Thames Path - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

A 12th Century family house and farming estate tucked in beside the Thames in the heart of a unique English village away from the distractions of town, Set in tranquil surroundings alongside the River Thames. It was one of the iconic attractions in this area and it will be a new experience.

Beale Park is an outdoor wildlife park within 30 acres set against the River Thames in Berkshire. A home to an exciting mix of animals and attractions. With fun, adventure, animals, gardens, activities and play on the banks of the beautiful River Thames, there will be something for everybody in this wildlife park and gardens.

Basildon Park was built in 1776-83 by John Carr of York for Francis Sykes who made a fortune in service with the East India Company. It is owned by the National Trust and is a Grade I listed building. Designed by John Carr in the Palladian style at a time when Palladianism was giving way to the newly fashionable neoclassicism. Today, Basildon Park is as notable for its mid-twentieth-century renaissance and restoration, by Lord and Lady Iliffe, as it is for its architecture.

Basildon Park is made up of 400 acres of parkland and woodland. There are four way-marked trails that you can follow around the property. The house was built between 1776 and 1783 for Sir Francis Sykes and designed by John Carr in the Palladian style at a time when Palladianism was giving way to the newly fashionable neoclassicism. Thus, the interiors are in a neoclassical "Adamesque" style.

Prospect Park is a public park in the western suburbs of Reading situated north of the Bath Road in the English county of Berkshire. It is the largest and most popular park in Reading and includes a large regency-style house, now known as Prospect Park Mansion House and previously as Prospect House. There are also sporting facilities and a miniature railway within the 50 hectares of parkland, and a restaurant in the Mansion House.

The Ridgeway is a broad track passing through the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They are unpaved, relying simply on the hard ground to provide a suitable surface for traveling on. They provide a more direct route than the modern roads we use today; modern roads tend to be located on more level, flat ground in valleys. It will be a new experience for you.