Higginson Park

The Thames Path runs right through Higginson Park, which makes it a proper draw for anyone staying at the camping spots dotted around Marlow. It's a straightforward riverside nature reserve - wetland and woodland mainly - rather than a formal gardens affair. You're here to walk, watch birds, and appreciate the stretch of river rather than find manicured lawns or visitor facilities.

The park works best as part of a longer riverside walk rather than a destination in itself. An hour or two is realistic unless you're serious about birdwatching. Spring and autumn bring the best migratory traffic if you've got binoculars and patience. The woodland paths are flat and manageable, which means families with younger kids can manage sections without too much fuss. Walkers using the Thames Path as a through-route barely notice they've passed a designated reserve - it just feels like good river country.

If you're camped at Hurleyford Farm or one of the bell tent places nearby, Higginson Park slots neatly into a morning or afternoon. It's close enough to Marlow town centre that you could combine it with a pub lunch, but the reserve itself doesn't have a café or visitor centre worth writing home about. Free access, no fee gates, no closing times that anyone publishes - it's maintained by the local wildlife trust but essentially open whenever you fancy it. The real value is the quiet: you won't find crowds here, which beats a lot of the packaged attractions within half an hour's drive.