The Thames Path
Henley
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Marsh Lock
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Henley to Reading
Shiplake College boathouse
Thursday 31 December 2015
I returned to Henley for the walk home to Reading. The sun was shining and I set off looking forward to a good walk to see out the year 2015. Henley looked stunning in the bright winter sunshine and lots of people were strolling along the promenade. I passed the 80 mile mark soon after re-joining the Thames Path (for the uninitiated this was checkpoint 3 when Chrissie completed the T184 challenge). On that August Bank Holiday weekend we met her here to pass on some much needed encouragement. It was past four o’clock and she still had another 20 miles to go (including negotiating the Reading Festival crowd) and rain was forecast for the evening! We left her to continue on her own at Marsh Lock.
After the weir at Marsh Lock there was an abrupt change in walking conditions. The path was now grassy and quite boggy in places. Then, just before Shiplake the path moved away from the river – presumably to accommodate some rich people’s posh riverside homes. But on the plus side that meant non-muddy walking! I missed a turning onto a footpath at some point but regained the path at the railway station. There now followed a walk along a quiet road now and when I saw a footpath to the left I naturally assumed that it would take me back to the river. I realised I was on the wrong path when it ran under a very low railway bridge and a sign indicated that this path would not lead to the upstream Thames Path (should have consulted my map earlier). But never mind, it was a particularly nice diversion through a small woodland. There was nothing else to do but retrace my steps back to the road. Soon there was a reassuring Thames Path sign pointing me in the right direction. The path passed through a field to finally return to the river at pretty Shiplake Lock. I sat on a bench to eat my lunch. The lockkeeper/gardener considerately stopped mowing the grass so I could enjoy my sandwich in peace. Now the path followed the river closely but I did have to escape to an adjoining field for a while to avoid the worst of the mud. Apart from a couple of drier woodland backed stretches (near Shiplake College) the walking was quite tricky. While the river meandered serenely towards Sonning I slipped and slided along the path, occasionally having to hang on to shrubs to avoid the worst of the quagmire. Approaching Sonning the path improved immensely and I had a quick walk around the village (encircling the church) before continuing towards Reading. First though I had to locate George Clooney’s new home. It was easily spotted through the leafless trees. I was hoping that maybe he was out on an afternoon stroll himself but no such luck!
I stopped at Sonning Lock for a toilet break and then followed the well-maintained and familiar path to Reading. Ducks, swans and geese entertained me as I reached the end of today’s walk. I enjoyed the final couple of miles into Reading more than I thought I would. In fact, I felt quite proud of my town. It doesn’t always get compared favourably to the posher riverside towns such as Henley or Marlow or even Maidenhead but it has so much more to offer. Just before I reached the beautiful new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the river I left the path for the short walk to Reading Station and the bus home.
I have now nearly reached the halfway mark for the Thames Path but will take a break from the Thames until the path dries out a bit and there is no longer any possibility of having to wade through flooded meadows further upstream.
My highlights:
Wildlife:
· Ducks, geese, swans, grebe, red kites and other birds
Useful information
Transport:
· Train Reading to Henley (change at Twyford)
· Return: Walk to Reading
Refreshments:
· Henley, Shiplake, Sonning, Reading
Public Convenience:
· Henley Station
· Reading Station
I returned to Henley for the walk home to Reading. The sun was shining and I set off looking forward to a good walk to see out the year 2015. Henley looked stunning in the bright winter sunshine and lots of people were strolling along the promenade. I passed the 80 mile mark soon after re-joining the Thames Path (for the uninitiated this was checkpoint 3 when Chrissie completed the T184 challenge). On that August Bank Holiday weekend we met her here to pass on some much needed encouragement. It was past four o’clock and she still had another 20 miles to go (including negotiating the Reading Festival crowd) and rain was forecast for the evening! We left her to continue on her own at Marsh Lock.
After the weir at Marsh Lock there was an abrupt change in walking conditions. The path was now grassy and quite boggy in places. Then, just before Shiplake the path moved away from the river – presumably to accommodate some rich people’s posh riverside homes. But on the plus side that meant non-muddy walking! I missed a turning onto a footpath at some point but regained the path at the railway station. There now followed a walk along a quiet road now and when I saw a footpath to the left I naturally assumed that it would take me back to the river. I realised I was on the wrong path when it ran under a very low railway bridge and a sign indicated that this path would not lead to the upstream Thames Path (should have consulted my map earlier). But never mind, it was a particularly nice diversion through a small woodland. There was nothing else to do but retrace my steps back to the road. Soon there was a reassuring Thames Path sign pointing me in the right direction. The path passed through a field to finally return to the river at pretty Shiplake Lock. I sat on a bench to eat my lunch. The lockkeeper/gardener considerately stopped mowing the grass so I could enjoy my sandwich in peace. Now the path followed the river closely but I did have to escape to an adjoining field for a while to avoid the worst of the mud. Apart from a couple of drier woodland backed stretches (near Shiplake College) the walking was quite tricky. While the river meandered serenely towards Sonning I slipped and slided along the path, occasionally having to hang on to shrubs to avoid the worst of the quagmire. Approaching Sonning the path improved immensely and I had a quick walk around the village (encircling the church) before continuing towards Reading. First though I had to locate George Clooney’s new home. It was easily spotted through the leafless trees. I was hoping that maybe he was out on an afternoon stroll himself but no such luck!
I stopped at Sonning Lock for a toilet break and then followed the well-maintained and familiar path to Reading. Ducks, swans and geese entertained me as I reached the end of today’s walk. I enjoyed the final couple of miles into Reading more than I thought I would. In fact, I felt quite proud of my town. It doesn’t always get compared favourably to the posher riverside towns such as Henley or Marlow or even Maidenhead but it has so much more to offer. Just before I reached the beautiful new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the river I left the path for the short walk to Reading Station and the bus home.
I have now nearly reached the halfway mark for the Thames Path but will take a break from the Thames until the path dries out a bit and there is no longer any possibility of having to wade through flooded meadows further upstream.
My highlights:
- Henley (again)
- Passing the 80 mile checkpoint at C’s T184
- Shiplake Lock
- Sonning
- Approaching the new foot/cycle bridge in Reading
Wildlife:
· Ducks, geese, swans, grebe, red kites and other birds
Useful information
Transport:
· Train Reading to Henley (change at Twyford)
· Return: Walk to Reading
Refreshments:
· Henley, Shiplake, Sonning, Reading
Public Convenience:
· Henley Station
· Reading Station
Shiplake Lock
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Reading's Horseshoe Bridge
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