Parked at Didcot Station today and we got a lift from SPR to Wallingford. Long stretch today as we were walking to Tilehurst, just outside Reading. Being picked up at 08.00 so Jane can get back to Millets for two sessions of children’s parties today.
Having been dropped off we worked our way back to the sign we’d seen the previous day and set off down a side road which goes past St Leonard’s Church.
The path then drops back down to the river and cuts through the bottom of several gardens . We soon come to a large boat house and it seems Saturday morning is rowing training . A good straight stretch out of Wallingford. Before we reach the boats a meadow with an abundance of little spiders webs , showing up because of the morning dew.
Our path continues next to the river and we are aware of Cholsey to our right and glimpses of new developments. Rather more peaceful on the far bank with a golf course! Under the railway line, this is the line for the stoping service which eventually goes up to London. Soon after our path takes us up to the road as we go around the vast estate of Moulsford Prep school – from the Ridgeway on the opposite bank you can see all the games pitches! We’re alongside the road for a while before going back down towards the ‘Beetle and Wedge’ Pub. More exclusive than local!
Back alongside the river and a pleasant enough stretch, we discuss some of the properties on the other side of the river and the fact that they are so close to the railway line, a bit of a pinch point along this stretch. As we approach Goring the path swings away to go behind the Swan pub and we pass Streatley Church. We’ve just been walking in Berkshire for a few kilometres. Up on to the road, over the river to Goring and we are back in Oxfordshire. One of my ways of remembering without looking at the map is by the primary schools- especially the ones we played football against!
A quick break at Goring, Richard suggests we stop at a rather good little cafe which has never been open when I’ve been here before and we are tempted with carrot cake to share between us as well as drinks. Then a slight detour to see George Michael’s house, Fiona was a fan and we are back on our way beside the river. We do manage to look over at the back of the house which has a great garden leading down to a small backwater. This section is starting to feel a little different.
Our path takes us up high above the river into some woods and this gives a completely different perspective. I’ve walked all of this section from Goring earlier in the summer. They like this wooded path more than I anticipated. Although we haven’t been close to the river we are now further away as we take a look across to Basildon Park and then cut round the side of Coombs Park. Discussion is now centred as to where George Clooney might live!
Our path comes out at the top of Whitchurch village and we walk through, just about to go straight over the bridge and I notice a marker sign on my right which looks as if it goes into the drive of a private house.we follow it and it bends round to the church and then further onto a track which affords us views over to the Toll Bridge.
As we enter Berkshire again, by passing over the bridge we are now in Pangbourne we are welcomed by a wonderful riverside meadow and quite a few people. We decide this will make a good lunch spot but not before we stopped on the bridge to look back at Whitchurch.
There river has a wide bend at this point and it is very rural and wooded on the far bank and meadowland on our side. Occasional glimpses of houses including Hardwick house.
As we continue round we can see Mapledurham Mill on the opposite bank but we are soon to leave the river. We have been so lucky with the weather, apart from first thing in the morning no fleece or top layer needed at all. Not a particularly good photo but I liked the light on the boat! we had also remarked how shallow the water was at the edge and starting to be more gravelly again.
We have a great interchange with a young women who is working hard to move a large stack out of the ground- her boat is tethered to it! This is the first of four and she is going to motor to Caversham boat Yard where her barge can be lifted out of the water by cranes and regular maintenance done to the underneath etc. she has apparently been in this spot for several years and her small solar panel has provided sufficient energy to charge her phone and laptop- so she can work from home!
At the lock, I see an ex parent and we have a chat, I’d already seen a previous head teacher colleague just before Goring!
The next section is a bit strange as the path turns abruptly away from the river and comes out in Purley, a suburb of Reading. We walk up through an estate and then head out at the end within a wooded area. I’m a little anxious to keep up our pace as we have to catch a train- we’ve missed the first possibility due to our earlier riverside conversation but I’m concerned not to miss the next.
The signage is not very clear and I take the option of a short path to the right which takes us up to the main road. Feel cross a couple of hundred metres later when our real path comes up to meet us- especially as I’d found it not that long ago!
The Thames Path goes down the side of an old pub and over a railway bridge but we have to ignore this and continue down the road to Tilehurst Station. Completely unmanned and the loos were shut! About a ten minute wait and we were off back to Didcot and our cars.
This was a long stretch today 27 kilometres – about 16.5 miles.
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 