Well fed and exercised occasional #3: a fine circular hike/run route in Marlow

I'm not normally a fan of loop walks-- walking is a method of getting somewhere, and if you're going in circles then you're not getting anywhere.  And it's too easy to cheat a bit and decide that you'll jsut cut that corner.

But one of the things we're coming to realise is that there are very few combinations of restaurants ~and~ hikes that are both stunners.  There's lots of good restaurants in the upper reaches of the Thames, but the Thames Path is, well, a little on the easy side for exercise, and doesn't have the scenery that some others do.  So sometimes a loop walk is making the best of it.

Marlow is a place we'll go back to: not only for the H&F but The Compleat Angler and others.  But we've already beaten to death the Thames Path.  So loop it is, and I think I've found one for Marlow.  I can't take credit-- it was the local running club that came up with the loop, an exact half marathon (21.1km/13.1mi) and they've mapped it out better than I could have done.  Somewhere there was a chart of the elevation profile, and they've included a video.  Given that these are people who run these roads regularly, they ought to know.

And so it turned out.  I joined the run (easy train ride from Paddington, £9.30 return from zone 2 boundry with annual pass) and was surprised how few people were on the branch line in running kit-- perhaps a couple of dozen.  I guess most people drive to the event.

The day was crisp if on the cold side, but the path warms you up: the first mile and a half is all uphill, and there were three killer slopes.  But that's on the run: hiking, this would be a good level of strenuous.  And lovely, easy walking, almost all tarmacked and very few cars.  Perhaps it was the runners (there were many hundreds) but the kestrels seemed to be very active overhead and coming down to see what all the fuss was about on a Sunday morning.  And beautiful views over the hills and fields.

Mrs. joined for the finish of the run (due to the hills, not a great time, but a very good bit of exercise) and we hobbled off for lunch... nothing too fancy was planned, we went to the local Cantina del Vino.  The food there was nothing to write about (home, or otherwise)... competent, but old Italian resto standards.  The surprising thing (aside from the fact that you can make a business of serving ordinary in a town famous for extraordinary) was the bill-- as we live in London and are used to London prices, the £71.50 charge (including service, wine, bread, everything) was refreshing.  Yes, we did check that they got everything.  We'll try somewhere else in Marlow after doing that loop as a hike rather than jog, but a good day out.