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The River Thames, looking downstream from Caversham Bridge in the English town of Reading. Pipers Island and its restaurant is to the immediate left, the upstream end of Fry's Island can be seen downstream separating the two channels.  For more information see the Wikipedia articles Pipers Island and Fry's Island.
The Forbury Gardens in the English town of Reading. A lot of effort goes into the creation of colourful floral displays in the gardens. Here polyanthuses provide a garish splash of colour in front of the Maiwand Lion, a memorial to lives lost during the Afghan Wars. The Forbury Hill, an artificial mound of unknown origin, can be seen to the left of the lion.
Caversham Weir and Reading Hydro, in the English town of Reading
Photo by Motmit (talk)
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Reading

England, United Kingdom · Europe

About Reading

Reading works well as a base: 5 minutes from Earley, 22km from LEGOLAND Windsor.

Reading is in England, United Kingdom, with about 320,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Earley, about 4 km away.

Where to Stay in Reading

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Explore the Area

Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Reading.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to see near Reading?

Within an hour or so of Reading: LEGOLAND Windsor (22 km), Windsor Castle (26 km), Burnham Beeches (Robin Hood, Harry Potter, Sleepy Hollow) (26 km), Virginia Water Lake, Surrey (Forbidden Forest) (27 km).

Are there any good drives near Reading?

The nearest famous roads are Crystal Palace Circuit, Goodwood Festival of Speed and Rhinefield Ornamental Drive.

Where is Reading?

Reading is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Earley.

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What's nearby?

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Quick Information

Population
318,014
Continent
Europe
Country
United Kingdom
Region
England
Timezone
Europe/London
Coordinates
51.4562, -0.9711

Emergency & Services

Essential numbers in United Kingdom

Police
999
Ambulance
999
Fire
999
Non-emergency police
101
Driving side
left

112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.

Full driving guide for United Kingdom

Tags

EuropeUnited KingdomEnglandCity

Worth the detour from Reading

8 notable places within an hour's drive.

landmark

LEGOLAND Windsor

Family-friendly theme park near London with LEGO-themed rides, building workshops, and Miniland models.

22 km · about 25 min drive

landmark

Windsor Castle

The oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, serving as a royal residence for over 900 years.

26 km · about 30 min drive

film location

Burnham Beeches (Robin Hood, Harry Potter, Sleepy Hollow)

The ancient pollarded beech woodland close to Pinewood Studios is one of Britain's most-filmed forests.

26 km · about 30 min drive

film location

Virginia Water Lake, Surrey (Forbidden Forest)

The lakeside and woods of Windsor Great Park doubled for the Forbidden Forest and the Hogwarts grounds in Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire.

27 km · about 30 min drive

film location

Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire (Goldfinger golf match)

The Palladian clubhouse and course hosted the celebrated golf match between Bond and Goldfinger, and reappeared in Tomorrow Never Dies.

27 km · about 30 min drive

film location

Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey)

The Jacobethan country house in Hampshire that is Downton Abbey itself; the estate opens to visitors for parts of the year.

31 km · about 35 min drive

landmark

Thorpe Park

Thrill-focused theme park near London catering to older children and adults with intense roller coasters.

32 km · about 35 min drive

film location

Bourne Wood, Surrey (Gladiator opening battle)

The Forestry England woodland near Farnham is where Gladiator's Germania battle was shot, and later Robin Hood, Thor and the Harry Potter finale.

32 km · about 35 min drive

Driving roads near Reading

4 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.

  • 51 kmBox HillA steep chalk escarpment above the Mole valley, the Zig Zag Road on its flank made famous by the 2012 Olympic road race.
  • 52 kmLeith HillThe highest point in south-east England at 294 m, its 18th-century tower taking visitors just above the 1,000-foot mark.

Driving in United Kingdom

Drives on
the left
Petrol
~€1.73/litre
Motorway tolls
None

When to drive here

April to October

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near Reading.

Earley

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

4 km away

Lower Earley

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

5 km awayPop. 32,000

Tilehurst

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

5 km away

Calcot

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

6 km awayPop. 9,093

Twyford

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

8 km awayPop. 7,533

Rotherfield Peppard

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

8 km awayPop. 1,500

Wargrave

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

9 km awayPop. 4,209

Henley-on-Thames

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

10 km awayPop. 11,494

Plan a trip around Reading

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Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence