Broadmoor Land and River Thames Path

The walk starts from the junction of High Street and Pearson Road, directly opposite the large property called The Grove. Standing at this T-junction facing The Grove, turn left along the pavement of Pearson Road. Follow this pavement as it leads you between a range of beautiful properties, dating from many different eras. There are several clues to the industrial heritage of the village including The Old Forge on your right and Weavers Cottage on your left. You will pass Pearson Hall on your left, home of the Sonning Club and Parish Council. The hall features a beautiful commemorative clock for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. At this point, swap to the right-hand pavement of Pearson Road and continue (passing a bus stop). Cross over the side road, Pound Lane, and continue for a few metres to reach the mini-roundabout at the junction between Pearson Road and Charvil Lane. Turn right, staying on the right-hand pavement and continue along this until it ends, directly alongside the entrance for Sonning Farm on your right.

At this point, cross over the road (taking great care) to turn left onto the concrete farm track. Pass through the wide gateway (or use the kissing gate alongside). You will see from the signage, that is this is a permissive path (rather than a public right of way) but it is a well-used walking route. Follow the concrete farm track ahead. As you reach a junction, continue ahead, still following the main track with fields each side. Look out for the beautiful single walnut tree sitting at the edge of the field on your left. This land is part of Sonning Farm, managed by the University of Reading for research and teaching in crops and for rearing dairy stock. Keep ahead for some distance, the concrete surface becoming gravel with some patches that can be muddy at times. Pass the large farm building on your right, continue ahead for 10 metres further then fork right to join a grass track continuing ahead with a hedgerow running on your right. At the end of this grass track, a kissing gate leads you out to a T-junction with a quiet country lane, Milestone Avenue.

Turn left along this quiet country lane, taking care of any occasional traffic. The lane leads you ahead for about 400 metres and then bends sharp right, heading towards St Patrick's Bridge. (This bridge spans a small branch of the river). Do NOT cross the bridge, instead turn left immediately beforehand onto the signed public footpath, a grass and tarmac access drive. The river branch, called St Patrick's Stream, is running on your right. Pass the property, Milestone Point, on your right and continue on the grass track which soon becomes a narrow path between fences. When the fence on your right ends, you will find yourself on a path running directly alongside the River Thames on your right.

For this stretch, the River Thames forms the boundary between Oxfordshire and Berkshire. You are walking on the Berkshire bank, with Oxfordshire clearly visible opposite. There are paths on both side of the river here. The path you are currently following is a simple public footpath, whilst the Thames Path national trail runs on the opposite bank. Follow the riverside path for about a mile, eventually passing a handful of properties on your left to reach the beautiful old arched brick river bridge, Sonning Bridge. Do NOT follow the surfaced path which swings left towards the road. Instead keep ahead on the riverside grass verge and join the narrow stone path which leads you under the bridge. NOTE: If the river level is too high this path may be impassable, in which case you will need to take the path to the road, cross over the road with care and then re-join the riverside.

Either way, you should now be on the tarmac continuation of the riverside path, with the river still running on your right. This stretch is part of the Thames Path national trail. After just 150 metres, you will come to a fingerpost on your right, marking a junction. Turn left here (away from the river) to join the signed public footpath between fences. The path leads you to the left of the flint Sarik Room, and into the corner of the churchyard of St Andrew's Church. The churchyard has a beautiful collection of trees. Keep straight ahead on the gravel path, passing the church on your left with a tall red brick wall running on your right. Behind this wall is Holme Park. This riverside parkland is the site of a Palace of the Bishops of Salisbury dating to Saxon times. The palace and grounds passed into the hands of the crown in the 1500s and then passed through the hands of a number of private owners up to 1912, with the house being re-built several times. From 1912 the site was run as a preparatory school and in 1947 it became the home of the Reading Blue Coat School. Numerous episodes of Inspector Morse were filmed at the school and the school has a number of famous alumni including TV presenters Matt Allwright and Jeremy Kyle as well as round-the-world yachtsman Mike Golding. As you draw level with the end of the church on your left, ignore the right turn through the brick arch on your right. Instead, keep ahead for a further 20 paces to reach a small crossroads with a tarmac path. Turn right and follow the tarmac path, with a tall wall running on your right, which leads you out of the churchyard via a lych gate. You will emerge to the corner of Pearson Road, with the beautiful North Lodge entrance for Holme Park on your right. Turn left along the pavement, passing the bus stop, and you will come to the junction between Pearson Road and High Street where the walk began.