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Thame Valley Walk

14.91 miles (24 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap Follow the River Thame from Albury in Oxfordshire to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire on this pleasant waterside walk. The route runs for a distance of about 15 miles on fairly flat paths so could be completed in a day by walkers with a good level of fitness.
The walk passes Shabbington, Long Crendon, Chearsley, the 12th century Notley Abbey and Nether Winchendon.
The Thame Valley is home to an abundance of wildlife including reed warblers, cuckoos, damselflies and butterflies. Plant life and woodland also thrives making for a interesting walk for the naturalist.
Highlights on the path include the 15th century Nether Winchendon house, the attractive market town of Thame and the 15th century church of St Mary at Long Crendon.

Thame Valley Walk OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Thame Valley Walk Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

To continue your walking in the area you could pick up the Aylesbury Canal and enjoy another waterside walk along the towpath. There's also the circular Aylesbury Ring which explores the countryside around the town.
Near Albury there's some nice woodland paths and a butterfly trail in Bernwood Forest just to the north of the village.
Much of the route is coincident with the Bernwood Jubilee Way. This waymarked footpath could be followed north from Eythrope Park to visit the National Trust's Waddesdon Manor.
Just to the north of Shabbington you can follow the Bernwood trail north to visit the famous Brill Windmill.
Around Eythrope you can pick up the circular Haddenham Walk which uses part of the Aylesbury Ring and this trail to visit Dinton, Nether Winchendon and Cuddington. The route starts from Haddenham where there's a pretty duck pond, a fine old church and quaint thatched cottages to see.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Oxfordshire Walks and Buckinghamshire Walks page.

Photos

River Thame - geograph.org.uk - 714347

River Thame emerges from a weir by the Thame Valley Walk

River Thame - geograph.org.uk - 1624703

The river near Littleworth Farm, just west of Aylesbury

The River Thame with watering gap - geograph.org.uk - 716099

The River Thame with watering gap, approaching Cuddington

The Bernwood Way crosses the farm track - geograph.org.uk - 708992

The Bernwood Way and Thame Valley Walk cross a farm track near Thame

The River Thame at The Old Fisherman in Shabbington - geograph.org.uk - 1332615

The River Thame at The Old Fisherman in Shabbington

Notley Abbey - geograph.org.uk - 54355

Notley Abbey. The path passes this historic abbey near Chearsley. The Abbey was founded in the mid twelfth century by a branch of the reformed Augustine order. It became a private house, once owned by Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. Photo from the footpath South-west of the house.

Chearsley, River Thame - geograph.org.uk - 585908

The river at Chearsley. View SSE down the River Thame from footbridge at the Cuddington parish boundary.

River Thame near Nether Winchendon - geograph.org.uk - 183586

River view near Nether Winchendon

Elevation Profile

GPS Files

GPX File

Thame Valley Walk.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Thame Valley Walk.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)