The Short Wind in the Willows Walk, Maidenhead

This circular walk from the village of Bisham climbs into the beech-clad slopes of Bisham Woods, an ancient woodland complex above the Thames that famously inspired Kenneth Grahame while he was writing The Wind in the Willows. From the riverside start, the route heads up through Quarry Wood, the atmospheric hanger widely thought to be the model for the book's Wild Wood.

Beyond the trees, the path emerges near Bigfrith Common and passes The Inn On The Green, a welcome refreshment stop, before threading on through Fultness Wood. Along the way there are nods to composer Sir Henry Walford Davies, who had links to this corner of Berkshire, and glimpses out across the wooded ridges above the Thames Valley.

The return leg drops back down through Bisham Woods to close the loop at Bisham. It is a compact but properly hilly outing, with around 180 metres of ascent packed into just over five kilometres, and side-trips are possible towards Winter Hill, Pigeonhouse Wood, Inkydown Wood and Cookham Dean Common if you fancy extending the day.