walk in February 2016 after quite a bit of rain - paths must have deteriorated since the original walk as we found the going very muddy, especially the riverside path. Even the shingle paths had huge puddles - but you could pick your way through them. Last 10 - 15 minutes of walk were Ok underfoot as path was made up. The kissing gate - item 9 grid ref SU902815 is no longer there, as housing estate is being built nearby, but there is part of the metal fence on the left so you will know you are on the right path. Would be a lovely walk in drier months!