Today was my third day along the Thames, and once again there were gorgeous vistas along the river, helped by the fact that the landscape was more rolling this morning.
While I might have grumbled a bit yesterday about the sameness of the scenery along the Thames, there is no doubt that the river passes through some very attractive countryside.
That fact was brought home to me, rather forcefully, when I arrived in Reading at the end of the day. The Thames Path runs very close to the centre of Reading, but they are worlds apart. I’ll admit that I’m spoilt, as for the last month I have not seen any cities up close, just country villages and market towns. But Reading, or at least its core, has a rather gritty feel to it. I suspect I’ll be seeing more such places over the next few days, as my route passes through the western periphery of London. I also suspect that I’ll be very glad when I find myself back out in the countryside.
Day 22 Route: Streatley to Reading via Thames Path. Terrain: riverside paths. Weather: initially sunny, clouding over later. Daily distance: 18.8 km/11.7 miles. Cumulative distance: 529.8 km/328.5 miles. Accommodation: Hotel Ibis, Reading.
Come Wind, Come Weather 
Thanks for these notes and photos Simon. I’m enjoying sharing your story with family and friends.
Tom
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