가장 멋진 명소 20곳

All cyclists are able to pass the toll bridge for free

Christchurch Bridge is one of those post-2010 structures that still looks vaguely futuristic if you squint through the drizzle, all brushed metal and angled cables, stretched over the Thames like someone thought Reading needed a statement piece on a budget. Built in 2015 to connect the town centre with the north bank, it was meant to be a step toward sustainable transport. These days, it’s more of a tactical crossing point. At 138 metres long, it offers a decent line across the water, provided you can navigate the walkers, the slow, unpredictable pedestrians who drift across both lanes like confused drones. They’ll stop dead, veer diagonally, or pull a 180 with no warning. Bells are useless. Polite coughs do nothing. Try “on your right” and you’ll get a sideways glance that says, “You chose threat.” The bridge itself is solid, no major structural issues, not yet, and the view isn’t bad if you’re into Reading riverside aesthetics or watching trains roll by in the middle distance. There’s usually a breeze, and sometimes the air carries a strange scent, incense and diesel or something like that, perhaps old factories nearby were smouldering. Two wheels have to treat the crossing like an obstruction. You ride steady, but ready, always prepared to dodge a wayward commuter or canine unit on a retractable leash stretched to trip-wire length. There’s no room to be indecisive, and definitely no time for mid bridge photo shoots unless you’re ready to become a cautionary anecdote. The incline is gentle, but if you’re hauling supplies or riding on a loaded frame, you’ll feel it by the halfway mark. Still, it’s a crucial part of the west-east route along the Thames Path. If you’re avoiding roads and staying off-grid, this bridge is your best shot across the river without backtracking for miles. At dawn or dusk, you might get lucky and cross it clean, no walkers, no noise, just the creak of your drivetrain and the water below, quiet and grey. At peak times, though, it’s a gauntlet. Urban survival, one careful pedal stroke at a time.

Best way across the Thames in Reading and it links the station and city centre to the beautiful Christchurch meadows and the Thames path. Nice colour lights in the dark too

Opened in 2015, Christchurch Bridge was the first crossing over the River Thames to have been built in nearly 100 years. It is reserved for pedestrians and cycles only.

Hambledon Lock is a historic lock situated on the River Thames that features a long weir. The lock has seen various renovations, and even featured in Charles Dickens' short ghost story.

Quieter than Henley and perhaps more beautiful.

The river Thames marks the boundary between Oxfordshire to the North and West Berkshire to the South a few miles either side of Pangbourne and is here crossed by the Whitchurch Bridge, connecting Pangbourne with Whitchurch-on-Thames. Historical records of this being a strategic crossing point go as far back as 844AD. Both sides of the river are lined with beautiful and exclusive houses, best observed from the boats cruising the river.

Often selling for well over £1m, the houses on the riverside at Pangbourn are really the stuff of dreams. If you can admire them from the river too, maybe on a kayak or a river cruise, you will see their perfectly manicured gardens and their stunning presence on the waterfront. And if you want to treat yourself you could even rent one of them through AirBnB!