A tour along the river

Places to drink along the river in Reading

For a town that sits on two rivers – the Thames and the Kennet, Reading has surprisingly few places to sit and watch the river while having a pint (at least without buying food). Here’s a journey along the Kennet past some of the places where you can watch the swans swimming past while quenching your thirst
Start at The Outlook. There is a small outside area overlooking the water, and tables inside next to the window
1 minute walk to the Back of Beyond, a Wetherspoons pub which has a garden and tables inside right next to the water
Next door to The Thirsty Bear which has a rooftop beer garden where you can see the river
A 4 minute walk to Bel & The Dragon. This is primarily a restaurant, but has a bar where you can buy drinks too, and sit outside next to one of the quietest spots on the river
An 8 minute walk across the footbridge to the Jolly Angler, a riverside pub with a quirky beer garden featuring a swimming pool (open to swim in some days)
A 3 minute walk back along the river to the Fisherman’s Cottage, where you can sit next to the river and watch the world go by