Day 12: Henley-on-Thames - Reading

An overcast and quite gloomy morning in Henley, but with the promise from the forecast for a sight of the sun before the day is out. And sure enough, it made its appearance well before lunch. The path from Henley passes the main car parks for Henley which later in the day will probably be quite full, but for now only a few local dog walkers are out and about. Towards the end of this area, and just before Mill Meadows, is the River & Rowing Museum, a large wooden clad modern building that opened in 1999 and designed by David Chipperfield.

At the other end of Mill Meadows is Marsh Lock, an unusual lock compared to others on the Thames. The lock system is mid-channel, as opposed to other which on alongside one of the riverbanks. The Thames Path passes past the lock, by way of a raised wooden walkway that stretches out into the river – the one time when you are truly walking the Thames. Around here are some pretty impressive and large houses on both banks, some of the largest I’ve seen on the walk. On the opposite bank is Park Place, with the Happy Valley behind, alongwith a cobbled bridge.

Soon the meadows come to end and reach the edge of Lower Shiplake. Another large house and its ground block the riverbank, so the Path diverts off away from the river and follows the road that serves the houses ahead. This first house, Bolney Court, has its own model railway. The first sign is the large model railway station building, complete with working clock tower. The railway tracks hug the edge of the driveway and snake their way around the garden. I can only imagine what the actual trains are like that run on this great garden toy. The big boy’s alternative to Hornby once you made a few million!

We now follow the road through Lower Shiplake onto the real life railway station. Here we cross tracks and past the Baskerville Arms (looks like a very nice menu) and follow more of the streets of the village. Eventually the path diverts via fields back towards the river at Shiplake Lock.

Then its back to the river and the Thames meadows as the path winds it way towards Sonning. Shiplake College stands on the ridge high above the river immediately to the north, and eventually the path opens up onto the lawns by the College’s quaint half-timbered boathouse. But the path continues along one of my favourite stretches of the river that I knew already. The green shoots of spring starting to burst from the river side shrubs. Following pleasant riverside stroll Sonning suddenly appears with a great view of the red brick bridge that links the village to the Mill, now a theatre complex. The path cross the bridge and then passes St Andrew’s Church and The Bull Inn (again another good menu). A little further on is Sonning Lock and then the final stretch of the river before the mood changes once again.

Reading soon makes its presence felt, and it brings back a London-esque feel to the Thames. The meadows by Thames Valley Business Park stretch ahead, dominated by a view of the twin gas holders at Kennetmouth. To the right are the buildings of the business park, on a former power station site. The likes of Microsoft and Oracle have their offices here, the businesses that now ensure that Reading has been successful in the modern world. At the end of the meadows by the business park are the impressive facilities of Wokingham Canoe Club. Then we finally pass the towering gas holders before one of the Thames major tributaries enters the river. Here the Kennet flows in and is crossed by Horseshoe Bridge, that clings to side of the railway bridge. This then leads the path past Tesco and then onto Kings Meadow and subsequently Caversham Lock. Immediately after is the first of Reading's two bridge, Reading Bridge and it is here where we round off today’s walk.