How to walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading: Thames Path day 8

I wasn’t that excited about todays walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading. I didn’t think it would be that great, as I could see on the map a bunch of road walking, and sections of the trail taking you away from the river. Plus I imagined walking through the Reading bit would be quite grim…..

What to expect on the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading

It turned out I loved this section along the Thames Path. The road bits aside, it was a very lovely walk. Something unique about it, that makes it different from every other section so far, is the hill. Yes, a hill. Who knew there would be a hill when walking along the Thames. Seeing the river from a different perspective was quite something.

Looking through a gap in the green leafy trees and bushes to the river below on the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

There was something else about the scenery on this walk which I enjoyed. It just felt different. Later I remembered that this stretch takes you through the Chilterns AONB. That’s why it felt different. We are in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

A dirt trail on the right, wire fence on the left, with tall grass meadow on the other side, on the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading. There is a tree covered grass hill ahead to the left. There are bushes and trees to the right of the trail.

Looking over the tall grass to the river and light grey barge moored to the other side, when walking from Goring and Streatley to Reading. On the other side of the river is a hill with fields lined with big bushy trees.

Just like previous sections of the Thames, there are impressive riverside houses to look at, although this one seemed to have the most so far.

Looking across the river to a glass walled building jutting out from the trees over the water, at the start of the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

Looking across the river to a grand orange walked manor house, partway through the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading. There is a green lawn in front of the house, and the show is surrounded by masses of tall green leafed trees.

A big white walled house on the other side of the river, surrounded by trees, near the end of the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading. There are rowers on the river.

I was also pleasantly surprised with Reading. It was much nicer than I was expecting. Not just a little bit nice. Very nice.

Looking over the bushes to the river and the other side is filled with trees, bushes, and a white walled house poking out from them, when walking from Goring and Streatley to Reading. — Reading

Logistics

Start: Goring and Streatley, Berkshire. RG8 0ES.
Finish: Reading, Berkshire. RG1 1LT.
Distance: 11.5 miles
Option to shorten the walk: Yes. You can stop at Pangbourne Station 4.5 miles in, or Tilehurst station 8.5 miles in. Both these stations have trains to Reading or Goring and Streatley. When I describe the route below, I show you where to go.
Time: 3h 45min
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: Dirt, grass, road, promenade.
Dog friendly: Yes (with some road sections).
Time of year: I walked from Goring and Streatley to Reading in early June.

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A wooden sign saying Goring and Streatley, sitting on a neatly cute green lawn, with a red roofed house on the other side behind a hedge.

Public Transport

Goring and Streatley and Reading are on the same train line, with direct trains from London Paddington. You can buy a return ticket to Goring and Streatley, and then return from Reading at the end of the walk.

The direct train to Goring and Streatley takes an hour or just under from Paddington, or you can get the fast train to Reading in 23 min, then change onto another train to goring and Strealtey which is a 12 min journey.

Amenities

Goring and Streatley: For supplies, there is a Tesco on the other side of the station. At the start of the path is Pierreponts Cafe. I picked up a coffee from here. Food looked great too.

Along the route: 4 miles in is the Greyhound Inn pub. Just past here, the village of Pangbourne has some coffee shops and pubs, although the walk doesn’t take you into the village centre. It’s a short walk off the river though if you want to explore.

Reading: It’s a big town so you should find anything you need here. The station has public toilets, M&S, and other food options.

Accommodation

In Goring and Streatley you have a YHA for something cheap. This one isn’t pet friendly. For something that isn’t a hostel (or if you want to bring your dog) I recommend the Miller of Mansfield.

Reading has tonnes of options. The cheapest I could find is the Travelodge. It’s pet friendly. For something else, you can have a browse here and see what you like the look of.

Map for the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading

You can read about day 7 Wallingford to Goring and Streatley here.

Route Description: How to walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading

From the station you want to exit on the west side. If arriving from London direction, I think it’s the same side. I can’t quite remember. You should exit onto Station road.

A road leading ahead, with a red brick walled bustling to the right and a brown brick walled thatched roofed building next to it. There are a few people walking on the road ahead. There are green leafy bushes and trees lining the left side of the road.

From there, keep following the road straight with a lovely view to the Chiltern hills ahead.

A road leading ahead, lined with residential houses, hedges, bushes, and red bricked walls. There is a big green tree covered hill ahead din the distance.

Past the pub, keep on the road as it curves right then follow it to the next curve which is left. There should be a stone wall on your left here. This will lead you to the bridge. Don’t go over the bridge, instead take the side road to the left of it and you should reach the river and trail. Once here, turn left.

A white painted bricked walked pub building on the right, with a red brick chimney, and a bush growing up the side of it. The road is on the left.

A pavement on the left with a stone wall to the left of it, and a strip of grass to the right, then the road on the right of it. There is a stone wall topped with bushes on the other side of the road, and houses covered in greenery.

Two roads with an island separating them. The left road is lined with hedges and there is a stone wall lining the other side of the road on the right, with trees and bushes poking out from behind it. — Take this left road

Before reaching the river, I picked up a coffee. I was particularly tired today, I couldn’t figure out why, until a bit later on I remembered I had been awake since 1am. Turns out getting a coffee was a good call. Sort of. It got me up that hill I wasn’t expecting later on. It also triggered a poo. But that’s a story for later.

Start the river walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading

The walk starts along a nice riverside path. If you look to the right, you should see a house in the distance nestled between the gap in the trees.

A footpath sign on wooden pole on the left in front of green ivy, and a walking path on the right in Goring and Streately.

Looking across the rover with ripples, through a gap in the green leafy bushes and trees to a house in the distance, at the start of the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

A path on the left, and river on the right, with two people walking along it. There is a blue barged moored to the side. There are leafy tree branches hanging over the path.

The trail will then become more dirt like, lined by trees and bushes.

A dirt trail lined with green bushes, and a wooden fence on the left side.

A trail on the left lined with bushes on both sides, with the river on the right, at the start of the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

Looking over the bushes to the river and a white walked house up a hill on the other side, partially hidden by big trees, when walk between Goring and Streatley and Reading.

Followed by some fields and meadows. Look out for the big abandoned building on the other side of the river. I decided I might come back one day and claim it.

A grass trail through the meadow with tall grass, and two peoples walking along it ahead.

A big white walled abandoned building ahead up a hill, surrounded by trees and bushes.

A wide grass trail surrounded by tall grass, and a wall of trees ahead in the distance.

A metal gate with bushes and trees on the other side. There is a sign on the gate saying 'welcome to little meadow'.

A big archway red railway bridge over the river. On this side of the river is tall grass and bushes.

Past the bridge, once you reach a gate which says Goring Fishing Club, go in. Keep following the trail which is now surrounded by more bushes and trees, and then curves to the left taking you away from the river.

The dirt trail leading through a metal gate and fence with a sign saying 'Goring fishing club'. The trail past the gate is lined with bushes and trees.

A dirt trail lined with a wooden fence and tall grass meadow to the left, and bushes and trees to the right. Some of the leafy tree branches are hanging over the trail.

A wooden gate surrounded by bushes, with a partially hidden cottage on the other side. There is a trail curving to the left on this side of the gate, with a wooden signpost on the right side of it.

Leave the river for a bit

When you reach the junction, turn right. You will have some lovely views to undulating hills ahead to the left. You might also see some donkeys.

A wooden trail signpost partially hidden by bush leaves. The sign pointes back and right for the thames path, and left for the public bridleway. There is a grass fields behind the sign. — Turn right here

A narrow dirt trail lined with grass, and bushes to the right, and wire fence then field to the left.

Looking across the grass fields, to undulating tree covered hills in the distance, on the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

A donkey in a field next to a wire fence with a big hill field lined with trees on the other side, partway through the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

The trail will then lead you into some woods where the ascent begins.

A wooden stump trail sign with a blue thames path arrow pointing ahead along the dirt trail which is surrounded by bushes and trees.

A dirt path leading ahead, lined with grass, bushes and trees.

Walk up the hill

In the wooded area, the trail will start to take you uphill. It’s not aggressive, so don’t panic. I was a little shocked though. I hadn’t seen a hill along the Thames Path before. It was quite novel.

A dirt trail leading uphill, lined with masses of bushes and trees.

Somewhere up here, keep an eye out for the pillbox below to the right.

A pillbox below partial hidden by a hill. It is surrounded by a few trees.

The scenery along this bit I really enjoyed. A nice path surround by the trees on a hillside. Looking down to the river on the right did give me goosebumps. I hadn’t seen the river like this before. It dawned on me that I had only seen it from one perspective for the past 100 or so miles.

A dirt path leading ahead, lined with tall grass, and big tree trunks leading to the right, when walking from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

More woods and hills

Keep going, and at some point you will reach a sign saying ‘Hartley Steps, proceed with caution’. I could see a drop ahead, and proceeded with anticipation…

A wooden sign saying 'Hartley steps' sitting in front of green leafed bushes.

Then kind of laughed in my head a little. It was just a small hill. No steps. Not sure what I should be cautious about.

A dirt trail leading downhill surround by green leafy bushes and trees when walking from Goring and Streatley to Reading. This end of the trail is under darkness and down the hill the light is shining down on it.

That is until I walked down, then a little further along saw the steps and steep hill going back up. This must be what it meant.

An uphill dirt path with small steps on the left side, and lined with bushes.

The road and poo

At the top you will reach a road. You will be following road for a little bit now. It was around here I got the urge to poo.

A road leading straight, lined with bushes and trees on both sides, and a wooden fence on the left side.

I didn’t want to be that person that poos on the trail. But maybe I would have to be. There had been walkers here and there. I might get caught. I decided to hold it in and hope it would retreat.

When you reach the end, turn right to walk through the village.

A road leading ahead, lined with hedges on the right side a a partially hidden house. There are big trees overhanging the road ahead.

A road leading down hill lined with bushes on the left side, and some houses on the right side.

Looking across the road to a red bricked house and a white walled pub. There are a few cars parked outside.

The poo wasn’t retreating and I was starting to sweat. To my relief I found a pub along here. Could I go in and poo without buying anything? I pondered for a moment. Not for long though. The poo urge was too intense.

They let me do it. Thank god.

Keep going along the road, then turn right at the sign ‘to the church’.

A red bricked wall on the left with grey painted pillar on the right end of it. There are plants on this side of the wall and green grass on the other side. There is a trail signpost pointing through the wall.

At the church, turn left to walk on a path through the graveyard, and then a little alley way.

A yellow arrow on the end of a stone wall pointing left, with the church and green behind.

A path through an alley, lined with brick walls, curving to the right.

Out of the alley, turn left. You should see a bridge over the hedge to the right. Head towards that.

Looking over the yellow flowers to a white brush over there river ahead. There are masses of green leafy bushes and trees on both sides of the bridge.

Pangbourne

The bridge to enter Pangbourne is a toll bridge. I’ve not seen one of these in England before. I didn’t know they were a thing. (Toll bridge for vehicles that is, not people. You can walk over).

A small brick walled toll booth in between tow roads. The barrow on the right road is closed. The left road is lined with a brick wall and big trees. On the right side of the right road is a white walled house. There is a person walking on the road ahead.

Looking across the road to a wall of green bushes, and partially hidden house behind them. There is a white sign poking out from the bushes saying 'welcome to west Berkshire'.

On the bridge you will see a big field (Pangbourne Meadows) to the left. That’s where you are heading. Somewhere over the bridge you should see a little gap in the hedge to the left, you can get to the meadows through there.

It will probably be a little more people heavy around here.

If you want to go to Pangbourne station, stay on the main road over the bridge. At the junction, turn right, then right again at the next junction. A bit further along you should see signs for the station on the left.

If continuing along the trail, walk to the other end of the meadows, passing by a barge that looks like it tells fortunes, and onto a little trail taking you into another meadow.

A large green grass field, with a bench in the middle facing to the left. — The bench I sat on for a snack

A grass field with the river to the left and a barge moored to the side.

A narrow trail leading through the grass meadow. There are bushes running along the left side.

The halfway point in the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading

Gradually you will go from big open space to more closed in, and onto a trail through tall grass lined with trees and bushes. Somewhere along here is the halfway point in the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

A path on the right, leading through the grass field, with the river partially visible to the left. There is a women in a white jacket walking along the path ahead.

Looking over the tall grass to the river, and some beast moored to the other side. There is a building on the other side of the river and a row of big trees.

Dirt trails leading through the tall grass, with big trees to the left.

I think I saw some giant hogweed along here. It’s that toxic plant. If you touch it you can get severe burns.

A mass of bushes, tall grass, and trees.

I took a photo and later found out my iPhone can identify it for me. If you swipe up on the photo it will tell you what it is. My iPhone says it is indeed giant hogweed.

You will next be in open meadow again, with barges here and there, and more impressive homes on the other side of the river.

A flat field with tall grass with the river and lived river bank to the left, partway through the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

A white barge boat with windows moored to the other side of the river.

Past the Mapledurham lock, when you reach a big neatly cut grass field, you will leave the river for a bit.

Road and residential

Turn right in this field, and through the gate at the end to get onto the road.

A field on the left and big bush oil the right, with a wooden trail sign nestled in the bush. — This is where you turn right in the big field

A group of horses in brown, white and black.

A road leading straight ahead, with a wall on the left, with rooftops poking up the top, and bushes and wire fence to the right, with a grass field on the other side. There are people walking on the road ahead.

At the junction at the end of this road, the sign isn’t that helpful. It says turn left, but there are two lefts. You want to take the right left, up the hill

A road curving ahead lined with a pavement on both sides. There are big leafy trees on the left side of the road, and wooden fence on the right side. — That’s the road you want to walk up

I zoned out a little for the next bit. There are quite a few turns. I wasn’t always sure I was going the correct way, then a little Thames Path sticker would show up to reassure me. Like this uphill. I wasn’t sure this was correct. Was I meant to take the other left? A little sticker up the hill let me know I was correct though.

A black Thames Path sticker on a metal pole, with white arrow pointing ahead along the road

Over the bridge, there is a left turn onto Hazel road. Stay on this road as it curves to the right, then left.

A residential road lined with bushes, hedges, trees and houses.

A black Thames path sicker on a metal pole, with a white arrow pointing ahead. There is a hedge on the left side and a house partial hidden behind the pole.

A road leading downhill, with a pavement on the left side. The left side of the pavement is lined with bushes and trees. There are houses further down the road, and trees at the bottom.

Somewhere down the hill is a right turn onto Skerritt Way. Then when you reach the dead end with houses, there is a trail to the left through the wooded area.

A black thames path sticker on a green dog poo bin. The white arrow is pointing ahead. The bin is surrounded by green leaves. The road is to the left.

Looking across the road to a mass of bushes and trees with a trail leading into them. — That’s the trail at the end of Skerritt Way

This trail will lead you up to the main road, where you turn left.

A wooden trail sign on the right with an orange arrow pointing ahead along the dirt trail. The trail is surrounded by messy bushes.

The road on the right and pavement on the left, with a big white sign saying 'welcome to reading'. The left side if the pavement is lined with green leafed bushes and trees.

Welcome to Reading. It’s still a few miles to go though.

Walk back to the river

A short way along the main road, at the red bricked building, turn left. (If you want to go to Tilehurst Station, stay on the road and you will reach it).

Red bricked buildings on the left with a car parking area and road to the right. There is a metal pole with trail sign pointing left. There is a white car parked next to the buildings.

After the left turn, this path will lead you back down to the river. Turn right when you reach it.

A trail on the left leading through a mass of green leafy bushes, and a big sign on the right saying 'welcome to reading; — The riverside path

Along here it was a bit dark, and every so often I got the faint smell of weed. It felt a little like I was now just walking to get to the station…

A dirt path with graffiti covered brick wall on the right and trees and bushes to the left.

The final stretch of the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading

But it slowly started to get better. Past the boating area, and along a little more rugged riverside path, you will reach a less rugged path and meadows, and then the well maintain neatly cut grass.

A wide path on the right, with river and boats moored to the side on the left. The path is lined with bushes and trees. There is a person walking their dog ahead.

A neat path leading ahead through the tall green grass meadow. There are yellow buttercups on the right, and trees on the left.

A narrow path leading through the tall grass near the end of the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading.

A wide neat path lined with bright green grass, and weeping willow trees overhanging the path.

Two rowers in the river, and trees and bushes on the other side.

More and more impressive houses show up on the other side of the river. It was all starting to feel a bit posh.

Looking across the river to a large white walled house with boat garage underneath, at the end of the walk between Goring and Streatley and Reading. There are tall green leafy trees behind the house.

Looking across the rippled river to a mass of trees on the other side, and a partially hidden house.

After the weed smelling dark section, it was like a ray of light and airiness. All quite lovely.

A few baby geese, and massive group of swans.

Geese and baby geese on the grass bank next to the river.

A mass of white swans in the river, at the end of the walk from Goring and Streatley to Reading. There is a bridge ahead to the right, crossing the river. There are buildings on the other side.

Walk to Reading Station

Follow the path under the bridge and keep going.

A walking path on the right, craving ahead to the left. The right side is lined with metal railings and apartment buildings. The left side is lined with tall grass and plants, with the river to the left of it.

When you see the white bridge ahead, take the right turn a bit before it (see photo below). Follow the road to reach the main road, and you will see Reading Station ahead on the other side. It’s the massive building with glass and sloped roof.

A wodę path leading ahead, with the river to the left and a bridge over it ahead. There are buildings to the right. — Take the right turn just ahead here

Looking across the main road to a bike shed and sloped roofed building on the other side. Everything is grey. — Reading Station

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