Dorney Court, the early Tudor style manor house of Dorney village, is listed in the Domesday Book and has been the home of the Palmer family for thirteen generations. Nearby stands the grade 1 listed Church of St. James the Less, originally dating back to the 13th century, which we hope to have open for a brief visit on the day of the walk. In contrast to Dorney Court, the walk will pass the rowing centre at the
recently completed Dorney Lake, which will host the rowing and sprint canoeing events in the 2012 Olympics. On the northern side of the lake, over 30,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted and wild flower meadows created. The walk then continues to the chapel of St. Mary Magdalene, pictured here, and Boveney Lock. The Jubilee River, named for the Queen's Golden Jubilee, is a hydraulic channel constructed to alleviate flooding in Maidenhead, Windsor and Eton. At the time of its construction, it was the largest man-made river project ever undertaken in Britain, and the second largest in Europe. The River has been well landscaped, including an area of wetlands, rich in water birds, with a walkway to give good views of them.

Our walk takes us from the car park and cafe at Dorney Court Walled Garden Centre past Dorney Court, and a detour to the church, to the end of the Rowing Lake. After walking through the arboretum, a footpath brings us to the River Thames where we pass the Waterman's Church before taking a break at Boveney Lock. A paved track and field paths take us to the Jubilee River, and along a gravelled track to return to
the car park. There is an optional detour around the wetlands area.