Hidden away in the small village of Aston in Berkshire is Hambledon Lock. One of many locks along the Thames, it is open to the public free of charge and even has a free car park situated a couple of minutes walk away.
My girlfriend and I went to the lock after a few days of heavy rain and the water levels were uncharacteristically high. The higher water level made the cascades even more dramatic than usual. Hambledon Lock is a good place just to stand for a while and watch the water flow. On sunny days there are often artists and writers perched along it taking in the scenery and listening to the sounds of the water.
It doesn’t take long to walk across the interconnected bridges of the lock and cross over the river. Once at the other side you can head off in whichever direction you wish along the calmer stretch of the Thames. Hambledon’s surroundings are a little less dramatic than the cascades of water and consist of pretty fields and small areas of woodland. On a sunny day it’s perfect for a leisurely stroll along the river.
Today was a little wet to go traipsing across the farmland and due to the high water level much of it was flooded anyway. However, it did allow for a dramatic sky filled with clouds and rich colours.
The short stop over, we wended our way back along the metal bridges and out of the lock. Hambledon Lock may not seem the obvious choice for a visit but it is free and is the perfect place to start walks along the Thames from. If you are in the Berkshire area it’s well worth a look.
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