Thames Path: Henley to Reading

Introduction

The day after Boxing Day, 2008, Mum and Dad and I walked another stretch of the Thames Path: from Henley to Reading.

Twyford

Henley's on a branch line, so in order to get there we had to change at Twyford (mostly known for an anti-road campaign on nearby common land). We had nearly an hour to wait for the next train, so we took a walk around.

Nice typography on this sign by the graveyard.
1/90 at f5.6, 22mm, ISO200 51°28′36″N 0°51′56″W
A church building.
1/125 at f4, 55mm, ISO200 51°28′38″N 0°51′58″W

The Thames

Reaching Henley and heading along the river, we crossed a neat walkway that went over almost the whole river behind a weir.

Water flowing through one of the sluice-gates.
1/90 at f5.6, 250mm, ISO200 51°31′44″N 0°53′9″W
The weir is quite nicely made; don't think I've seen one with arches like that elsewhere.
1/90 at f8, 18mm, ISO200 51°31′43″N 0°53′8″W

Henley is definitely home to the rich, as well as a famous annual regatta.

Here's a combination of both: a pretty boathouse across the river.
1/125 at f8, 135mm, ISO200 51°31′33″N 0°52′58″W

Our path left the river and crossed the railway line we'd taken earlier at a (very) small town called Shiplake.

And in the sky overhead, we saw this. Don't know what it is, some kind of bird of prey.
1/1000 at f8, 250mm, ISO200 51°30′37″N 0°53′0″W

We rejoined the river and continued along it.

Here's the end of one of many islands in the centre.
1/350 at f8, 55mm, ISO200 51°29′54″N 0°53′26″W
When we stopped to eat lunch, a robin obligingly perched nearby.
1/125 at f8, 250mm, ISO200 51°29′49″N 0°53′38″W
I guess the river's deep.
1/350 at f8, 90mm, ISO200 51°29′33″N 0°53′38″W
Natural sculpture.
1/350 at f8, 100mm, ISO200 51°29′6″N 0°54′23″W

Sonning

The sun wasn't really in the right place to take a picture of Sonning Bridge, but I tried anyhow.
1/180 at f8, 55mm, ISO200 51°28′34″N 0°54′46″W

So there's a small (and very twee) place called Sonning. We went to take a look around the very-fancy church.

It has lots of pointy bits.
1/250 at f8, 55mm, ISO200 51°28′26″N 0°54′45″W
Low sun shining through the churchyard gate and making shadows of the trees.
1/45 at f8, 79mm, ISO200 51°28′26″N 0°54′45″W
Altar and decorated roof.
1/15 at f5.6, 10mm, ISO400 51°28′26″N 0°54′46″W
Funny little guys in the wall.
1/4 at f4.5, 22mm, ISO800 51°28′26″N 0°54′46″W

To Reading

After that we basically continued along the river to Reading.

View across the river to trees and a lake beyond.
1/125 at f8, 22mm, ISO200 51°28′15″N 0°55′12″W
Gasholder sunset.
1/60 at f8, 194mm, ISO200 51°27′34″N 0°56′40″W
The Kennet and Avon Canal (reopened in 1990) leaves the river through this railway bridge and its accompanying crazy footbridge.
1/15 at f5.6, 10mm, ISO400 51°27′31″N 0°56′58″W

That's it; Reading station isn't far from the river, and we didn't see much else of interest on the way there (partly because it was getting a bit dark, partly because Reading's a bit of a hole).

All images © Samuel Marshall. All rights reserved.