Reading

Reading sits in Berkshire at the confluence of the River Kennet and the Thames, about 40 miles west of London. The town centre grew around Reading Abbey, founded in 1121, and the abbey ruins lie beside Forbury Gardens and the Maiwand Lion memorial. The Oracle follows the line of the Kennet through the centre and opens onto the riverside quay. Reading station is a rail junction on the Great Western Main Line, with services to London Paddington and routes west toward Bristol and the West Country.

The borough is a unitary authority that combines commercial, university and residential areas. The University of Reading’s Whiteknights campus sits to the south and hosts research and teaching facilities. Business parks around Green Park and along the A33 support technology and service firms. The Thames Path and Kennet towpath provide continuous riverside routes through the district for walkers and cyclists. Local markets and seasonal events use the town square and riverside spaces, and the rivers form part of the district’s flood management and utility infrastructure.