09 April - Grafham Water

With Norma and Marion. 9 miles in light drizzle.

We walked clockwise from the Marlow Park visitor centre, stopping for coffee at the Harbour cafe, then on.

View from the cafe

 Another brief pause at Grafham church porch for a browse of their second hand books,  then finished off with lunch back at the Visitor Centre cafe.

Lots of primroses, and blossom, and we saw a couple of bluebells emerging.

Grafham Water clockwise

Thursday 15 February 2018. With Maureen,  on a very fine cold day. 9 miles.

Past the visitor centre and across the dam, to Perry. Then past the sailing club and to the cafe at the Fishing Lodge - Plummer Park car park. 
First break after three miles and a smidgen. Coffee in comfort.

View from the cafe

Ready for the outside world again

 Continued along the shore, past the pylons, and round to Savages Spinney.

Through the spinney

Into the sun and benches with views.

We met two women cyclists who asked us if we'd take a photo of them, and then returned the favour.

 At about six and a half miles we had an open air break, and a scone. Sun on the water, the sound of waves lapping, and not too much wind.

 We left the water's edge for a while to walk through Grafham village, and past the church.

 Soon we were back at the car park and visitor centre. Time for lunch.

Grafham Water anticlockwise

Friday 02 February, with Marta. Bright to begin with, but cloudy later. Dry with a cold wind.
About 9 miles.

Recent wet weather means it is reservoir season for our walks.

 We parked at the Visitor Centre near the cycle hire place, and walked around following the cycle track to Grafham village, past the church and along Church Lane. 

There are a few early daffodils and crocuses on the way.  We followed the track through Savages Spinney, pausing for a coffee just at the end of the woodland.

 The walk is very straightforward, and we continued to the smaller Visitor Centre near Perry. Beans on toast for lunch was fine.

From there we walked through some housing. The path is still clearly marked. It's about a mile alongside the road, and then another good mile across the dam and back to our parking place. 

Grafham Water anticlockwise.

Monday 23 January, 10.15 am , approx 9 miles.  With Maureen and Norma. Misty at start and some ice underfoot, but there was warmth in the sun when it appeared. 

We started from the main visitor centre and car park, and walked along the cycle track route to Grafham Village, past signs to the community shop and past the church. Church Lane is very quiet, and there are just a few houses, including one with dragons on the roof.

We simply followed the track round, by the water a bit, then through Savage's Spinney and on.  After walking for around four miles we had a break near Littless Wood.

Before long, the sun began to break through.

When we arrived at the visitor centre and cafe just before Perry, we decided it was time for lunch.  Lovely view out of the windows.

There was about a mile of walking beside the road, before we turned off along the track again, and then walked across the dam . . .

Flotillas of tufted ducks, bobbing and diving.

and back to the main car park. We thought we deserved a hot drink before driving back home.

Grafham Water clockwise

Thu, 2016 Jan 14 9:23 AM G M T 

With Maureen, Gordon and Tommy. A cold grey day, but we had no rain. Set off from the Visitor centre south of Grafham village. 8.6 miles.

Light rain was forecast, but it had stopped by the time we arrived, though the wind was cold. 

 The gang are all wrapped up for the weather today, and raring to go. 

The path is easy to follow, over the dam and round. At the village of East and West Perry we followed the road until we met the sign to the Water again, then continued round through Littless Wood with its nature trails - something to explore on a day when there are drier conditions underfoot. 
We had a break at Savage Spinney when we'd walked just over five miles. A welcome bench, and fairly sheltered, though we were not tempted to hang around for long.

 From here we continued past more seats, and footpaths leading away from the lake.

 We chose to follow the cycle route for the last section, ignoring the slightly shorter but rather wetter footpath closer to the water.

A dragon for luck?

The road took us into Grafham village , past the church, where we turned right and followed the small road and cycle route back round to the car park with its visitor centre, and, most importantly the open cafe.

Map and details