Day Seven - Reading to Marlow

Day seven Today colin had left me to go off back to manchester to be one of the 2012 olympic torch bearers. I therefore walked to the tube station and headed across londom and caight my train to Reading from Paddington. I reached Reading and headed down to the river. It was still early enough in the morning to be cook and to pace out, so I quickly completed three miles and reached Sonning bridge.  Crossing the river here I came within toughing distance of a Hearon stood on the side of the river fishing. I can't believe how close I could get creeping up on it before it thought best to dash off as I did indeed look pretty scary. Shiplake collage was next round the corner and having hoofed it for five miles I took a ten minute stop here in a bit of welcome shade and on a very rare bench. In the end I was there thirty minutes as one of the collage leacturers was on her lunch and so joined me on my shady bench to have a chat about everything from the Thames to her son in the rowing team. Tempting though it was to stop longer I had many miles ahead. A little further up the river and I was into the village. I popped into a traditional corner shop, that despite it's small interior housed everything from fork handles to four candles. I settled for a few bottles of drink and pushed on. Henley on Thames soon came into view around 1pm and since the lady had recommended the rowing and river museum I took her advice and called in for a look and to appreciate the air conditioning.  I had a go at rowing and realised how difficult it was to keep in time and they had a special exhibition featuring a Wind in the Willows walk through story with models which was actually really good.  Half a mike and I was in the centre of Henley amidst bunting and flags in full force. I bought a sandwich and sat along the river with the swans. There were people busy erecting tents and pile driving stakes into the thames for the Regatta in a few weeks. A couple of swans were having a MAJOR domestic over heavens only knows what. I watched unable to do anything but marvel at how persistent they both were trying to drown each other, bite each other and tangle their necks up. In the end one finally escaped and jumped out of the river bruised and spent the next few minutes trying to get it's wing back in place and preen itself.  Rowing was the order of the next mile with several boats cruising up the river and then racing back down much faster than I could walk.  Hurley lock came into sight and since I was only a few miles off the end of the day I treated myself to a huge mug of tea. Alas I saw cakes also do had a large slab of zingy lemon cake and tested in the shade along the lock side.    Marlow bridge was my final destination. I also think it might be my current favourite with it's criss cross white iron work and church. My hotel was through the town centre and up hill of cause. In the end  it was another mile but the welcome at Granny Ann's was warm and the room brilliant. I ate most of the free food in the room which was the most extensive I've experienced in a b&b. I had my evening meal in town.