Maureen's walk for MND

 Blog NO 14, Reading to Pangbourne 27th July 2025 A good walk weatherwise, nice and cool fairly cloudy. lots of overgrown trees and foliage creating tunnels which was not so good I tried to take more photographs, so here is the picture of Caversham Bridge. A good pathway for approximately a mile before the path narrowed and I crossed meadowland. Loads of Canada Geese and Greylags browsing the grass fresh from the rain. It wasn't long before I came to the first tunnel, this is not good for me as thoughts seem to turn to difficult times had through Elizabeth's illness. I am trying to be more disciplined and when I see a tunnel ahead to try to turn my mind to the happier times. However this first tunnel made me think of the first time Elizabeth cried. She was staying with me and our friend Alison had bought a pair of denim shorts in M&S. Elizabeth loved denim shorts and practically lived in them or dungarees. She was thrilled. They were on the settee where Elizabeth sat, she w...

 Blog No 13, Henley to Reading, 20th July 2025 When I looked at the route for the ten miles from Henley to Reading, I wondered how I could break it up to manage the distance and expected to walk it over two days. I started at Henley with the intention of walking to Sonning Bridge and then deciding whether to go on or take a break. I walked along the tow path, past the Museum of Boating which I understand is due to close. Quite a few people out with dogs, children and some on bikes, not that I captured then on the picture. After only about half a mile reached a complicated diversion at Shiplake which took me to the main road out of Henley to Sonning I saw I was expected to walk the route on a 50mph stretch with no footpath on either side of the road. I walked about twenty yards in the road before seeing that this was madness. At this point I called Jen who was on her way to Sonning to return and pick me up at a turning signposted   to Henley Golf Club. Looking at the map I...

 Blog No 12  Marlow to Henley, 8 and a half miles. Monday 14th July '25 Here we go, Adrian is with me for our walk from Marlow to Henley,  We started off along the towpath with lots of very impressive and probably very expensive boats tied up alongside. We walked about half a mile before spotting a small blue A4 size poster telling us that the bridge we needed to cross about another mile up the path was closed. Our only option was to turn back and cross the Marlow Bridge taking a diversion into Bisham and Temple before accessing the path again. I find these minor detours a bit worrying when I know I have prepared myself for a certain distance to then find I will have to walk further than planned.  However it was a good day for walking with a good strong breeze offsetting the sunshine which in any event was a lot cooler than the heatwave which ended the day before. There were some beautiful scenes of the river which also took my attention. As Adrian spent much of the ...

 Blog NO 11, Walk from Maidenhead to Marlow  8th July 25 This was a lovely walk accompanied by Adrian my son from California. He took charge of the phone map and led the way. It was quite straightforward although I had a wobbly when I realised we had missed the shortcut through Cookham village. I was concerned because it was hot and I was not wanting to go the extra mile that day. Adrian encouraged me saying the Thames Walk is on the Thames and not through the village. The first stretch was indeed lovely, seeing the rowing boats out and the lovely houses either side of the river. Soon after beginning the walk we came to the local wetland area We hit the road  the far end of Cookham, went through the churchyard and onto the path again. It was shady and a breeze, people around enjoying walking and boating. Adrian and I chatted about Elizabeth which was good and easy with him. The loss for us both is all too apparent.  We talked about his plans for his own future, cutti...

 blog No 10, 29th June 25. Windsor to Maidenhead. This account is not going to make jolly reading, but it is an account of the walk and my thoughts along the way. This walk was on the last Sunday in June when the sky changed and heavy thunderstorms circled the area. My friend Jen drove me to Windsor through flash floods to reach my starting point to walk to Maidenhead. I thought I was going to be in for a soaking but the clouds cleared to let the sun through,  although rain threatened it stayed dry for the whole of the walk.  I walked over Windsor Bridge and began the path through a meadows which stretched a good mile or so. Picture which I thought was the bridge but is probably Eton High St.   All was fine until I reached a section of the Path where the trees on either side of the path met and intertwined with thick undergrowth on both sides making a view of the river quite difficult. The effect was that I was walking through a dark tunnel. This I think affecte...