Existing walking routes in Reading
If you want to use your lockdown exercise to discover arts, culture and heritage in Reading but don't quite know where to start, a number of wonderful local organisations have already done the hard work! From routes that take in historical landmarks, themed walks and hidden pockets of the town you may not have explored before, there's a lot to discover in all corners of Reading.
Audio Walk Along The Kennet – Start at the Abbey Ruins and hit “play”, and this audio walking tour from Andrew Allen and Cast Iron Theatre will accompany you on an approximately half an hour stroll offering a combination of history and mindfulness. Cast Iron have also created a virtual video walk so you can enjoy the experience from home, too.
Reading Heritage Trails – Four routes devised by Readipop, and themed around cinema, music, photography and literature-based landmarks
Trooper Potts Heritage Trail – Devised by the Trooper Potts Memorial Trust, this takes you on a short trip around central Reading, taking in landmarks associated with Reading’s only Victoria Cross holder as well as other historical spots.
Public Art Trail – Originally part of their Open For Art festival in 2019, Jelly’s map of the various pieces of public art in the town centre is still a great guide to the works that we see, but don’t always look at
Caversham Heritage Map – originally created for the “100 years on” celebrations, this takes in historic spots north of the river, courtesy of Caversham Rotary, Caversham and District Residents’ Association (CADRA) and Friends of Caversham Court Gardens
Reading town, river and canal walk – a three-mile loop taking in the Thames Path, former industrial areas and the historic grounds and ruins of Reading Abbey, courtesy of the Canal River Trust
Riverside walking maps – two routes taking you from the Riverside Museum at Blake’s Lock to Reading Museum, or to the River Thames
Walking Reading’s Lost Railway – The old branch line from the Symonds brewery is long since gone, but it’s route remains – albeit with some very different branches as you walk in the woodlands between Katesgrove and Coley. Thanks to the Whitley Pump for highlighting it.
Reading Tree Walks – Reading Tree Wardens have a number of walks on their website letting you learn more about the trees in Prospect Park, Coley Park Meadow, Tilehurst Old Village and more. But the Reading Town Centre Historical Tree Trail lets you stretch your arboreal muscles while throwing light on the town’s history at the same time!
Whiteknights Tree Walk – A guide for visitors to the University of Reading Whiteknights Campus, courtesy of the University of Reading.
Tilehurst Circular Walks – Thanks to the team at Tilehurst Globe, you can explore the pockets of nature in Tilehurst with guides to Lousehill Copse, McIlroys Park and more.
Walks around Earley – Earley Town Council have created a number of walks in the area, including some that are wheelchair accessible, taking in the sights and sounds of Earley. The walks range from 30mins to 4 hours, depending on how much time and energy you have!
