1: Reading Station. Leave the station on the northern side. Cross the bus station then the main road at the traffic lights. Turn right, then left down Norman place on the cycleway to the river. Turn left along the bank and pass the Christchurch footbridge. Go under Caversham Bridge where waterfowl congregate and river cruises may be booked. There are seats along the promenade and panoramic views across the river. Further along is the site of the popular Reading Festival which takes place at the end of August. Motor boats, kayaks and canoes may be hired from the boatyard at Scours Lane. The path then becomes squeezed between the railway and the river. Pass Appletree Eyot and Poplar Island and continue to the obsolete Roebuck Hotel sign where the steps on the left go up to the road.

2: Steps to road. Tilehurst Station is along the road to the left. Turn right for the Thames Path and soon right again into a copse. Turn left into Hazel Rd and go up the hill. From the top is a good view over Purley. Descend to the road junction and turn right over the railway. At next road junction jink left and right down Mapledurham Drive and go through the gate to the river at Mapledurham Lock. The next two miles is a pleasant meander through the water meadows with the picturesque Chiltern Hills on the right. Just before the toll bridge between Pangbourne and Whitchurch turn left through the trees to the Dolphin Activity Centre where refreshments are available in the car park in the summer months.

3: Dolphin Activity Centre. Turn right to the road, cross carefully and turn right across the toll bridge. Soon a diversion goes to St Mary’s Church which dates from the 9th Century. Pass the Greyhound and continue up the hill through Whitchurch. Turn left at the Thames Path sign along a drive. At junction the path descends steeply then rises again before going into woodland. At the far end of the wood there is a nature reserve on the right with a steep climb to a seat with a view but turn left at the next junction to follow the Thames Path (or continue ahead for a short cut to Goring and Streatley Station). Turn right along river and go under Brunel’s railway bridge into Little Meadow. At the path diversion sign turn right along path then left along lane. Keep ahead at the end of the diversion and at the crossroads turn right and continue to Goring and Streatley Station.