The Seven Shires Way - Stage 17

Henley-on-Thames

Weirs at Marsh Lock, Henley-on-Thames

to Caversham

Friday 2 May 2014

As we said last time the floods have now receded so we can actually do the missing section of the walk along the south-east corner of Oxfordshire. The author’s problem though is trying to remember what we did!

This is in T’s home area so all he had to do was turn up at Reading Station to meet N and P. A short train ride with a change at Twyford meant we set off from Henley station at 10:45.

Riverside living

Live above the floods - if you can

Weather was a bit cool and there was a threat of rain early on.




We headed along the river bank (Thames) heading upstream towards Shiplake, past Marsh (Henley) Lock and took photos of typical riverside cottages - more like mansions.One or two other walkers (mostly dog walkers.)

The going was easy and we were soon into our stride as the path headed away from the river to go around Bolney Court. Some massive home improvement / construction going on here. Strange building in the garden which appeared to be a model railway station - very central European looking. In fact there was a model railway line in the garden. P promised to check up on South Oxfordshire’s planning site to see what the “improvement” was all about.

Path zig-zagged through Lower Shiplake, across the branch line at Shiplake station and through the village of mixed housing until we reached the river again at Shiplake lock. Time for a coffee and sandwiches watched closely by the lock keeper’s Siamese cat.

Cat at Shiplake lock

Continued along the Oxfordshire bank (left bank) past Shiplake College (private school) up on a classic river cliff and then across the flood plain towards Sonning. Lots of evidence of the winter floods, rather brown looking crops, debris caught in barbed wire fences and some narrow boats looking the worse for wear.

Fewer people now and a chance to listen to birdsong (heard our first cuckoo) between the flights turning for final approach to Heathrow, (bit of discussion about flights, aircraft, etc. etc.) Then a group of about 30 runners headed towards us and extracted a monetary donation from us. They were heading to London and had started out from Reading (tonight’s stop was Marlow). The fitter ones at the front were carrying the money-collecting buckets. The stragglers, dare we say the less fit, looked like they wouldn’t get past Henley. Never mind it was all for a good cause though we can’t remember what it was for. 

Arrived at Sonning Bridge (Reading’s unofficial third bridge) which was out of action for many weeks in the winter because the access road from the north was flooded. By now the sun had come out and we were thirsty so crossed the bridge through the churchyard and found the Bull Inn (5 out of 10) at Sonning. The sort of pub where we take off our boots. An Aston Martin, two BMWs and a upmarket Mercedes in the small car park. Beer was good (Fullers Spring Ale). After a couple of pints we returned to the Thames Path (now on the Berkshire side) upstream of Sonning stopping at Sonning lock for our remaining sandwiches. The well-made path passes below Bluecoats School (what is it about private schools and the river – good access for rowing?).

An easy walk along the river with a wide-ranging discussion about the merits of public transport. T had spent the day before riding about on the trams of Sheffield while daughter J had been to the University. Discussion drifted onto N’s love of Italian motor bikes and P’s fear that we were becoming “petrol heads”.

Eventually the footbridge over the River Kennet – Kennet and Avon Canal and officially into Reading. This is probably the southern most point of the walk. N remarked that it really was quite nice and not what he was expecting. Reading is adjacent to the Thames so a walk along the river can avoid many of the offices, and busy roads of the town (missed city status again last year).

Reading Bridge - 1925

Pressed on past the inevitably Tesco, past the flats with their blue ski jump roofs (lived in by Reading football players – urban myth?), across the water meadows to Caversham lock, under Reading Bridge and to our goal Caversham Bridge. Another high-end car, a Maserati crossing Caversham Bridge with a deep roar of twin exhausts. P now convinced that T is a closet “petrol head”. In our rush to the bus stop forgot to take photos of Reading and Caversham Bridge. Never mind will use something from the internet!

Well it's different

It was now around 16:00 so the plan was to take a bus to T’s home for cream tea. A colleague of N&T’s saw us waiting so we managed to  squeeze ourselves, knapsacks and walking stick into his car and he kindly gave us a lift the one and a half miles to tea. Cy was at home so we had a welcome rest to partake of tea, cake, homemade scones, clotted cream and jam. 

All good things come to an end so T then took N to the station for the return to Oxford and then drove P to a nearby village for baby-sitting duties with grandchildren.

Summary: A good day - “Runners, railways, and real tea”. Fairly easy walking (no stiles again!). Mileage was 10 miles. See you next time when we complete the Thames section of the walk from Caversham to Goring.