Segment 9: Tilehurst to Cholsey
Details
What is this?
This is a continuation of the walks that this group started last year. Starting in March 2011 the group had completed 8 segments of the 180 miles walk from the Thames Barrier to the Source of the Thames. This is the 9th Segment out of the total of 15th.
This walk is the prettiest of the lot as it goes past by the foothills of the Chilterns, everyone planning to come for this walk can look forward to a treat.
Meeting time.
10:00am at the Tilehurst Station Car Park, The walk will start at 10:00am sharp. -
Getting to the Meeting Point - Tilehurst
Tilehurst is on the mainline from Reading to Oxford, only five minutes from Reading so if you can get to Reading you can easily get to Tilehurst.
The return fare from London Paddington) to Tilehurst and then back from Cholsey to Padding is pretty steep = £20 , and there is no easy means of find a cheaper far , except the Group saver fare which will reduce the expense to half for every group of 4 people.
If you want a £10 ticket you need to do the following
Pay £10 by Paypal using the link on meet-up site OR send me an email pledging to pay me the £10, before Thursday 1st of March.. Send me an email with your postal address , and I will post the tickets to you. If you are on the Group Saver tickets , all four people are expected to travel together on the same train, so people on the Group Save tickets should plan to take the following trains:
a) Depart London Paddington 8:43am , Arrive Tilehurst at 9:47 pm
b) Return from Cholsey 18:18 , arrive London Paddington at 19:27 Plan to meet the group in the second compartment (standard class) from the edge of the platform. The walk
The start of the walk is along the road and we will need to navigate our way through ilehurst for more than a mile before we get to the river. Once next to the river it all becomes fantastic, the next 3 miles is through beautiful rural setting, we are unlikely to see another person until we get to Pangbourne,. where we cross a quaint little toll bridge into Whitechurch-on-Thames. This will be our first stop “The tea stop". After this tea break we walk on the side of the Chiltern Hills for another 4 miles and get to our Late Lunch stop in Goring. After Lunch we have another 4.5 miles before we get to the end of the walk at the Morning Star pub , near Cholsey station .
For more details of the walk, including some picture check out
http://www.thames-path.org.uk/thames_tilehurst_cholsey.html
For details of the route , check out the map.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5279732
Pitstops
There will be two planned stops for this walk , “A tea break” after 4 and half miles lunch stop after eight and half miles and the final stop after 13 miles
“The tea-break” stop 15-20 minutes
http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/a/1/0/event_90666672.jpegThe Ferryboat
High Street, Whitchurch-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG8 7DB
0118 984 2161 07711 407889 (Mobile)
The Lunch Stop (60 minutes)
http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/9/7/0/event_90666512.jpegPierreponts Cafe (http://pierreponts.com/) Telephone: 01491 874464
High Street Goring-on-Thames RG8 9AB
Apres Walk drinks.
http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/9/2/0/event_90666432.jpegThe Morning Star
98 Papist Way, Cholsey, Oxfordshire OX10 9QL
01491 651413 ()
Getting home
The Cholsey Station is half a mile from the Morning Star, Trains from Cholsey to Reading & London are at the following times,
16,18, 17:20, 18:18, 19:20
For people on the Group ticket the plan is to make it to the 18:18, if you miss that you will have a 1 hour wait.
How far is it and when will I get there?
The walk is 13 Miles from Tilehurst Station to the Morning Star pub. .
Approximate times for the walk are as follows
10:00 am Start
11:30 : First “Tea Stop” - At The Ferry Boat , WhitChurch High Street
1:30 : Lunch Stop in Goring
4:30 : End at Morning Star Pub
Train back at 18:18
FAQ
What do I need to bring?
It is a relatively long walk in the countryside, you will need good comfortable shoes, and don’t forget water, chocolates and money for lunch and the pint at the end of the trip.
What if I can't make it?
Please change your RSVP to "no" as soon as you decide you can’t make it.
IWhat if I am late?
We will be leaving the meeting point at 10:00, timed to leave after the train arriving at Tilehurst at 9:47. If you miss that train, the next best option is to take the next train to Pangbourne at meet us at The Ferry boat, on The Whitchurch-on-Thames High Street.
Can I do only part of the walk?
Yes you can. Pangbourne after 4 miles or Goring after 8.5 miles are the best places to quit .
What if I get lost?
Please don't, but if you do, please phone 0776 9682056 , even if you can make your own way home.
What if it rains or the weather is bad?
The walk will be on rain or shine, make sure you get enough waterproof clothing.
Route Finding Tips
From the Tilehurst Station go along Oxford Road , then turn into New Hill road and look for signs to Mapledorm Lock, once you are next to the river , keep walking along the river till you come to a bridge the Whitchurch toll bridge, cross the bridge and walk along the high street until you come to Hartslock bridleway, this bridleway takes you back to the river, walk along the river until Goring High Street (The lunch stop, Pierrepoint Cafe), Here cross the river , and walk along the river again for another 2 miles, till you come to a Ferry lane, where you have to leave the river and walk along the road for a mile , look out for some barns from where a path leads back to the river. Keep walking along the river , look out for Papist way, which takes you The Morning Star pub and the Cholsey station.