Day One Marlow to Reading

So part 2 , continuing post lockdown and hoping the weather improves after yesterday morning’s dark biblical rainstorm and thunder !
Well it started dark - it was 730am ! As I made my way to the riverside path it was busy with Dog walkers ,Runners and
Walkers ! It’s dry too! The sun comes up behind Bisham church with its Norman tower and then football HQ - Bisham
Abbey dating back to 1139 but has had a spotted history due H8 dissolving it and passing it on to one of his queens ! Temple mill island and Lock are of interest as I cross Temple Bridge over to Berkshire! Now the sun is up and on my back !
High up sits Harleyford Manor , a possible inspiration for Toad Hall , Danesfield house also on top of the cliff , and one pillar survives as Medenham Abbey. I get slightly lost passing the Culham estate as the path vers away from the river ! And just after the herd of deer races off an artwork which resembles Stonehenge appears -if it had been all stacked together!
Finally we get back to the river after the Flower Pot inn - “boatman always on attendance “ although these days the ferry has closed !
The Hambleden Lock and 300 yard narrow footpath past the weir is impressive (a sort of very mini Igauzu falls set up ) and has featured in many an odd crime TV drama !
I pass an old haunt of Henley business school before the long straight river section runs down to Temple island and onto the set up for Henley Regatta. There are a few hopefuls on the river being bellowed at by cycling advisers !
Across the bridge at Henley and on up the river and my first diversion of the day over the long wooden foot bridge over Marsh Lock - it used to access a mill now gone ! Sadly it’s also about turn as the bridge has been declared unsafe ! It’s a long detour as there are some large houses along here , one of which includes a narrow gauge railway in its gardens ! No trains running today from the impressive station .
Shiplake is a pretty scattered village ( sorry Mike !) and it’s onward past the isolated barges , sheep and then I appear at Sonning for a well earned Lunch ! Bah!
Lunch is just a beer as the system has gone down - not even an olive!
The church has an impressive ceiling and there is an odd chapel for the mentally ill on pilgrimage - a St Sarik chapel !
After this it’s a short slog to Reading and I cross the Jennet and Avon canal via the Horseshoe bridge which is attached to Brunel’s GWR bridge and Reading !

That’s 19 miles almost !
And there’s almost a new PM and thankfully Boris has avoided the cut - what a blowhard!

I’m early enough to get to the Museum to see the Bayeux tapestry copy - but it’s Monday and it’s closed !Читать далее