The best city hikes and walks in Castle Bottom National Nature Reserve

In January 2020, a step on the Oxford Road side of Wokingham Railway Footbridge collapsed without warning, closing that side immediately. No injuries, but a reminder that “Grade II listed” doesn’t mean indestructible. Built in 1886 after two fatal accidents at the old level crossing, the bridge is a rare Victorian upcycle, made from recycled iron rails and timber sleepers. Its bowstring girder arch flows into the stairs, saving money and headaches. Now Grade II listed and likely the only one left in the UK, it even sports a Blue Plaque—old bridges get more fame than some locals. Closed for repairs in late 2020 and reopened mid-2021, work fixed rusty ironwork, replaced stair treads, and gave it a fresh coat of paint. The cost was part of a £6 million station upgrade. Naturally, the repairs added to local misery, as Wokingham’s overwhelmed roads and facilities coped with more construction and delays. No original blueprints survive, suggesting it was designed on-site, a “just get on with it” Victorian job before health and safety existed. Though a modern footbridge sits inside the station, the historic bridge remains open 24/7 without ticket barriers, offering a quicker route between Station Road and the town centre. Why wouldn’t anyone build this today? It fails almost every modern safety rule: steep stairs, no ramps or lifts. It wouldn’t pass accessibility laws. Reusing old rails and sleepers without testing? Not allowed. Modern bridges need certified materials, detailed plans, and gigs of CAD files. No plans means it was probably designed on the fly. Today’s bridges require more committee approvals than you can count. It also fails clearance, load, weatherproofing, and evacuation codes. Built for pedestrians only, it lacks anything for cyclists, proving bike-friendliness wasn’t quite Dutch-level common-sense priority for England’s officials and planners back then either. Replicating its unique parts would be expensive and nearly impossible to insure, unless your insurer enjoys thrills. In short, Wokingham Railway Footbridge is a charming Victorian oddity surviving on heritage, not engineering merit. Sometimes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” really means “good luck building this again.”

The River Blackwater flows from Bocking to the North Sea at Mersea Island. There are walking trails along its length but no actual cycle path. This point offers a good view of the river and of the Blackwater Valley through Blackwater.

After two serious accidents, it was decided to build this footbridge in late 1886. Although several footbridges of this type were constructed at the time, very few still exist, and possibly the one in Wokingham is the only one remaining. It is part of the Blue Plaque Trail (you can see its plaque on one of the footbridge's walls) and is a Grade II listed building.

This track through Hawley Meadows has a good surface but is away from the river. Strangely, about 50 yards are unsurfaced as you rejoin the riverside track by the bridge.

This spot is part of the black water valley trail. It's an odd thing trapped between the railway and the A331, but it surprisingly nice along side the river. A few gates but the whole thing is accessible by foot, bike with a mixture of hard packed single track, Gravel and tarmac.

Railway foot bridge between Crabtree Park and Sainsburys/Watchmoor Park. Very steep so not suitable for carrying loads of shopping or pushing heavy bikes although there looks to be some tyre marks below railings so I guess some people have managed to use that as a ramp to push their bike up.