Maidenhead to Cookham Dean and a snake

Rachel looking at a grass snake swimming in the Thames
 whilst Jasmine and Rosemary paddle
We recently completed another two sections of our ultra-marathon scoot, "Maidenhead to Cookham" and "Cookham to Cookham Dean".


This magical part of the Thames is remarkable in its heritage of wonderful riverside homes, stately mansions, and splendid in its natural beauty. The path is in many places broad enough to travel alongside each other. Fairly free of bumps, tree roots and pebbles, it is ideal for scooters or wheelchairs; family fun, or serious athletes who fancy a rootless, rockless run!

Jeremy, Rachel, Steve, Rosemary and Jasmine scooting for the British Red Cross 
Both sections are a mixture of open fields, (presently awash with yellow buttercups and white daisies); and almost tropical forests. Thick vegetation, and vines hang in a dense canopy, with long branches trailing their foliage in the dark, wide river. The sights, smells and echo of bird and animal calls across the water reminded me of my time exploring the Amazon in a wooden dugout canoe.

At one of the many beautiful picnic 'beach' areas near Cookham, our daughters splashed about in the water with a friendly (and possibly greedy) swan!
I also saw a snake. It swam across the river and could easily be mistaken for a small branch. The giveaway being that it cut across the current in the distinctive 's' shape swimming style and raised head that I first observed as a young girl in South Africa. I think it may have been a grass snake due to its longer length. It soon vanished in the nearby reeds.

The previous section from Maidenhead to Cookham was completed with close friend Steve Gorton, a professional photographer. He had recorded the Young Musician of the Year competition and played the music in his Moo-asac (rucksac), as he scooted. - A real Pied Piper sight as the girls scooted hard to keep up with the melodious sounds wafting out of the 'Moo-asac'. My next write up will mainly feature images from this part of our journey.

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