Maidenhead

Maidenhead is a large riverside town in the county of Berkshire in the South East of England. Like many towns, Maidenhead has lost some of its historic charm, and the town centre is a little uninspiring and overdeveloped in some parts. It does however retain some handsome 18th- and 19th-century buildings. The area near the river, locally known as Maidenhead Riverside, however, is a picturesque contrast to this, offering stunning views of the Thames and Chiltern Hills, along with scenic walks towards the villages of Cookham, Marlow, Bray and Windsor and Eton.

Understand
Maidenhead has a population of about 70,000 people (2019).

The constituency of Maidenhead and Windsor is the most affluent area of the UK, with house prices often exceeding those of Central London. Its position on the River Thames, surrounded by beautiful countryside, and close proximity to the capital, Oxford and Windsor is unrivalled making it a gold-mine for commuters. It is one of the safest Conservative seats in the UK; its member of parliament is Theresa May, who served as prime minister from 2016 to 2019.

Local information

 * Maidenhead.net website

By train
Maidenhead is on a major train line from London Paddington to Reading, with Reading also providing connections northward and good connections to The West Country.

The Elizabeth Line has connections to areas within West London such as Acton and Ealing en route to London Paddington. When it is fully connected sometime in either late 2022 or mid-2023, faster connections to eastern London will be provided.



By car
Maidenhead is situated on Junction 8/9 of the M4 providing fast connections both east to London and west to Wales. The town is bypassed by the A404, which connects Maidenhead to the M40 in 15 minutes, allowing good connections north.

By plane
Generally, London Heathrow Airport is the best flight connection from Maidenhead. It's a 20-minute drive down the M4 or a 1-hour train journey.

London Gatwick Airport is also popular, as flights there are often cheaper. However, the hour-long car journey is the best way for getting to the airport, so taxi costs may be incurred.

By taxi
There are a few reputable taxi services in Maidenhead like Maidenhead Taxis & Minibuses U want & On-Time to name a few, they will pickup and drop off locally and nationally 24 hr a day.

Get around
There are good bus links, you can get most buses from Frascati Way in the town centre, or near Boots on the high street.

Maps & Guides of Windsor & Maidenhead page contains maps for the area, including cycle routes and local facilities.

Buy
The town centre is a fairly typical one, containing most high street shops, including Next, Virgin Megastore, Boots, Superdrug, Marks and Spencer, and TopShop.



Eat
Indian restaurants are well recommended. There are also decent Thai and Chinese restaurants. One of Britain's culinary capitals, the village of Bray, is a very short distance away.

Drink
Surrounding villages and suburbs have some excellent ancient pubs. Non-chain bars include Phatz Bar, good for live music, as well as Coco bar. In the lively village of Burnham:

Sleep

 * Rooms to rent in Maidenhead - Thieves Garden self-catering apartment for short term lets. Thieves Garden provides well-equipped accommodation.



Stay safe
Maidenhead has a low crime rate, but drug addicts can be seen begging on the High Street during daytime.

Go next

 * Go north to Cookham — a picturesque village between Maidenhead and Marlow. It is a traditional English country village with a hugely popular gallery and excellent but expensive restaurants. Trains link Cookham with Maidenhead every hour. Or walk there along the river, about 1 hour.
 * Go south east to Windsor, bypassing Bray, on the A308
 * Go north west to Marlow following the A404— another attractive Thames-side town.