Bucks &amp; Oxon

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="678" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/henley-05.jpeg" alt="Henley on Thames bridge and river" class="wp-image-148616" style="aspect-ratio:1.4749262536873156;width:1500px" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/henley-05.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/henley-05-800x542.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/henley-05-400x271.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/henley-05-774x525.jpeg 774w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



I live and work in Henley, which has the Thames but is also nestled right in the Chilterns. You can easily get from town into the countryside and out onto the river &#8211; we really have the best of both worlds. I often go for a paddle from the <a href="https://www.utrc.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Upper Thames Rowing Club</a>, taking a single scull out, or a double with a friend. We’ll get out early and see the sun come up &#8211; it&#8217;s a great way to start your day. If you&#8217;ve never rowed before you can do a &#8216;learn to row&#8217; course. <a href="https://www.henleyrowingclub.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Henley Rowing Club</a> has courses for juniors and adults, then there’s Upper Thames Rowing Club for competitive rowing and <a href="https://www.leander.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leander</a> if you&#8217;re gunning for Olympic glory. But you don’t have to be a rower to get out on the river. <a href="https://hobbsofhenley.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hobbs of Henley</a> (above) will hire you anything from a little wooden rowing boat to a skippered boat for 10-12 people.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T161242.992.jpg" alt="Steve O'Connor director of River and Rowing Museum Henley" class="wp-image-159235" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T161242.992.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T161242.992-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T161242.992-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T161242.992-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Steve O&#8217;Connor at the River &amp; Rowing Museum</figcaption></figure>



I try to get fresh air as much as possible and love the walk down the tow path to watch the crews on water and see it change over the seasons &#8211; that&#8217;s when it&#8217;s not flooded, as it has been recently.&nbsp;You can walk down the regatta course to the start and back up, or head up onto the <a href="https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/environment-and-planning/countryside/walks-and-rides/oxfordshire-way" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxfordshire Way</a>. That gives you amazing views over the Thames Valley. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-18T114209.726.jpg" alt="River and Rowing Museum cafe"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The River &amp; Rowing Museum</figcaption></figure>



Around the river you&#8217;ll see so much wildlife. I&#8217;ll even see kingfishers out of the window of my office at the <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/for-kids/henley-river-rowing-museum-cafe-oxfordshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">River &amp; Rowing Museum</a>. Then there&#8217;s ducks, swans and moorhens out on the water, and deer and muntjac near here. If you head over to Fawley and walk round the footpaths of the <a href="https://culdenfawestate.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Culden Faw Estate</a>, there&#8217;s all sorts of exotic animals wandering about &#8211; I&#8217;ve seen wallabies up there. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T163330.617.jpg" alt="Exterior os Berries Cafe Henley Oxfordshire" class="wp-image-159242" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T163330.617.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T163330.617-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T163330.617-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-15T163330.617-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



We’ve got so many coffee shops in Henley. Last count was 15 coffee shops and 12 pubs. But for the best coffee in town I don&#8217;t have to go far &#8211; the guys who started the Velolife cafés now run <a href="https://rrm.co.uk/2024/01/12/the-rowing-room-cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our café at the museum,</a> and they do great coffee. Then there’s <a href="https://www.berriescoffee.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berries</a> in town (above) which is fab for coffee. For pubs, <a href="https://www.therowbarge.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Row Barge</a> is a traditional pub that’s a Henley stalwart, then it&#8217;s <a href="https://hartstreettavern.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hart Street Tavern</a> we&#8217;ll head to for dinner and drinks.&nbsp;



I tend to pop into Gail&#8217;s in the morning as it’s on my way to work then for lunchtime we have the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/buddys_henleyonthames/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Buddy’s burger bar</a> in the railway station, which does amazing burgers and wraps &#8211; it&#8217;s a dangerously easy lunchtime indulgence.&nbsp;



Marlow is somewhere we’ll go if it&#8217;s a special occasion, to <a href="https://tomkerridge.com/restaurants/the-coach-marlow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tom Kerridge’s pub</a> or <a href="https://ivycollection.com/restaurants/the-ivy-marlow-garden/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ivy</a>. The town just has a real buzz to it. Hurley is a smallish village but it has good pubs like <a href="https://risingsunhurley.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Rising Sun</a>, and a decent restaurant with easy access to the river. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="480" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/stonor-720x480.jpg" alt="Tumblestone Hollow adventure playground Stonor Park Henley Oxfordshire" class="wp-image-116405" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/stonor-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/stonor-360x240.jpg 360w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/stonor-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/stonor-788x525.jpg 788w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/stonor.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tumblestone Hollow at Stonor</figcaption></figure>



Workwise, I get to see museums all over the country, which I love. We compare notes and see how they&#8217;re doing things. I recently went to Dorset to the <a href="https://tankmuseum.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tank Museum</a>, which was fantastic, and the <a href="https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/museum_and_tours/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wimbledon museum</a>, another sporting heritage site. Locally, we have three art galleries in Henley alone, then two in the museum itself, so there&#8217;s plenty of places to enjoy art. I would also say the <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/kenton-theatre-henley-on-thames/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kenton Theatre</a> is a real jewel for the town, whether that’s panto at Christmas time with the kids or comedians &#8211; we saw Al Murray doing one of his warm up gigs there. The range of acts is huge. It&#8217;s England’s fourth oldest theatre and we&#8217;re lucky to have it in our town.&nbsp;I also love trips to <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/greys-court" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grey’s Court</a>, which is a gorgeous house to look around and in such a great setting. <a href="https://www.stonor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stonor</a> is a family favourite &#8211; the adventure playground, Tumblestone Hollow, is a place we can easily waste a few hours with the kids.&nbsp;



For meetings, we’ll go to the Leander Club, which has a great view from the terrace and is one of the few places in Henley that catches the evening sun. 



I&#8217;m fortunate to have contact with lots of Henley businesses because we host local forums &#8211; the <a href="https://henleybusinesspartnership.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Henley Business Partnership</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/henleyfng/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Henley Female Network</a> which brings most of the local small businesses on site every month. It&#8217;s part of our aim to put the museum back at the centre of the community. The range of businesses in Henley is surprising &#8211; a digital agency, photographers, printers, and everything from bakers to estate agents. 



I do try and do a lot of my shopping in Henley. <a href="https://laurencemenswear.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Laurence Menswear</a> is where I get kitted out then there&#8217;s independent jewellers like <a href="https://www.rodgersharp.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">David Rodger Sharp</a> on the Market Square for gifts, and chains like Mint Velvet, so the shopping is really decent quality. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="379" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/Henley-Summer-Fling--720x379.jpg" alt="Henley Festival" class="wp-image-117123" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/Henley-Summer-Fling--720x379.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/Henley-Summer-Fling--360x189.jpg 360w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/Henley-Summer-Fling--150x79.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/Henley-Summer-Fling--900x473.jpg 900w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/Henley-Summer-Fling-.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Henley Festival</figcaption></figure>



The events in Henley are a big draw. I’ve raced the <a href="https://www.hrr.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Regatta</a> for years but now I’m a volunteer there so I now help with whatever the stewards need, from timing the races to supporting the crews. It&#8217;s been nice to move from front of house to back of house and of course it&#8217;s a great social event with all our rowing friends from years back. <a href="https://henley-festival.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Henley Festival</a> is the following weekend &#8211; we normally book in with a crowd of friends on the Saturday night, getting to see massive names in the world of music come to our small town.&nbsp;



Lastly, there&#8217;s a Henley organisation that I&#8217;m involved with &#8211; a well thought out and well-run charity with national recognition called the <a href="https://rivertimeboattrust.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rivertime Boat Trust</a>. It operates the only fully accessible boat on the Thames, designed to take wheelchairs and adapted for disabled children and adults. We just launched our partnership with them, teaching SEND pupils in our classroom then they go on the boat to learn about the river in real life. It&#8217;s a great organisation &#8211; the Royals are fans! &#8211; so it&#8217;s one to look out for.



Steve is director at <a href="https://rrm.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The River &amp; Rowing Museum</a>

My Henley: The River & Rowing Museum’s Steve O’Connor

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