READING Borough Council has released a new series of guides to help visitors explore Reading and its rich history.
Four guides have been produced to help users delve into the town’s parks, rivers, and green space, as well as its cultural assets.
The walking page on the Council’s website has also been refreshed and includes walks in central Reading, nature walks and updated interactive walking network maps and links to other resources.
Each Wellbeing Walk map contains information about places of interest and fascinating historical facts, and there is also advice about the walk’s level of difficulty and accessibility.
All walks are circular and start and finish in the town centre but can also be picked up along the route.
The four new routes include a Thames and Kennet route – an easy-going 5km walk taking in the two rivers with plenty of scenery and wildlife– and a Kennet and Southcote route, a 9km circular walk along the Kennet and Avon Canal across Southcote meadows and back to the town centre via Prospect Park and west Reading.
There’s also a Town centre route, a 3km circular walk from Reading Town Hall taking in some of the many historic and interesting places within Reading, and a Caversham route, a 9.5km circular walk from the north side of Reading Station through Caversham and Caversham Heights back to Reading station, via St Peter’s Churchyard and Caversham Court.
Walking can provide a number of benefits, including improved physical and mental health, reduce stress and improve mood and can be a fun and free way to enjoy your local area.
Cllr John Ennis, Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, said: “The Wellbeing Walk maps are ideal for exploring parts of Reading you may not be familiar with while getting some fresh air and exercise.
“Theey are also great for finding out more about places in Reading that you already know.
“The updated Council webpage also has plenty of suggestions for other walks around the borough as well as information about walking groups and the benefits of walking.
“I would recommend downloading, or picking up, copies of the Wellbeing Walk maps and heading out, as you notice so much more about the borough than you would normally when you are rushing from one place to another.”
Guides and more information are available via: reading.gov.uk
