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Published: September 25th 2019
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Crowne Plaza has been a nice stay 13 September 2019, Friday
Day 12 on Thames Path. Reading to Henley-on-Thames, day 28 of travel
We left the Crowne Plaza hotel around 0830 and walked a little over a mile to the Tesco superstore where we had breakfast at the cafe inside.
I had told Jo, Norma and Karen it was a short 7.5 mile day. It turned out to be more than 11.5. We started at the Caversham bridge and passed a footbridge over the Thames. This is a suspension bridge with a single structural tower and cables to the abutments that support the bridge deck. Then the bicycles started flying by.
A duck on the shore was resting on one leg. Jo commented the duck was doing Pilates. Our own bodies could use a good Pilates session.
Today we are looking for the large Red Kite birds and the mayfly, which is like a dragonfly.
An old boat on the opposite bank is so overgrown with plants and weeds it is camouflaged next to a tree on the bank. We also pass a one of a kind totem-like sign post.
We see our first group having paddle board lessons on the river.
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The day is gorgeous. This is along a straight stretch of Thames The day is sunny with deep blue skies and we watch the contrails of the planes flying over. On the path the walk crosses a wooden bridge inscribed as TROLL BRIDGE with a beaded decoration and carved troll head.
Karen has seen an ad for tea and scones at the Red Bull Inn just after we pass Sonning Lock.
On our diversion we see the sign for Berkshire County, the home of the royals. Yes, the county where the royal families have homes. Well, some homes among many! We are at the inn much longer than expected as they apparently had to make the scone. Oh, but best scone I have ever had?
While waiting we read about the infamous local highwayman by the name of Dick Turpin. Daring and dashing he would call out "Stand and Deliver" when he wanted to separate you from your goods! He is England's Jesse James.
At this point we separate from "the girls" and go off to see St. Andrew's. It is a stone and flint structure and glistens in the sun. There are massive buttressed walls of mellow Tudor brick, remnants of the palace of the Bishops of
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Heading east towards the sun Salisbury. Inside it is very ornate with crypts from the early 1600s. The organ pipes are very colorful. The kneeling cushions are beautiful needlepoint. The baptismal fount is over the top Gothic and requires a cable attached to a pulley to raise the top off the fount. It is a beautiful and peaceful church.
Shiplake College and boat house are next. Shiplake is actually two small communities-Shiplake and Lower Shiplake. The approach to this area provides us with open skies where we see the beautiful red kites wheeling in the air. Their bodies can be more than 24 inches long with a wing span of 72 inches. As they turn you see the bright red flash on their underbelly. They are awesome, with a forked tail to enable them to twist in different directions.
- Next is Shiplake lock. We stop for a snack and talk to an amiable lockkeeper. He tells us he has had 35 boats go through that day.
Our last lock is Marsh Lock and we are in Henley with its green waterside lawns. We also found a children's park and ice cream. The story of the obelisk and the current location with
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A sleek one pillar suspension bridge for pedestrians. beautiful flowers is a history lesson about the town.
Our lodging is in the very old Row Barge Inn and Pub with some interior beams original from 13th century. It is funky with great food, fantastic people and a clientele that rival Cheers in Boston TV series.
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David H Miller
non-member comment
Pub
Must be where everyone knows your name. Would that every church was that way!