Cookham Common & Thames Path loop from Bourne End station

The Cookham Commons are a series of commons including Cookham and Widbrook in the east, Cock Marsh and Winter Hill in the north, and Cookham Dean in the west. Covering an area of over 840 acres (340 ha) in the Thames valley, just a few miles west of London, these high chalk escarpments offer amazing views over the city and the lower lying surrounding land.

The commons boast a diverse landscape of open chalk grasslands, lush wildflower meadows and riverside trails, home to a wide selection of butterflies, flowers and birds. Look out for silver-washed fritillaries, commas, orchids, rock rose, great crested grebes and red kites.

This Tour starts along a section of the Thames Path, a National Trail that runs 185 miles (298 km) from the Cotswolds to Woolwich in London. Leaving the river bank, you’ll head out on a loop of Winter Hill and Cock Marsh Common. The evidence of human habitation here dates back 350,000 years to the old stone age, while later discoveries include bronze age burial mounds and Roman pottery. At the far end of the loop you’ll pass the Bounty, a pub that’s only accessible by foot or boat and provides a good opportunity for a mid-run stop-off.

The start and finish point is at Bourne End station, about 40 minutes by train from Paddington.