Friday 20 June 2014
Caversham to Goring-on-Thames
This time a relatively easy walk from Caversham to Goring
(or to give it its posh title “Goring-on-Thames”) following the course of the
Thames path, which is the Oxfordshire border. Easy train rides for P & N to
Reading to meet T at Reading station north so we were able to set off at 09:45.
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| Boathouse, Caversham |
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| Boat and House, Caversham |
Weather was fine and sunny, blue sky and the chance of
unthreatening clouds later on.
The exit at Reading station was busy with construction as
the short-term drop-off point was under construction. Americans sometimes call
these areas “Kiss and Ride”. N was impressed with the progress that Reading borough
and Reading station are making to integrate trains, buses and taxis. Reading
have even introduced the “ReadyBike”, bit like the mis-named “Boris Bikes” in
London.
We walked down to the river and headed west under Caversham
Bridge and past the site of Reading Festival opposite the posh houses on the
north bank at Caversham. One or two runners, dog walkers and cyclists but
generally quiet as we approached Tilehurst station.
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| Goodbye Reading |
Here the path is confined
to a narrow strip of land between the railway embankment and the river. Stopped
for the first snack of the day at the boundary of Reading with West Berkshire marked by a much overgrown large maroon sign
of welcome to Reading listing all the towns that Reading is twinned with, Dusseldorf,
Germany; Clonmel, Ireland; San Francisco Libre, Nicaragua and Speightstown,
Barbados. Who was the sign originally intended for - river users?
Climbed up the steps, over the railway to the site of the ex-Roebuck
Inn and then followed the main road for a few hundred metres before diving into
the woods and emerging into a private housing estate in Purley.
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| Purley Pearly Gates? |
We were amused
to see some large gates protecting some large house so took a picture with the
pun in mind of "pearly gates". P was concerned that T was taking pictures of
security arrangements while sporting a head scarf that made him look like someone
from the PLO.
Over the newly raised railway bridge in preparation for the electrification of the GWR and across the flood
meadows towards Mapledurham Lock. The older properties around here all have
their living areas well above flood level with steps up a metre or so to the
front door. Lower Purley is well known for annual floods through that doesn’t
seem to have worried some developers.
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| Hardwick House - Toad Hall? |
There was a tea room next door to the lock though we didn’t
stop. It appeared quite popular. We were now back on the tow path. Passed
opposite Hardwick House (Grid Ref: SU6593 7773) which some claim was the model
for Toad Hall as used by Kenneth Graham in his book “The Wind in the Willows”.
It was now getting hot and lunchtime was approaching so we stopped at a small
inlet at Grid Ref: SU6452 7715 and had our sandwiches watching what appeared to
be a flock of Alpacas in the field across the river.
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| Alpacas |
The path crosses the river at Whitchurch (Grid Ref: SU6362
7683) back into Oxfordshire. The toll bridge is under repair, actually there is
no road bridge at present though conveniently a temporary foot bridge has been
erected.
This is the beginning of the Goring
Gap where the Thames splits the Berkshire Downs from the Chilterns.
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| Chilterns' Edge |
In
geographical terms the Goring Gap is a communications gap where the railway,
river and road are all funnelled through the gap formed by the river in post
glacial times. This put T in mind of an educational board game “Roads, rivers
and railways” that was a one time favourite of his family.
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| Near Whitchuch |
We followed the road through the village of Whitchurch (P
claimed this was a boyhood home of Cameron D, the current PM). The lane turned
left (north) and slowly climbed up above the river and soon became a
well-trodden path undulating its way north through woodlands up above the river
with glimpses below of the river Thames and the National Trust property of Basildon
Park – used as Netherfield Park in the 2004 film of Pride and Prejudice (some
say it was also used as Grantham House in the Christmas special of Downton
Abbey – but we don’t watch that).
We were all taken with how beautiful the Goring Gap is. It
forms a natural border between Berkshire and Oxfordshire; west and east and a
divide between the Vale of the White Horse to the north and manicured suburban
Berkshire (as was).
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| Near Coombe Park |
We were making good progress past Coombe Park so as the path dropped back
down to the flood plain we felt it was time for a rest and a final snack.
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| Reflections of the walk |
Just before Gatehampton we found a convenient bench next to a dressage practice ring,
complete with large mirror. (Grid Ref: SU6101 7965) so were able to sit and reflect on the day!
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| Quietly flows the Thames |
Back to the tow path, this side on the Oxfordshire bank,
under a Brunel railway bridge and eventually into Goring. We have been here before
on the Ridgeway walk in 2009 and walked from here to Wallingford in December of
that year so have therefore claimed the small section from here to Moulsford as
already walked.
Thankfully arrived at the Catherine Wheel pub (Grid Ref: SU5997
8064) and after three pints of Ringwood Forty Niner (4.9%) we rated the place 8
out of 10. A short walk to the railway station and respective trains home.
Summary: A delightful
day, a “river, road and railways” day. Fairly easy walking, a bit up and down
between Whitchurch and Goring. Mileage was 11.4 miles. Next time we are back to
the open country of the Berkshire Downs and the delights of Swindon bus
station!
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| Water lilies |
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