Thames Path: Cholsey to Shillingford

Introduction

On 3 April 2010, Mum and Dad and I walked another stretch of the Thames Path, continuing from Cholsey to Shillingford.

Cholsey

Because it was Easter weekend, the preserved railway from Cholsey to Wallingford was running. But we didn't see the steam train at Cholsey. We walked back to Moulsford and along a path to the Thames, by the large Brunel-designed railway bridge.

Stables by the path.
1/250 at f8, 11mm, ISO200
Between the two parts of the bridge.
1/30 at f4.5, 18mm, ISO200
The bridge arches.
1/1500 at f8, 10mm, ISO200

The river

Through the bridge, we kept getting views of the distant Fair Mile Mental Hospital (which is closed, disused, and will probably be knocked down for housing). It doesn't look as creepy as it might, but there was a nice sign for the angling club...

There's extensive open land between the hospital and the river.
1/500 at f8, 11mm, ISO200
Here's the sign. Good, eh? And they can't even spell hospital.
1/350 at f8, 22mm, ISO200

At frequent interviews we passed pillboxes - just in case the Germans invaded and decided to come up the Thames.

View into a remarkably clean example.
1/1 at f8, 10mm, ISO200

Wallingford

After a few miles we reached Wallingford, where we sat in a pretty churchyard (supposedly home to umpteen bird species, although I think we counted two and one of those was pigeons) to eat lunch. After that we went to see the other end of the preserved railway (which stops short of the town centre because the line got built over) and, after hanging around a bit, got to see Ivor the Engine! Yes, really.

Steam engine smoke in front of a TV aerial and some kind of construction equipment.
1/750 at f8, 109mm, ISO200
Ivor leaving the station with a trainload of passengers bound for Cholsey.
1/125 at f8, 123mm, ISO200
The SHALL sign.
1/500 at f8, 55mm, ISO200
A partially-demolished building.
1/350 at f8, 55mm, ISO200

The town itself was quite nice. Although most of the (supposedly) 14 churches had either disappeared or been converted into something else, we passed by a few of them.

The spire of St. Peter's is rather nice.
1/750 at f8, 22mm, ISO200

Benson

We got our feet muddy again along a mile or so of towpath until we reached Benson Lock. The lock's okay, but the Thames Path crosses the river atop a very long weir, which was fun.

Willow tree at the lock island (and Dad).
1/45 at f8, 10mm, ISO200
One of many weir gates. (The weir turns a corner on the left of this photo.)
1/250 at f8, 10mm, ISO200
Benson church in the rain. Note multiple redundancy in weathervane provision, just in case one of them crashes. Or two do. Or three.
1/180 at f8, 22mm, ISO200

Shillingford

From Benson we walked past a riverside café (without going in) and a boatyard and a caravan park, then along fields until we reached Shillingford Bridge. We left the river and headed into Shillingford, which isn't really a place so much as a crossroads. It's rather desolate. However, it has a regular bus service which took us quite efficiently back to Reading.

Special bonus picture of Reading bus station. 'Successfully developing / Unseen / Havoc'.
1/45 at f8, 74mm, ISO200

We got a train home, so that's it!

All images © Samuel Marshall. All rights reserved.