Boulters Lock, close to the start of the walk, is a pub and restaurant sitting at BOULTERS LOCK RIVERSIDE an idyllic spot on the River Thames, making the perfect spot for TRAIL, BERKSHIRE refreshments before or after your walk. A 6.5 mile (which can be shortened to a 3 mile easier- access option) circular pub walk from Boulters Lock in Maidenhead on the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire border. The walking trail takes in the beautiful areas of Easy Terrain country park within the modern Taplow Riverside estate, with the longer trail following riverside paths alongside the Jubilee River and River Thames. Getting there 3 or 6.5 miles The walk starts and finishes at the Boulters Lock public car park, located on the riverside A4094 Lower Cookham Circular Road (close to the junction with Lock Avenue). The car park is pay and display (and managed by the local council). The fee for over 3 hours is £1.00 (correct Feb 1.5 to 3 hours 2019). Approximate post code SL6 8JB. 210219 Walk Sections Go 1 Start to Boulters Lock Access Notes 1. This walk includes a stretch of riverside path which is Leave the Boulters Lock public car park via the vehicle open from 7am to dusk (but locked outside these times). entrance, cross over the zebra crossing to far pavement 2. The walk is relatively flat with only a few gentle slopes. and turn right along this (with the River Thames on your There are no stiles or steps on route, you will only need left). After about 230 metres, when you draw level with the side road called Ray Mill Road East on your right, to negotiate footbridges and some elongated accessible turn left onto the access bridge which leads you to kissing gates (these have space for buggies to pass through). 3. The shorter walk follows pavements plus surfaced paths through the country park areas, meaning it would be Get the iFootpath App for a smarter walking suitable for pushchairs or mobility buggies. experience. Hundreds of walking guides in the palm of your hand with live maps that show your 4. The longer route has some stretches of unmade paths progress as you walk. Say goodbye to wrong that can be muddy and has a couple of road crossings turns! that need care. 5. There is no livestock on route. Dogs are welcome throughout the walk and there are plenty of dog waste bins in the country park. © Copyright iFootpath part of OneToRemember LLP BOULTERS LOCK RIVERSIDE TRAIL !1 Boulters Lock pub and restaurant. This makes the perfect spot Go ahead on the main tarmac parkland path and then turn left for refreshments, before or after your walk. at both of the first two path junctions, to join the upper boardwalk path winding through the parkland. Turn right at a T- junction, left at a second T-junction and then right at a triangular T-junction. You will reach a crossroads of tarmac paths 1 2 Boulters Lock to Riverside Walk alongside the Ladder Walk outdoor gym piece. 3 4 Ladder Walk to Rail Arches Pass Boulters Lock pub on your right then turn immediately right to cross the footbridge towards Ray Mill Island. At the end of the first bridge, bear right to join the modern footbridge leading over the second branch of the river. This modern bridge was opened in November 2018, creating a new link between the For the Shorter (3 mile) Walk: Turn left at this crossroads to Maidenhead and Taplow communities. reach the Taplow Riverside estate access road. Cross to the far pavement and turn right along this. Now skip ahead to the point At the far side you will emerge into an area of parkland within marked in the section called ‘Bath Road to Waterwheel’. the Taplow Riverside estate. This development (built 2018-19) has transformed the area into desirable housing and parkland. For the Full (6.5 mile) Walk: Turn right at this crossroads and Join the riverside boardwalk path (with the River Thames on follow the straight tarmac path leading you back towards the your right) and follow this as it winds through the first section of river footbridge. Immediately before the bridge, turn right to join park. At the far side, go through the gate (open 7am to dusk) to the riverside path. At the end of this stretch, exit via the kissing join the Riverside Walk, with the Jubilee River on your left. gate to reach a roadside pavement. Turn left along this and continue as it crosses the river to reach a road junction with traffic lights. Taking care of traffic, turn right at this junction to join the access track signed as a public bridleway. This leads 2 3 Riverside Walk to Ladder Walk you under the arches of the railway bridge. 4 5 Rail Arches to Footbridge The apartments on your right are converted from beautiful old buildings, Jubilee Wharf and Jubilee Mill. At the end of this riverside walk, you will emerge to a junction with a residential road. Glance to your right to see the old waterwheel at the end As you emerge from the rail arches, take the right-hand of the of the mill building, a useful landmark to remember for the return two tracks ahead, passing the pretty White Place Lodge on your leg. right. Pass a watersports centre on your left and then turn right to cross Jubilee River via the road bridge. At the far side, turn Turn left at this junction, crossing the river via Mill Lane bridge. left to join the riverside bridleway with the river on your left. At the far side, fork immediately right through an enlarged Where the bridleway swings right, go ahead through a gateside kissing gate to join the footpath signed to Maidenhead. Follow the path to a T-junction and turn right, crossing back over the gap to stay on the riverside path. river via a footbridge. At the far side of the bridge, you will see a riverside path on the left and parkland ahead. The full walk will Keep ahead on this pretty riverside stretch, keeping your eyes continue to the left in a moment, but first we take a small detour peeled for swans, geese, cormorants, egrets, herons and other water birds. You will emerge into a car park alongside a river around the parkland. weir. Keep ahead through the car park, cross over the road and © Copyright iFootpath part of OneToRemember LLP BOULTERS LOCK RIVERSIDE TRAIL !2 join the continuation of the riverside path. Continue until you reach a footbridge over the river on your left. 7 8 Bath Road to Mill Waterwheel 5 6 Footbridge to Thames Path Turn right along the pavement, use the pedestrian crossing to swap to the left-hand pavement and continue to the roundabout. Turn left onto the access road for the Taplow Riverside estate. NOTE: If you are following the shorter walk, pick up the Do NOT turn left across this bridge, instead keep ahead for directions here. about another 25 metres, then turn sharp right to join the signed public footpath. Follow the path between trees and then keep Continue along the pavement of the access road, leading you ahead to join the concrete access lane. Where the lane bends back into the heart of the Taplow Riverside development. You right, fork left to join the path leading up the grass bank, winding will pass the old boat house on your left. Turn right immediately up to reach the road. Cross over with care and take the path before the Jubilee Mill building and you will pass the mill ahead, zig-zagging back down the slope to reach the end of a waterwheel (which you should recognise from the outward leg) residential lane. on your left. Go ahead along the lane and at the end you will reach a T- junction with Old Marsh Lane. Turn right and, after about 80 metres, turn left onto a side branch of the lane which is signed Mill Waterwheel to End as a public bridleway. This quiet tarmac track leads you 8 9 between fields and then through the small hamlet of Amerden. As you reach Amerden Lodge, keep ahead passing just to the right of the lodge to reach a T-junction with the Thames Path, with the river directly ahead. 6 7 Thames Path to Bath Road Immediately after the wheel, turn left to re-join the riverside walk. We will now be retracing our steps back to Boulters Lock and the start of the walk. Keep ahead along the riverside walk and then through the parkland to reach the footbridge. Turn left across the footbridge to arrive back at Boulters Lock pub and restaurant for some well-earned hospitality. To return to your car, continue to the main road and turn left along this. You will come to the car park on your right where the walk began. Turn right to join the Thames Path, with the River Thames running on your left. You will soon pass Bray Lock on your left. Beyond the lock, go through the staggered gates to continue on the Thames Path. Eventually you will emerge into a residential area. Simply keep ahead along the access lane, a continuation of the Thames Path. The lane leads you under the arches of the railway bridge (built by Brunel in 1838) and on to reach a T- junction with the main A4 Bath Road. © Copyright iFootpath part of OneToRemember LLP BOULTERS LOCK RIVERSIDE TRAIL !3 Disclaimer This walking route was walked and checked at the time of writing.