MATE BREAKS
Catch up with old friends by staying overnight in Henley on Thames and spending quality time sharing in these leisure activities:
Fairmile Vineyard Tour and Taste
Parties of six or more can walk up from the town centre or train station to sample Henley’s award-winning sparkling wines, admire the stunning views of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and watch red kites circling the valley below. Picnics can be delivered in advance.
From £15:00 per adult; children, dogs free.
Hobbs of Henley river cruise
Continue to sip Fairmile fizz or a glass of Mr Hobbs gin and tuck into a hamper whilst cruising slowly along the River Thames and its famous Henley Royal Regatta course. Skipper your own self-drive boat by the hour, share an afternoon tea cruise, join a scheduled sightseeing cruise, or book an evening party cruise.
Prices from £22:50.
Henley Ale Trail
Visit all 10 Brakspear Pubs in Henley-on-Thames during one year to win the tee-shirt! Linger at your favourite pub to admire the river craft, watch Sky TV, enjoy fine gastro food, sit in a pub garden, or sample hand-crafted wines.
Henley’s Adventure Golf
Get competitive with a round of golf at Henley’s Adventure Golf. All the sights of Henley in miniature. Will you get a hole in one? Loser buys the first round?
Coffee Shops
With numerous coffee shops to choose from Henley can offer even the connoisseur something special, including traditional afternoon tea with stacked plates of sandwiches and cakes at The Hotel du Vin or The Relais. Or if you are after a river view while you indulge try the Chocolate Café or The Boathouse on the Riverside where it’s hard to resist the temptation of homemade cakes and chocolates.
Pubs
Henley once up a time had more pubs per head of population than any other town in the south east. While those days are gone the town still has many interesting public houses to choose from. Hidden in some of the smaller streets but never too far from the river or town centre are a few exceptional establishments, look out for The Anchor in Friday Street, The Row Barge in West Street or the Bird in Hand in Greys Road.
Meadows
Henley is lucky to have extensive parkland adjacent to the River Thames, the more formal Mill Meadows and next door the unspoilt Marsh Meadows. Both are great spots for a picnic and to watch the world go by while being a short walk from Marsh Lock, which is always a great place to watch boats (and people!). In the summer the bandstand in Mill Meadows often has a band playing while deckchairs can be hired from the tourist information centre next to the newly refurbished public toilets.
Film Locations
The long running TV series Midsomer Murders (known as Barnaby in much of the rest of the world) has used Henley on numerous occasions as a film location, there was even a Midsomer Regatta filmed during Henley Regatta one year. In 2017, they recorded another episode that included the ‘Causton Rugby Team’ filmed at Henley Rugby Club. It’s easy to visit the locations used for filming with the help of the town’s Midsomer walking trail and if you’re lucky you’ll end up pouring a pint in The Argyll where Inspector Barnaby has a plaque at the bar.