Introduction
My parents and I wanted a walk that was easy to get to, so we came up with this one. Winnersh Triangle is a railway station on the line between Staines and Reading, which seems to have been built for an office complex of the same name. From there, the River Loddon runs to the Thames. We decided to follow the paths that run by or near it.
Starting from the railway station we had to walk along a major road for a short distance until we reached the river by an ugly multiplex cinema.
River Loddon
We met the river at the point where the railway and the A3290 both cross it.
We followed the riverside path for a bit until it diverged from the river and took us past, bizarrely, the Museum of Berkshire Aviation. I had assumed this was probably a slightly misnamed aviation museum that just happens to be in Berkshire, but it really is about aviation within the county; it’s on part of the site of a former airfield and aeroplane factory. (The rest of the site has mostly been turned into enormous housing estates, naturally.)
By an old mill (now a large house) we rejoined the riverside path.
Apart from aeroplane manufacture, the main local industry appears to have been gravel extraction. There were numerous lakes in the area as a result.
After some distance we had to leave the river, following a minor road for a short way then crossing a field with horses and a footbridge, finally arriving at a pub.
After stopping in the pub for a quick drink, we went to admire the end of the land.
After getting slightly lost (I had incorrectly guessed there would be a way to pass through a small housing estate), we managed to cross the New Bath Road and walk down a long semi-surfaced road named Milestone Avenue. One side of the road was occupied with large expensive houses, some of which had names while others had (inconsistent) numbers.
We then followed a footpath to the Thames, where we stopped to eat our lunch. This section is on the opposite bank from the Thames Path, and was relatively empty by comparison.
Sonning
The path approached Sonning.
We went to admire the church, which is near the site of an old Bishop‘s Palace (of which nothing remains).
Thames Path
The rest of our walk followed the Thames Path back to Reading, past the grounds of the Reading Blue Coat private school and then through riverside parkland, with large office buildings in the background.
The River Kennet (with the Kennet and Avon canal) joins the Thames at Reading.
Reading
Reading Bridge is being repaired, and the towpath is closed as a result. We left the Thames slightly early by the lock, then walked the short distance to the station.
