As much as London has everything we could possibly need, sometimes we all want a quieter escape from the city, and thankfully the capital is not too far away from some of the most picturesque spots in the whole country.
None more so than Cookham, which sits 25 miles west of London. Situated in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, it sits on the Thames and offers gorgeous views, perfect for a quick day trip out of the city.
The picturesque village of Cookham
For such a small place, Cookham makes quite the impact. Earlier this year it featured on the Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide, thanks to its natural beauty, arts scene and good schools in the area. But it also featured on the country’s most beautiful villages list, ranking 13th out of 43.
The list compiled by Independent Cottages analysed villages based on the number of listed historic buildings, whether the village lies within an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” and popularity based on online search volume and how much it features on social media platforms like TikTok.
So what makes this village so special? Firstly, it has a whole lot of history stretching back to AD 43, with 69 listed buildings, including some historic churches.
Walking through the village, you’ll be met with the quintessential elements of a traditional English village, including cobbled streets, thatched cottages and quaint pubs, some of which are perfectly placed on the riverside.
How to get to Cookham from London
It’s pretty easy to get to Cookham for a day out. If you have a car, it’ll be a fairly straightforward sub one-hour journey down the M4.
If you’re travelling by train, you can catch a service from Paddington to Maidenhead, which will take you around 20 minutes. You’ll then have to swap onto a train to Cookham, which will only add another 10 minutes to your journey.
