Pete's Walks- Sonning Common and Mapledurham (page 4 of 5)
If you are considering walking this route yourself, please see my disclaimer. You may also like to see these notes about the maps and GPX files.
I now had to follow the concrete track for about a mile and a half. It was absolutely flat, almost up to the point I left it, crossing what I presume is the flood plain of the Thames. Near the start a path went left (the way I went when I did this walk last year, and the route of of the Chiltern Way which I'd been following since Collins End) and after that I was on what was new ground for me. I soon had a good view back to Mapledurham House and further on there were numerous geese and a few swans feeding in the flat fields to my right. A cyclist passed me as I went by Park Farm, and a little further I met a gentleman walking the other way - I'd meet several other people further on, the bridleway seemed quite popular (but then it does start or end on the edge of the large town of Caversham).
The long bridleway along the Thames Valley from Mapledurham
The long bridleway along the Thames Valley from Mapledurham
Looking back to Mapledurham House
Greylag Geese
The long bridleway along the Thames Valley from Mapledurham, passing Park Farm
The long bridleway along the Thames Valley from Mapledurham
There was a slight kink in the track as I passed a junction near New Farm (a little to my left) - I could have gone left here, but chose to continue straight on. Soon I was approaching Chazey Wood on top of the hillside to my left, and after a while the wood extended down the hill to meet the track, which now became much rougher and no longer solid concrete. When the wood ended, I finally left the track and turned left, following a footpath uphill. This soon levelled out when it turned right, and continued between fences and hedges for a few hundred yards to reach a bridleway, where I turned left.
The long bridleway along the Thames Valley from Mapledurham, approaching Chazey Wood
The long bridleway along the Thames Valley from Mapledurham, approaching Chazey Wood
The long bridleway along the Thames Valley from Mapledurham, passing Chazey Wood
The path after I turned left
The path after I turned left
The path after I turned left, after it turned right
The next mile or so was very straightforward as I simply followed the bridleway northwards, for most of the time with Caversham Heath golf course on either side of me. This was very pleasant and undemanding, though also very flat.
The start of the long section along the bridleway going north through Caversham Heath Golf Course
The bridleway going north through Caversham Heath Golf Course
The bridleway going north through Caversham Heath Golf Course
The bridleway going north through Caversham Heath Golf Course
The bridleway going north through Caversham Heath Golf Course