Stage 16: Cholsey to Shillingford

Dear Bertie,

Today you are nearly 5 months old and we met Grandpa for our next leg of the Thames, Stage 16, Cholsey to Shillingford.

Grandpa picked us up from Reading station again and we headed to a cafe in Cholsey for your milk lunch and bacon sarnies for us.

Grandpa dropped us at the river on Ferry lane  and we journey'd north up the Thames path.

We passed through the town of Wallingford which has a medieval castle, where Henry V11 lived before it fell into disrepair and is now in ruins. 

        We went under a lovely old stone bridge. 

Grandpa then met us for the last half of the walk at Benson Lock weir.  It is the first pound lock built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1788 and was replaced by the present masonry lock in 1870. The distance between Benson and Cleeve locks downstream is 6.5 miles (10.4km) which is the longest distance between locks on the River Thames. 

And we reached Shillingford for a picture on the bridge overlooking the river and an old wooden boathouse. 

Before getting cosy in the Shillingford hotel bar for your milk lunch and some late lunch for us!

Well done Bertie - we are doing so brilliantly!

DETAILS:

Total distance - 11km

GPS link: https://www.strava.com/activities/2166552622

Travel:

Outbound: CLJ - Reading - Cholsey - lift to river with Dad

Inbound: Dad lift back to Reading - CLJ

Feeding stops:

Cafe in Cholsey - Cafe Denorme: good for bacon sarnies, no baby change.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cafe+Delorme/@51.5750766,-1.1705025,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x4876bd51d418139f:0x1dab0e30fcab3e2a!8m2!3d51.5750725!4d-1.1529875

Shillingford Hotel:

Open for lunch, nice sofa area near the bar, basic food and happy to warm food for you too

http://www.shillingfordbridgehotel.co.uk

Stage 15: Pangbourne to Cholsey

Dear Bertie,

Today you are over 6 months old and well and truly into weaning!

We arrived in Pangbourne for a short walk through town and over the lovely Whitchurch bridge with white painted railings. 

And we stopped in a pub for your latest vegetable puree lunch and milk. 

We then walked through a lovely village called Whitchurch on Thames and the path took us away from the river, where you fell asleep.

We went up a big hill and through a big Gruffalo wood looking down at the river below.

We passed a huge boathouse 

before arriving at the small Cholsey station for our journey home

TOTAL DISTANCE: 12.8 KM

Feeding stops: 2

Nappy changes: 4

Crying episodes: 0 yah!

Feeding stop:
Pub in Pangbourne - can't find which one but there is the Ferryboat and Greyhound Inn

Travel:
Outbound, 3 changes: Clapham Junction - Reading - Pangbourne

Inbound, 3 changes : Cholsey - Reading - Clapham Junction

GPS link: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29505599

Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/2130236463