Just to point out that TFL Rail trains have NO TOILETS. There are toilets on each platform at Reading, however.

(Gawd help those who want to travel from Shenfield to Reading on the Cross-Elizabeth-Purple Line when it finally opens. You will need strong bladders...)

The stretch between Sonning and Shiplake can be very muddy.

I did the walk on 30 December, and the Sonning to Shiplake section then had slithery surface mud rather than the deep gloopy variety. It was a trifle tedious, but not terminally so, and the lovely scenery made up for it. In the morning the paths are mostly gravel.

Nearing the Boat House at Old Shiplake (1km before the lock) there was one large flooded bit, which I had to wade through, but this was because heavy rains before Christmas had inundated a playing field. This flood was now draining into the river, whose level was much lower by that point. We have not had heavy rain of this kind since, so I would be surprised if this section was still a problem.

Just to clarify, it is only the Freedom Pass, not the 60+ London oyster card that is valid beyond West Drayton (I had initially thought it was both)

Thank you to Pete G for the fare information,

I too, thought it was both.

Since the GWR and TfL trains arrive at the same time on different platforms, it may be best to meet up on the overhead concourse, near the escalator exit on the north side of Reading station (NOT the main concourse on the south side of the station).

TfL trains from Twyford to London are at xx:28 and xx:58, taking 49 minutes.

This walk had to be abandoned after a couple of miles due to the Thames path being flooded in several places. 16 walkers turned up for it. I didn't want to return to London straight away so I walked up the River Kennet which took me into the the centre of Reading. There I saw the abbey ruins, Jane Austin's boarding school, a vibrant and friendly town centre and a first class museum. Hopefully this walk can be re-posted in the Spring or Summer.

Having taken an earlier train I walked the first section, Reading to Sonning. Though there was flooding in places, especially in stretches of the water meadows, it was possible to get through and much of the path was OK. Admittedly it helped in the odd place to be wearing wellies. But after Sonning (lunch at Coppa Club excellent), the path was fully flooded, the river well over its banks and flooding over the land on the far side of the path as well. I proceeded for possibly a couple of hundred metres to see if the situation would improve and wss just wondering if I should turn back when a red inflatable boat came into view, motoring down the river. I called to ask if it was better to go forward or back, they indicated back and immediately came over, had me in the boat and took me back to Sonning. They were the Berkshire Search and Rescue Service and told me that the path was flooded up to Shiplake, also that the river was still rising even though the rains had ceased. I walked back to Reading finding a different way to get through the partially flooded meadows.

Bad luck on those who had to abandon the walk, but better to be safe than sorry If someone had a map or gps an alternative might have been to walk to Pangbourne and then possibly on to Goring or as I once did, walk to Pangbourne and then follow a route back to Reading on the opposite side of the river.

Apologies for posting this walk. The full route was passable a couple of weeks earlier but after last week's storm it looks like I should have played safe and substituted something else (not that there are that many mud-free walks in our winter repertoire). Congratulations to those of you who improvised a town walk around Reading or got a free boat trip.

The Thames Path route just after Shiplake Station is quite overgrown, a more pleasant option would be to take the next left along Bolney Road.

There is no 10.04 train leaving Paddington: walk poster please resolve.

It's worth mentioning that walkers should have either GPS or a compass for this walk, since it takes many twists and turns through woodland. It's a sandwich eater's paradise, with as many as a score of benches passed during the day.

Oops... right comment; wrong walk. It should have been for the Broxbourne circular

17, overcast but dry

14 set off from the station at the recommended time, 2 later comers joined the group at lunch, one early starter met us at Chocolate Factory in Henley. A nice and easy walk but scenic and enjoyable nonetheless. All stopped at The Bull - nice food and good service (food came very quickly) but expensive. We got to the pub before 12pm. So it is worth while to consider a later start if this walk comes up again. A small group pressed on to Henley or took the train from Shiplake (not sure). 9 stopped at Baskerville Arms for tea where Brexit debate has become rather heated. Another tea stop at Chocolate Factory, where ice creams were consumed to cool down the debate but several others could not take the heat and went to explore Henley. We took 4:20pm train back to London. A divided country, but we are keeping on walking....