it here! - The Flowing Spring

TO WARGRAVE
FROM SHIPLAKE STATION
FROM EMMER GREEN
From Clayfield Copse car park, take the path on the
right hand edge by the tennis courts which leads to
the back of the copse onto Foxhill Lane. Turn right
onto the lane and after a few hundred yards take the
bridleway on the left which takes you to Church Lane.
Loddon Brewery and Dunsden Green Farm are
immediately on your left. Turn right down Church
Lane and then right at the end into Dunsden Way.
After the row of houses on the left of the road, take
the footpath through the farm gate across and down
the hill. At the bottom, turn left along the line of
hedges parallel with Henley Road until you reach
steps opposite the pub. 3 miles, around 1 hour
downhill!
Follow the route to reach Sonning Bridge. Cross the
bridge and follow the footpath by the Great House
east along the Thames. After a mile, at St Patrick’s
Stream, cross the bridge and follow the road to the
end. Go through the gate and across the field
towards the next footpath sign. Arrive at Loddon
Drive and bear left (do not turn right as this will take
you to the A4). Follow Loddon Drive for a mile or so
until arriving at crossroads. Turn right over the steep
concrete bridge. Continue up towards Wargrave
Station. If you are visiting the village, continue along
Station Road, cut through the churchyard (bearing
right), through the kissing gate and proceed up to
the High Street. 4 miles, around 1.45 hours
From Shiplake Station turn left. At the crossroads with
the Corner Shop on your right, turn left into Mill Road.
Turn left towards the river at New Road, under the
railway and over the streams to the Thames. Follow the
river westerly until reaching the railway bridge that
crosses the Thames. Walk up the side of the bridge and
then under it into Mill Lane until you reach Shiplake
Lock. Follow the Thames Path from the lock back to the
College Boathouses where you join the route described
in Circular Walk #1. 4.5 miles, around 2 hours
CIRCULAR WALK #2
The Flowing Spring - Wargrave
- Shiplake - Sonning
Follow the directions to Wargrave and then catch
the train from Wargrave Station (at the end of
Loddon Drive) to Shiplake (it’s the next stop and
very quick). From Shiplake Station, follow the green
route back to Sonning. Total distance 8.5 miles, 4 hours
You are
welcome
to park
at the
pub and
dogs are
welcome
too!
FROM TWYFORD STATION
Leave the station main exit and turn left down
Station Road following it to the end into Church
Street. At the traffic lights turn left past the Duke of
Wellington pub and then the Waggon and Horses.
After passing the small industrial estate, cross the
road to the right hand side and, on the bend, turn
off the road into Charvil Meadows. Go straight on
with the River Loddon on your right and continue to
the small wooden bridge. Continue straight on
following the main path which bends to the left.
Arriving at the A4, carefully cross the road directly
into Loddon Drive by Newlands Farm. After a mile,
the road bends sharply to the right over the stream.
Turn left here and follow the footpath towards the
Thames, joining the red Wargrave route to Sonning
Bridge. 4.5 miles, 2 hours
CIRCULAR WALK #1
The Flowing Spring - Binfield Heath - Shiplake - Thames - Sonning
Cross the Henley Road and climb steps opposite pub. Turn right and follow the path. At the top of the
hill there is a crossroads of dirt tracks. Go straight across. Arrive in Church Lane in Binfield Heath and
turn right. Shortly after the post box on the right hand side, turn right onto the footpath, down the side of
two fields. Continue through Shiplake Copse (famous for its bluebells in Spring) and all the way down
towards Shiplake Cross, through an iron kissing gate and left which joins Plough Lane. Turn right and
then cross the Henley Road into Church Lane. At the end of the road bear right onto the gravel track
and then left towards the College boathouses. Cross the footbridge and follow the Thames Path to
Sonning. Then follow the route through Sonning Eye back to the pub. 6 miles, around 2.5 hours
THE SAFE ROUTE FROM THE FLOWING SPRING TO SONNING BRIDGE
FROM CAVERSHAM AND
THAMES VALLEY PARK
Join the Thames Path south of the river at either Reading or
Caversham Bridge and follow it east past Caversham Lock
and over the River Kennet footbridge. If starting at Thames
Valley Park, turn right along the footpath. Follow the river all
the way to Sonning past the lock to Sonning Bridge. At
Sonning Bridge turn left and follow the directions to the pub.
3.5 miles, around 1.5 hours
Turn right out of the pub car park into Spring Lane and over the bridge. Take the signposted footpath on the left of the road and follow
it to the end, past the allotments. Cross the busy Playhatch Road to the track opposite which leads you onto the old Sonning Eye
road. Shortly after the Sailing Club entrance, the road forks. Ignore the bend to the left and go straight on between the houses. Follow
ths road as it bears left and then take the footpath on the right by the Parish Council noticeboard. This leads out to the public car park
opposite the French Horn. Cross the first bridge, called Sonning Backwaters Bridge. If you are walking to Shiplake, take the footbridge
on the left next to the traffic lights which keeps you on the north side of the Thames. For all other routes, cross Sonning Bridge onto
the south side. For Wargrave and Twyford take the footpath on the left immediately before the Great House. For Caversham take the
path opposite the Great House on the right. Distance 1 mile, around 20 minutes
FROM CAVERSHAM PARK VILLAGE
From the bottom of Caversham Park Road follow the Henley Road to Playhatch roundabout. Carefully cross the road at the
roundabout onto the south side by Travis Perkins and then cross Playhatch Road. There are signposts by the entrance to
the small copse on this corner. Follow the sign to Woodley which takes you parallel with Playhatch Road towards Sonning.
The footpath finishes before the end of the road so you will need to walk a few hundred paces on the road before reaching
Spring Lane. Cross over Spring Lane and go through the gate to your left. Follow the footpath up Spring Lane as far as you
can and then onto the lane for the final few yards, over the bridge and into the pub car park. 2.5 miles, 45 mins
The Flowing Spring
Henley Road
Playhatch
Oxon RG4 9RB
Tel: (0118) 9699878
www.theflowingspringpub.co.uk