Cookham to CARD Maidenhead W7 Start Cookham— SL6 9SA Finish Maidenhead— SL6 1EW Distance 5.53km Duration 1 hour 8 minutes Ascent 32.4m Access Train 450m distant from start of section. Train and bus at end of section. Facilities All facilities at start and end of section. Connecting routes Thames Path, at Maidenhead Bridge, E of High Street (or at Cookham). near end of walk: Chiltern Way, at Pinkneys Green on the NW edge of Maidenhead. 7.1 Cookham, at the west end of The Causeway. 0m 7.2 S on the Green Way; after 1.3km, R across bridge then immediately L; at next jct R, 5530m then L before bridge; continue S, then L and R in parkland to Ray Mill Rd; cross road, cross stream; continue S to bridge; cross, turn R then L; under by-pass then up L to road level; R to High St where R; L on Queen St; L at end then cross to stn. © 2019-20 IG Liddell Cardinal route – W 7 – 1 This section starts in Cookham, at 7.1 the west end of The Causeway, at the far end of High Street from the Stanley Spencer Gallery. Cookham station, on the Marlow branch line from Maidenhead, is 450m to the west of this point. Cookham is the point where this radial route really connects with the national network. Here, the Thames Path may be followed upstream to the river’s source, through Henley, Reading, Oxford and Lechlade. We have already met Shakespeare’s Way and the Chiltern Way. However, it seems logical to run this route out to fi nish in Maidenhead, whose transport connections are more extensive. Walk southwards from the start, 7.2 and go through a gate. Follow the path along the right-hand side of the fi eld, and successive fi elds. Cross a minor lane and then another fi eld. At this point, turn right to cross a footbridge, then immediately turn left to continue in a south-south-westerly Green Way south of the start direction. at Cookham After about 370m, take the path to the right for about 200m, then turn left before reaching the litt le stream. Keep close to the stream, now on your right, for about 750m before crossing the stream (towards a cricket fi eld) and trending right onto a piece of common land, with the houses of North Maidenhead across the common. Green Way approaching Do not cross the common, but bear left alongside the stream on your left. North Maidenhead The path becomes more distinct, and you will pass a car park over to your right, while maintaining a southerly bearing on the path. After a bank of trees is passed on your left, cross an access road: the path now bends to the left and then to the right, passing wooden sculptures to reach Ray Mill Road West. Take the path opposite, now with Strand Water on your right, and follow it for about 430m to a footbridge. Cross the bridge, bear right, and pick up the southbound line of the stream on your right. Pass beneath the town centre by- pass, then ascend to street level. Turn your back on the car park entrance on your right. After a few metres with a building on your right, turn 7 – 2 Cardinal route – W © 2019-20 IG Liddell right at the mini-roundabout to follow the road out to High Street. High Street has numerous opportunities for refuelling or replenishment before the fi nal steps to the station. Turn right along High Street, and cross Strand Water. Continue westwards, and where the road narrows and the road surface changes to patt erned brick, advance to Queen Street. Ahead lies the pedestrianised stretch of High Street: turn left, though, down Queen Street. Where Broadway comes in from the left, continue ahead. Here, the standard High Street shops have been left behind for smaller, liminal businesses. Gradually, Queen Street curves to the right: eventually, you will reach a major junction with much more modern business buildings dominating the landscape. Bear round to the left, and just before reaching the budget hotel, cross the road at the lights to a traffi c island, then bear left to cross the next road. Sculpted wood You are now on the approach to the on the approach to railway station: follow it up to the Ray Mill Road West station building, and the end of the route from Trafalgar Square. Maidenhead station off ers train services to Slough, Iver, West Drayton, Hayes and Harlington, and Paddington: westwards, the line serves Reading and beyond to Oxford and Swindon. The branch line to Cookham and Marlow starts from Maidenhead. There are also bus services to Slough and Heathrow, plus local services. Left — Cloud-shrouded clock tower outside Maidenhead station © 2019-20 IG Liddell Cardinal route – W 7 – 3.