The stretch of the Thames Path between Walton Bridge and Weybridge is one of the most rewarding riverside walks in Surrey — flat, well-maintained, and richly varied, with open meadows giving way to island-studded backwaters, a famous rowing club, and a quiet confluence where the River Wey meets the Thames.
It is, above all, a walk that rewards attention. The Thames doesn’t hurry here. Neither should you.
The walk at a glance
| Distance | 3.5 miles one way (7 miles return) |
| Difficulty | Easy — entirely flat, mostly firm path |
| Time | 1.5–2 hours one way; 3–4 hours return with stops |
| Start | Walton Bridge, Walton-on-Thames |
| End | Weybridge town centre / Thames Street |
| Return | On foot (return same route) or train (Weybridge → Walton, 5 minutes) |
| Dogs | Excellent — dogs welcome off lead on Cowey Sale meadow |
| Pushchairs | Good for most of the route; some uneven sections near the Wey confluence |
Getting to the start
The walk begins at Walton Bridge on the south bank of the Thames. From Walton-on-Thames railway station, it’s a 12-minute walk west along Bridge Street and Manor Road to reach the bridge. There is parking at Manor Road car park, a short walk from the riverbank.
The route
Walton Bridge to Cowey Sale
Leave from the south side of Walton Bridge and turn immediately right (west) onto the Thames Path. Within 200 metres you’ll emerge onto Cowey Sale — the long riverside meadow that stretches west along the bank for nearly a mile.
Cowey Sale is Walton’s great open space: ancient common land (the name comes from the Old English for willow), flat and wide, with benches along the bank and uninterrupted views across the river to the Middlesex shore. On a summer weekend this is a busy, happy place — dog walkers, families, joggers, people simply sitting watching the water. On a winter morning it can feel entirely solitary.
If the tide is right and the light is good, look north from the meadow to the cable-stay tower of the current Walton Bridge — and then find a viewpoint roughly where Canaletto stood in 1754 to paint his extraordinary wooden predecessor.
The rowing club and Desborough Island
At the western end of Cowey Sale, the path passes Walton Rowing Club — one of the most active clubs in the region, with eights and fours out on the water most mornings. If you’re walking on a weekend, there will likely be coaching sessions underway, the coxswains calling rhythm across the water.
Beyond the club, the river widens and Desborough Island comes into view on the north bank, a large, semi-natural island created by the Desborough Cut, dug between 1930 and 1935 to straighten and deepen the navigation channel. Ownership is split between the Environment Agency, Surrey County Council and Elmbridge Borough Council, with Elmbridge’s commons management team caring for it as a site of nature conservation importance. Two footbridges from Walton Lane provide access, one towards Weybridge and one towards Walton-on-Thames.
D’Oyly Carte Island
A little further west, look carefully in the middle of the river for the small, densely-wooded D’Oyly Carte Island — named after Richard D’Oyly Carte, the Victorian impresario who produced the Gilbert and Sullivan operas and built the Savoy Hotel. He owned the island as a private retreat in the 1890s.
The island remains privately owned, but since 2023 it has reopened to the public on a ticketed basis, with a seasonal café, bar and a programme of events including summer concerts; visitors arrive by advance booking via a footbridge, not via the towpath. See D’Oyly Carte Island’s website for current opening details. Seen from the Thames Path itself, it remains best appreciated as a distinctive mid-river landmark, the Victorian house glimpsed through the trees giving it a pleasingly gothic quality in winter.
The River Wey confluence
The walk ends at one of the Thames’s most quietly beautiful moments: the point where the River Wey joins the Thames at Weybridge. The confluence is not dramatic — the Wey is a modest river — but the spreading water, the moored narrowboats, and the view back up the Thames make it one of those spots where you naturally stop and stand for longer than intended.
The National Trust manages the Wey Navigations from this point southward — one of the finest stretches of river walking in the south-east, if you want to extend the route.
From here it’s a short walk into Weybridge town centre.
The return
The simplest return is to retrace your steps along the south bank — the views are different in reverse, particularly the approach to Walton Bridge with the cable-stay tower framing the scene.
Alternatively, take the train: Weybridge station is a 10-minute walk from the riverside, and the train to Walton-on-Thames takes 5 minutes.
What to bring
- Good shoes — the path is firm and flat but can be muddy near the Wey confluence after rain
- Water — there are no refreshment stops on the walk itself
- Binoculars (optional) — the river between Walton and Weybridge is excellent for birdwatching: kingfishers, herons, great crested grebes, reed warblers, and in winter, large flocks of tufted ducks and pochards
Refreshments
Before the walk: The Heart in Walton town centre has several cafes and the riverside has a good option or two near the bridge.
After the walk: The Old Crown, on Thames Street in Weybridge, sits right at the Wey confluence itself, with a riverside garden overlooking the point where the two rivers meet, a natural end to the walk.
Seasonal highlights
- Spring: Willows in fresh leaf along the bank; early swallows hunting low over the water
- Summer: Busy with boats, swimmers at informal spots, the Walton & Weybridge Regatta held in June
- Autumn: Quieter, mist on the water in the mornings, the best light for photography
- Winter: Flooded meadows (Cowey Sale floods regularly), large wildfowl gatherings, clear views through bare trees
Extending the walk
The Thames Path continues in both directions:
- East from Walton Bridge → Hampton Court (3.5 miles), Kingston upon Thames (5 miles)
- West from Weybridge → Shepperton, Chertsey, Staines (further 8 miles to Staines)
- South on the Wey Navigation → Send, Guildford (11 miles)