READING – Three Rivers

READING – Three Rivers Short Description: This is an urban walk, exploring Reading's three rivers, the Holy Brook, Kennet and Thames. It progresses from the smallest to the largest and historically forwards from the 11th Century to more modern times. Long Description: This is a walk researched by the Wokingham U3A "Walks into History" group. The group is for all who enjoy researching the history of local areas, sharing others’ research, and/or walking the routes discovered, to see the features for themselves. This walk starts in central Reading and takes you east towards the mouth of the Kennet, along the Thames Path towards Caversham and then back into the centre of Reading. It is by and large on the flat, but there are steps here and there and two footbridges to cross. Access info: We start just east of the city centre, at Reading Library. You can obviously make your way there by road, bus or train (or foot!). The library is at Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ. We start from the rear of the library, where there is a small set of steps, forming a mini-amphitheatre (walk up the slope to the left of the front entrance). 1) Walk to the foot of the steps (this is where the Reading Abbey stables used to be) next to the Holy Brook. Cross over the little bridge and turn left. This brook comes from the west of Reading and used to provide the Abbey with water. However, upstream in Reading it was used for dyeing and other trades and polluted the river – the Abbot was greatly displeased. Follow the stream. Further along this path you can see the decorated 11th Century Abbey Arch, where the brook was constrained to a narrow channel, to increase the flow and feed the abbey's mill. The arch was incorporated into a "modern" mill building and only rediscovered when this was demolished in the 1950's. On the left is an iconic office building called "The Blade" which is easily spotted later in the walk. Cross over another little bridge and the path finishes at a road opposite a modem office block. 2) Cross the road and go under the building and out to Kennet Wharf (or you can go round the building on the left). The wharf was a busy industrial area in the 14th Century with nearby leather and tanning works. This is a side branch of the Kennet: the main stream is to your right, behind the houses. Walk to the left and along the river bank, firstly past the remains of the abbey on your left, which was the recipient of a restoration grant in December 2015 and is due to be open to the public again in 2018. You can take the wide track or the lower waterside path. This path is called Chestnut Walk. Go past the prison, known for Oscar Wilde's "Ballad of Reading Gaol". In 2015 it was announced that it would be sold for housing development. See the interesting gates at the end. You then reach a busy road, but luckily there's an underpass to allow you continue along the riverbank. 3) Then continue further east, past the centre of the Huntley & Palmers industrial area on the right, famous in the 18th and 19th Centuries for its tinned biscuits (now replaced by the newer Prudential building, although the bus-stop is still called "Huntley & Palmers"). The impact of the factory was widespread, with railway sidings and the river wharves all needed to help supply the factory and distribute its output. Look out for the statue of the fisherman on the island. The footpath ends when you reach a lane – bear left and continue along this towards the weir. When you reach the restaurant, bear right down to the riverbank, turn left and go across the front of the restaurant. At the end you'll reach the sewage pumping station, now a small museum. 4) Now back track a little along the lane you joined and continue over the backwater you walked beside and you reach a busy main road. Turn left here, go over the main stream of the Kennet and turn left down to the towpath (make sure you take the second set of steps, to the far river bank). Again head east, out of town. On the left you have good views of the weir, museum, restaurant and finally Blake's Lock. The area on the right, Newtown, was formerly a major residential area for the biscuit factory workers and those of the nearby Sutton Seeds Company. Nearing the end of the river you come to a footbridge and then two railway bridges. These were built for the South Eastern and Great Western railways. The second bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is a listed building. 5) Just behind this railway bridge is a pedestrian horseshoe bridge, originally for the barge horses on the towpath. (The locals are dismayed at the prospect of a new bridge, just beyond the footbridge, for a new proposed Park-and Ride scheme). The bridge allows you to cross the mouth of the Kennet and head west along the Thames towpath towards the city centre. Now you have a pleasant, uninterrupted walk along the Thames Path. On the left is a Tesco (if you’re desperate). On the right you'll see some boatyards. On the left, across the playing fields you'll see some unusual apartment blocks and The Blade. Eventually you come to Caversham Lock. 6) Cross the lock at the second lock gate, and wend your way across the weirs behind the lock keeper's house. When you reach solid ground again, the area on the right is called View Island. You will see an entrance on the right to gain access to this nature reserve. If you wish, wend your way along the paths on the island and you will eventually regain the path you have just left. Continue over a couple of little bridges until on your left you see a wide path, which you will take you back towards town. 7) On your right is Hill's Meadow and then you reach one of the two road bridges across the Thames – Reading Bridge. Pass through the archway into Christchurch Meadows, keep along the river bank and you soon come to a new footbridge – opened in 2016 and named "Christchurch Bridge" (surprise, surprise, not Footy McFootbridge!). 8) Cross to the opposite bank and turn left. You pass the interesting Thames Water building. When you reach Reading Bridge again pass under the bridge and then immediately turn right and up the steps. Head south towards the station (which you may see ahead on the right), cross the first road carefully and go under the railway bridge. Ignore the first pedestrian crossing on the right, but go a little way round to the left and take the second crossing – ahead towards Forbury Gardens, behind the brick wall. Turn right until you soon reach the entrance – with a lion ahead of you! 9) Walk ahead to greet the Maiwand Lion. The statue was named after the Battle of Maiwand and was erected in 1884 to commemorate the deaths of 329 men from the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot during the campaign in the Second Anglo-Afghan War in Afghanistan between 1878 and 1880. When you reach the lion turn 90 degrees right and take the path that leads to the exit by the war memorial. Take a half-left across the road and take the path that bisects the lawn and leads to a path under the office block (Carluccio's is on the ground floor on the left). On the far side of the building you descend some steps and emerge at the back of the library, again. .

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