The best city hikes and walks around Swinley Forest

This is a nice place if you want a rest. The Basingstoke canal is a lovely picturesque ride.

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.

A nice little boathouse. Note, go down Gold Lane to the fisheries for a restaurant/coffee room overlooking the lakes. It feels a little shady on the way in as it is an unadopted road, but it's fine.

You are in front of the oldest building in Wokingham, with nearly a thousand years of history, as it was largely reconstructed in the Norman style after the conquest of 1066. Inside, it is known for its stained glass windows and its ornate high altar.

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.

Saint Paul's Church was built between 1862 and 1864 in the context of a developing Wokingham with the arrival of the railway. It underwent some enlargements, such as those in 1874 and 1892. The best way to describe its style is to say it is Victorian Gothic.

Although the building you see dates back to 1860, it is not the original one, as a medieval guildhall stood on this site from 1612. This guildhall was demolished to construct the current building due to the significant industrial growth that Wokingham experienced in the mid-19th century. It currently houses the Wokingham Town Council and is designated as a Grade II listed building. You can find a Wokingham Society Historic Blue Plaque here.