Training walk - 30 August 2018

Twyford Station to Wargrave 

Loddon backwater, Twyford

P & T were concerned that they were getting out of practice so T dug through the “Rambling for Pleasure around Reading” booklet and proposed this linear walk from Twyford station (Grid Reference SU7903 7579) to Wargrave via the Loddon Nature Reserve and then Charvil Country Park and Borough Marsh. The route was partially dictated by the need to use public transport in this case, trains!

The hot sunny weather of the summer of 2018 (well for the south of the country) continued and it was a splendid day when P& T met up on Reading station to make the short hop to Twyford.

Mill pond, Twyford

Our route took us nearly into the centre of Twyford before turning off towards the site of the old mill on the Loddon River. The site has been redeveloped into flats and housing to mimic the old mill.

 The path skirted the river and eventually came out below the railway embankment, SU7856 7552. Some interesting railway fencing that appeared to have been fabricated from old bits of rail. Perhaps it was just a coincidence but some of the rails looked like they were from the old “Brunel” broad gauge line. We debated that for a bit and T was annoyed that he had forgotten his camera. He went back 10 days later to take some photos!

GWR main line

We continued south and passed a riding stable to join a lane at Copper Bridge. The path turned westwards across a water meadow to Giddy Bridge and round the back of the Lands End pub though it appears to be called “Heron on the Ford”. It was too early to visit so we continued. Yes it is by a ford across one of the tributaries of the Loddon River, known as the “Old Loddon”, SU7820 7482 The path crossed grassland and scrub that had probably been gravel workings a couple of decades ago

Is this a bit of the broad gauge?

Back under the main railway line and across scrubby grassland with a few dogs exercising their owners in the late summer sun. The path skirted the site of yet more old gravel pits and eventually came out on the Twyford to Charvil road at White bridge, SU7807 7610. As always we crossed the road with care and went through Charvil Meadows towards the busy A4, SU7779 7651. Yet more demonstrations of careful road crossing and we were then onto Loddon Drive a metalled lane. The countryside changed from reclaimed gravel pits to fenced farmland and as we approached Borough Marsh (best described as a posh hamlet) there was more housing.

The hedges along the lane had rather thin crops of sloes, blackberries and wild hops – thin because it was still dry. P reckoned that we needed a few weeks of rain the plump up the sloes before they could be harvested.

Charvil meadows

We crossed St Patrick’s Stream but couldn’t discern any water and then crossed another river that seemed to be flowing the wrong way, SU7738 7772. Checking the maps later we realised that instead of flowing northwards to join the Thames this old channel of the Loddon now flows from the Thames round the “island” of Borough Marsh to join the new Loddon that flows into the Thames downstream of Shiplake Lock. Sorry all very dull for those of you not interested in things related to water. There was an excellent view across the river meadows to the river cliff at Shiplake and Shiplake College and church, (sorry no picture).

Loddon Nature Reserve - an old gravel pit

The housing in Borough Marsh and along Loddon Drive could best be described as affluent relaxed. Was it a condition of Wokingham District Council that new buildings (probably built on the footprint of much older properties) had to have the same matt grey and horizontal oak fences and detailing? P thought some of the places were “kit” houses. Very trendy and smart not like the pre-fabs of old. Whatever the design all of them needed flood protection or had sacrificial ground floors were the winter fuel logs and boats were stored. The path continued over a small bridge, Brigeman's Bridge (SU7767 7835) across the main Loddon channel and one could see the private moorings for a variety of river craft. All very nice.

Wild hops

Under the railway – this time the branch line to Henley and up to Wargrave Station, SU7808 7833. As trains were half-hourly, shuttling from Twyford to Henley we decided to walk on into Wargrave and find a drink. (Note: the frequency of trains on this line is better than some bus services).  We found two pubs in the centre of Wargrave, the Bull (SU7852 7857) and the Greyhound. We selected the former as it was nearer. Beer was OK and quenched our thirst but the pub was nothing special. Think they were disappointed that we didn’t want to have lunch. 

After a short rest we headed back to the station and caught a train for the six minutes to Twyford and back to our respective stops of Reading and Cholsey. 

A lovely morning early afternoon walk in late summer. Including the detour into and out of Wargrave that was 6.1 miles (9.7km).